Last Wednesday
2026-09-30 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Enjoy free gallery admission, grab a drink from our cash bar, and discover the beauty of our main garden after hours every Last Wednesday of the month. Jumpstart conversations with free tours of our current gallery exhibitions by our Chief Curator or a free lecture by a visiting expert in art or history every month from 6-7pm! Find your creative community every Last Wednesday at the Art & History Museums of Maitland.
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All 2025-26 free programs at A&H are supported by a grant from Duke Energy Foundation.

Stories in Stone: A Walking Tour of the Maitland Art Center
2026-10-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-10-22 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-11-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-12-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Step behind the gates of the Maitland Art Center and into a world shaped by vision, imagination, and legacy.
This one-hour guided tour takes you through the gardens and courtyards of a campus like no other—founded in the 1930s by American artist and architect J. André Smith as a haven for modern experimentation and creative freedom.
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Experience the Tour
As your guide leads you through the campus, you’ll trace the story of Smith’s life—from his childhood in Hong Kong to his service in World War I to the founding of the Maitland Art Center, which he called “Espero,” a Spanish word for hope. These experiences—and his Episcopal faith—influenced the extraordinary design of the campus: a blend of Mayan Revival architecture with embedded Christian symbolism and East Asian motifs. The result is a surreal, immersive environment—at once spiritual, exotic, and modern—where over 2,500 carvings, sculptures, and reliefs adorn nearly every surface.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the community of artists who lived and worked here between the 1930s and 1950s—names like Milton Avery, Ralston Crawford, and Doris Lee—and how this hidden Florida enclave became one of the state’s most forward-thinking creative centers.

Included with the Tour

Maitland Art Center Gallery
Maitland History Museum
Telephone Museum

Tickets

$4-$6 (includes 3 museums & grounds)
Free for members
Suitable for all ages; recommended for ages 13+

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Family Day - Paper Lanterns
2026-10-03 10:00 - 12:00 | FL
Register Here!
Bring the whole family for themed art workshops, face painting, a scavenger hunt, sketching in the garden, and free entry to all three exciting museums on our National Historic Landmark campus!

More information here>>
All 2025-26 free programs at A&H are supported by a grant from Duke Energy Foundation.

First Saturdays Open Studios
2026-10-03 11:00 - 16:00, 2026-11-07 11:00 - 16:00 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Connect with our Studio Resident Artists and see what pieces they’re currently working on!
On the first Saturday of every month from 11am–4pm, all of our Studio Artists will open their doors and welcome you into their creative spaces. This is your chance to connect directly with the artists, explore their works-in-progress, and ask questions about their practice.
Bonus: Enjoy FREE admission to our museums on these days!
This new program comes directly from your feedback asking for more predictable opportunities to engage with our artists and community.
Grab your FREE tickets here!
Plus, receive a 10% discount when you sign up for a membership during First Saturday events!

Opening Reception: Vilomah: Against the Natural Order
2026-10-16 18:30 - 20:30 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Celebrate the opening of Pangarap, our newest exhibition, featuring art by Soude Dadras, with live music, a food truck, and a cash bar on our beautiful National Historic Landmark campus!

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Admission, to this event is FREE! However, donations of any size are gratefully accepted with your order or at the event, in order to support our many free community programs!

About the Exhibition
Soude Dadras is an artist, curator, and educator currently living and working in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born in Iran and graduated from Islamic Azad University with a bachelor’s degree in Persian Rugs. Dadras was awarded her MFA from the Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University in Atlanta. In her solo exhibition, Vilomah: Against the Natural Order, Dadras investigates the traumatic sociocultural experiences she encountered firsthand in Iran, as well the processes and rituals of healing which enabled her to turn her pain into positivity. This unique installation of traditional handwork, found objects, video, abandoned textiles, and discarded data will seek to centralize disparate voices in this multidisciplinary exhibition.

All 2025-26 free programs at A&H are supported by a grant from Duke Energy Foundation.

Vilomah: Against the Natural Order
2026-10-17 11:00 - 2027-01-03 16:00 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Join us for the opening reception on Friday, October 16 from 6:30-9pm: Meet the curator, enjoy live music, food truck, and a cash bar all just 15 minutes from downtown Orlando on our beautiful National Historic Landmark campus.

