Our Mission
Inspiring our community through art and nature while honoring those who fought for freedom.
Our Story
Just as World War II came to an end, one artist with a vision and the people of Ormond Beach worked together to create something magical.
Artist Malcolm Fraser offered a collection of his life's work to any town along the east coast of Florida that would create an art museum that paid tribute to veterans. Ormond Beach and her residents rose to the occasion and worked together to create a living monument to creative freedom and equality of all persons, and to commemorate the service of World War I & II veterans who fought valiantly for that ideal.
Citizens raised $10,000 to purchase building materials. The City of Ormond offered the location which housed a charming 1920s office building, and the vision began to take shape.
Returning servicemen from World War II volunteered their time to help build the museum galleries and clear the land for the spectacular Memorial Gardens which embrace the Museum.
Working together, the Ormond Memorial War Memorial Gallery opened its doors in 1946.
While the Museum strives to showcase a variety of original artwork, a rotating selection of pieces from the Malcolm Fraser permanent collection are often on view for visitors.
During the ensuing decades, OMAM and its gardens have been a part of literally thousands of lives!
Our lush garden oasis has been the site of important milestones, such as weddings and proposals, and served as the picture-perfect backdrop for many celebrations and gatherings. Just ask anyone who grew up here how much fun it is running up and down the garden paths.
Our friends at the Garden Club of the Halifax Country partnered with us to relocate and renovate the 1885 historic Emmons Cottage from the west side of the Halifax River to our Garden and also to create the Janett VanWicklen Taylor greenhouse honoring our Garden artisan of more than 40 years.
The gazebo located in the center of the gardens houses a hand painted labyrinth designed by Joan Baliker and the late Carol Bertrand in 2007 that was refreshed in 2016 by artist Mack Sutton. In 2024, the Museum hired muralist Beth O’Conner to completely redesign the Labyrinth. She painted colorful images of birds and butterflies and turtles and flowers as accents along the path.
The Florida Channel – Off the Beaten Path
