A Big City Museum with a Small Town Attitude
By Elizabeth Dougherty
The pace of life in Lee County is just a little different.
We are not a city of hundreds of thousands or even
millions like Atlanta or Birmingham. There is no
real rush hour with daily traffi c jams of commuters
fi ghting to get to work on time. Our homes are not
crowded on top of each other. We feel safe walking
down the streets. Lee County is a place you where
you can live and relax. You can go to the parks, go
fi shing, go on a picnic or go to an art museum. An art
museum?
Yes, an art museum. The Jule Collins Smith Museum
at Auburn University is one of the most relaxing
places you will ever visit. Encompassing the best
of large city museums, it is inspiring yet lacks the
“touristy” feel of places like the Museum of Modern
Art or the Smithsonian.
The museum is located on College Street just as you
approach Auburn University. The fi rst thing you notice
about the museum is the striking architecture of the
building itself. As you drive along College street, you
notice the majestic yet warm 40,000 square foot
travertine stone exterior just on the other side of a
small lake. Although gorgeous, this is actually the
back of the museum. After you park, you walk up
the sidewalk or the stone paths to the front of the
building and as you look down the serene refl ecting
pool you are struck by the beauty of the building and
the peaceful surroundings.
If you can, visit in the later afternoon when the
sunlight pierces the windows and the building seems
to take on an illuminative force of its own. You may
have seen the pictures, but as magnifi cent as they
are...well, you just need to go.
This is a museum for us. Parking is free. Admission is
a pittance of fi ve dollars, four if you are a senior and
absolutely free to AU students and faculty and other
school aged children. There are no large crowds, long
lines, or other distractions.
Design started as early as 1992 and was a
collaborative effort of famed architect and Auburn
alumnus Paul Rudolf and the Birmingham fi rm of
Gresham, Smith and Partners. The construction was
completed by the local fi rm of Conner Brothers
Construction. Open to the public since just October
of 2003, this young museum has a world-class art
collection.
For more information on the permanent and visiting
collections you should visit their website at
http://jcsm.auburn.edu/ . There is an Advancing
American Art Collection of 117 paintings featuring
Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove, Lyonel Feininger,
Yasuo Kuniyoshi, John Marin and others. You
can stroll through one of the Southeast’s largest
collections of works by John James Audubon, one
of the world’s best known wildlife illustrators and
artists.
This is an active museum. Check the website often.
This month, you would have been treated to a
fi lm screening of The Cracker Man and talk by the
fi lmmaker, a gallery talk by Dr. Lee Gray and, oh, did
I mention the wine tasting by Gus Clark? The wine
tastings are held once a month, (check the website)
and in addition to various wines from around the
world you will be treated to some very tasty hors
d’oeuvres. The food is lovingly and meticulously
prepared by Ursula Higgins and her staff. While she is
a bit humble, her savory edibles speak for themselves.
Enjoy the building, the walking paths, the
architecture and the art. Refresh and recharge your
spirit. Enjoy the museum.
Liz Dougherty has been a freelance food
writer and culinary consultant through
her company, Culinary Pursuits, Inc., for
the past six years. She trained under a
maniacal Swiss-German chef and later
received her Bachelor's degree, Magna
Cum Laude in Hospitality. Prior to that,
she was a licensed real estate broker and
mortgage broker with a total of over
ten years experience in real estate and
finance. She can be reached at
EADougherty1@aol.com
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