Former jail thrives now as art museum

LaGrange facility also once housed daily newspaper.

LaGrange is home to an art museum with an unusual history.

The building didn’t become a museum until 30 years ago, but it has been there for centuries. Formerly a private home, the building was first acquired by the city in 1892. It served as the Troup County Jail until 1939, when prisoners were transferred to a new facility. Afterward, the building was occupied by a furniture store and eventually became the location for the LaGrange Daily News offices.

It didn’t become a venue for the arts until the Callaway Foundation donated the building to the Chattahoochee Valley Art Association in 1978. LaGrange native Lamar Dodd assisted in building the permanent collection by donating one of his pieces to the association. This led to start of the collection, though the building didn’t officially become a museum until 1990, when it was named the Chattahoochee Valley Art Museum.

In 1996, the museum hosted the Georgia Watercolor Society National Show and has since hosted multiple exhibits from local artists and from artists across the Southeast. In 2007, the name of the building officially changed to the LaGrange Art Museum.

The Callaway Foundation and the West Point Stevens Foundation have both played instrumental roles in establishing the LaGrange Art Museum as a major player in the area’s cultural scene. Their partnership for the development of the Center for Creative Learning led to the museum’s ability to offer educational programming with an emphasis on developing young artists.

Now almost 20 years later, the museum hosts multiple exhibits a year, offers vibrant programming for youth and holds a successful partnership with LaGrange College’s Lamar Dodd School of Art.

LaGrange Art Museum continues to present exhibits from all over the Southeast, but 2017 holds a traveling exhibition of Norman Rockwell illustrations as well as a custom exhibit from Pasaquan running now through August. Past exhibitions have varied from new work of Southern artists to printmaking, photography and an exhibit about the American West.

And there is no shortage of educational opportunities at the museum for youth of all ages. Its monthly Toddler Thursdays brings art education to preschoolers through literature, gallery activities and art projects, while Family Super Saturdays offer tours of exhibits and activities in the Center for Creative Learning.

The summer lineup of camps for 2017 is aimed to meet all age levels from preschool through high school. Children can start at age 3 for short morning or afternoon camps exploring different art techniques. Middle and high school students can take a class called Advanced Placement Portfolio in which they will get firsthand experience building their own portfolio.

The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays. Troup County residents are admitted free; others pay a $10 donation. Art classes and lectures are available intermittently.

The Callaway Foundation and the West Point Stevens Foundation have both played instrumental roles in establishing the LaGrange Art Museum as a major player in the area’s cultural scene. Their partnership for the development of the Center for Creative Learning led to the museum’s ability to offer educational programming with an emphasis on developing young artists.