Museum of Arts & Sciences (MOAS) Announces $13 Million New Building for Florida Art

May 9, 2012 - PRLog -- Daytona Beach, FL  – The Museum of Arts & Sciences (MOAS), in cooperation with the City of Daytona Beach and the Volusia County Council, hosted a special announcement Monday, May 7. The Museum has been chosen as the site for a new structure – an expansion housing the collection of more than 2,600 Florida oil and watercolor paintings of Cici and Hyatt Brown.

A $13 million gift for construction has been given to MOAS by Cici and Hyatt Brown. Additional donor dollars will create an endowment for the operation and maintenance of the new building, which will provide the Museum frontage along Nova road just north of the current grounds. The building may also house facilities to research Florida art and its rich art history.

Daytona Beach Mayor, Glenn Ritchey, and other dignitaries from the City Commission, County Council and State Legislature as well as a representative from Congressman John Mica’s office were present as Cici and Hyatt Brown made their announcement, as was the new Executive Director of the Museum, Andrew Sandall. “This is certainly a welcome way to begin working with the community here in Volusia County,” stated Mr. Sandall, who joined MOAS from the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando.

“This project has been in our minds for several years,” said Cici Brown, as she thanked all who have been part of making this gift possible and spoke of her ever-growing passion for Florida history. “This gift from Hyatt and me is to the citizens of Daytona Beach, Volusia County and the State of Florida. “

The unprecedented collection, which includes works from the acclaimed Reflections I and Reflections II exhibitions, which both made their debuts at the Museum of Arts & Sciences, will be donated over the next several years.

“Initially we are going to gift over to the Museum about 70 to 80 paintings,” stated Hyatt Brown, “which will be given sometime very quickly. About every three years, other paintings will be gifted.” Mr. Brown spoke not only of the historical significance of the paintings, but the number of paintings in the collection representing “Lost Florida” or “Florida Gone” – things which have disappeared from the Florida landscape. With such paintings, Mr. Brown mentioned, “Research has to be done to tell stories which may not otherwise be told.”

Carol Lively-Platig, President of the Museum’s Board of Trustees, acknowledged the importance of the announcement, “On behalf of the Museum of Arts & Sciences, we could not be more pleased to have had this event to kick off the wonderful new adventure we will be having.”