Museum Guide: Mennello Museum of American Art

Quick Facts:

• Name: Mennello Museum of American Art
• Address: 900 E. Princeton Street Orlando, FL 32803
• Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:30am - 4:30pm, Sunday: 12pm - 4:30pm, Mondays & Major Holidays: Closed

• General Admission: $8
• Website: https://www.mennellomuseum.org

Located in Loch Haven Cultural Park—just a tad bit north of downtown Orlando—is the Mennello Museum of American Art. Founded in 1998, the museum is a haven in central Florida for American art, especially that of Earl Cunningham.

Cunningham, a folk artist, is the one who inspired Marilyn Mennello and her husband to found the museum. He is mainly known for his vivid coastal landscapes with just a touch of whimsy—flamingos in Maine, Viking ships in American harbors. Some have said that Marilyn’s insistence and dedication to Cunningham’s works is what kept him from fading into obscurity.

The museum’s main permanent collection includes many pieces by Cunningham. Wandering into the gallery filled with his work, I was transported to the coast. Not necessarily the beach, but instead, a working harbor. He spent many years in St. Augustine, and that old Florida charm was present—beautiful pink skies included. Those were my favorites.

During my visit, a lovely docent shared some knowledge with me about Cunningham and his relationship to Marilyn Mennello, making the experience at the museum special. One of my favorite things about smaller museums is having the chance to listen fully to the docents and take in all the knowledge they have to share.

In addition to the permanent collection, Mennello hosts temporary exhibits throughout the year. The two current ones are Our Collection: Women Artists, A Force in American Art, and Pool Party: The Pool in American Art.

Our Collection: Women Artists, A Force in American Art is exactly as it sounds—it is an exhibit all about showcasing art within the museum’s permanent collection created by women artists. A showstopper piece in this exhibit is a bronze statue of Marilyn Mennello, welcoming visitors into the gallery. My personal favorites in this exhibit were The Dressing Room and The Yellow Girl, both by Pauline Lennards Palmer. What can I say—I’m a sucker for impressionist paintings. Women Artists will be on view until January 2026.

Pool Party: The Pool in American Art includes photographs and paintings showcasing the leisure and luxury of pools in contemporary America. Bright colors are prominent throughout the exhibit, and are the perfect amount of sunshine on rainy Florida afternoons. Always one who tends to gravitate more towards paintings over photographs, I enjoyed a series of paintings by Derrick Adams titled Floaters. My favorite was Floater 17; who doesn’t love a bright pink flamingo pool float? Pool Party will be on display until late September 2025.

Some upcoming exhibits coming to Mennello are Juan William Chavez: Art Pollination and Luca Molnar: Art Pollination Mural, both opening in early October 2025.

In addition to lovely exhibits, the museum also hosts events for the whole family. Some additional events include: Studio Art Workshops (for an additional fee), Pools in the Park with Pups, and Music and Story Time (monthly).

Indie-Folkfest is a yearly festival going into its 11th year, and something unique to Mennello. A day full of art, music, and—most importantly—community, Indie-Folkfest has something for everyone and is a great opportunity to connect with local artists and musicians. The next Indie-Folkfest is scheduled for February 14th, 2026, and more information regarding vendors and entertainment will be released closer to the event.

The museum has a very small selection of Mennello merchandise available for purchase. On my visit, I picked up a postcard of The Dressing Room by Pauline Lennards Palmer, and it has become a lovely addition to my art print/postcard collection.

Admission varies—kids under 17 are $3, seniors over 60 are $5—but general admission is $8. In addition, Mennello is a participant in one of my favorite programs—Bank of America’s Museums on Us. During the first full weekend of every month, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders receive one free admission to select museums. Just present your BOA bankcard and you’re good to go! (more information about Museums on Us can be found here)

The museum does have a small parking lot attached to the building, but parking can be difficult to find on busier days. When I visited, I parked in the nearby Orlando Science Center parking garage and walked over. There is a small $4 per hour fee associated with the parking garage.

All in all, I loved my visit to Mennello. It’s a smaller museum, but it is home to a beautiful collection and is worth visiting. Though I’m biased and think many, if not all, art museums are worth visiting.

Want to learn more about the art and artists mentioned? Here’s some additional reading:

• https://blog.artgeek.io/2023/01/28/discovering-the-mennello-museum-of-american-art/
• https://folkartmuseum.org/exhibitions/earl-cunninghams-america
• https://www.culturetype.com/2020/06/13/floaters-series-of-leisurely-pool-images-by-derrick-adams-is-about-black-radical-joy/