About the Exhibition
Soude Dadras is an artist, curator, and educator currently living and working in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born in Iran and graduated from Islamic Azad University with a bachelor’s degree in Persian Rugs. Dadras was awarded her MFA from the Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University in Atlanta. In her solo exhibition, Vilomah: Against the Natural Order, Dadras investigates the traumatic sociocultural experiences she encountered firsthand in Iran, as well the processes and rituals of healing which enabled her to turn her pain into positivity. This unique installation of traditional handwork, found objects, video, abandoned textiles, and discarded data will seek to centralize disparate voices in this multidisciplinary exhibition.
Plan your visit >>

Little Creatives & Me
2026-10-21 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-11-18 10:00 - 11:00 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Songs, stories and art time, especially for babies and toddlers and their very special person.
Join us in the main garden on the historic grounds of the Art & History Museums. We’ll have a themed circle and story time plus an art activity especially for littles! A snack will be provided too. Recommend age: under 3, and their very special person (parent, grandparent, caregiver). Older siblings are always welcome!
Space is limited and registration will close 2 days before the program date. Pre-registration is required >> email Jcohen@artandhistory.org
Please arrive about 5 minutes early to give yourself time to park and walk over to the main garden. We will begin promptly at 10 am. If you’d like, please bring a picnic blanket for your family.
This program is brought to you free of charge by the Art & History Museums of Maitland.
2025-26 Free Family Programs at A&H are generously supported by a grant from Duke Energy Foundation.

Last Wednesdays at A&H
2026-10-28 17:30 - 20:00 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States

Free Curator Tour
2026-10-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Join Chief Curator Dan L. Hess on a guided tour of the exhibition Vilomah by Soude Dadras
Get your FREE tickets here >>

This A&H curator-guided gallery tour offers a deep dive into the current exhibition Vilomah: Against the Natural Order, from its conception through creation to the decisions that determine its presentation. We’ll begin the evening with a 45-minute tour led by our Chief Curator Dan L. Hess followed by conversation with complimentary food for the rest of the evening! Bring a friend, a date, or come by yourself to make new friends who share your interest in the arts.

For more information about our current exhibition Vilomah: Against the Natural Order:
Soude Dadras is an artist, curator, and educator currently living and working in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born in Iran and graduated from Islamic Azad University with a bachelor’s degree in Persian Rugs. Dadras was awarded her MFA from the Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University in Atlanta. In her solo exhibition, Vilomah: Against the Natural Order, Dadras investigates the traumatic sociocultural experiences she encountered firsthand in Iran, as well the processes and rituals of healing which enabled her to turn her pain into positivity. This unique installation of traditional handwork, found objects, video, abandoned textiles, and discarded data will seek to centralize disparate voices in this multidisciplinary exhibition.
This evening event is presented during our monthly Last Wednesday hours, when we open our gallery free of charge with a cash bar from 5:30-8pm. Learn more here.

Fall Open House
2026-11-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Art & History Museums – Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Enter our beautiful gardens for an evening of live music, historic architecture, and modern art in action as we open all our artist studios and classrooms! Picnic on the lawn of our main garden, grab a drink, and make friends with the creative community of Central Florida.
All 2025-26 free programs at A&H are supported by a grant from Duke Energy Foundation.

A&H Book Club: November 2026 Meeting
2026-11-15 15:00 - 17:00 | Maitland Art Center Studio 10, 210 W. Packwood Ave., Maitland, FL, 32751, United States
Make new friends at the A&H Members-Only Book Club! Join A&H Director of Development Jessi VanPelt every other month to share your opinions on fascinating topics in the realms of art and history on our beautiful campus. At the end of each meeting, we’ll vote on what book to read together next. We will meet in Studio 10.
November’s Book: TBD
Book Club meetings are just $5 (which includes refreshments). Space is limited so you must register in advance.
This event is for A&H members only. If you’re not a current A&H member, you must join or renew before Book Club date.
Register >>
If you have any questions or need to verify your membership status, contact Jessi at jvanpelt@artandhistory.org.
