TODAY‘S HOURS: Closed.

History

History was made as the Museum first opened to the public in June, 1997, but was conceived some 13 years earlier by a small group of Myrtle Beach visionaries—artists, art patrons, business leaders, cultural enthusiasts and other private citizens.

The building itself dates to 1924, when it was built by textile industry mogul Eugene Cannon in the Cabana Section of Myrtle Beach. It was subsequently sold to Col. Elliot White Springs for use by his family and executives of Springs Industries and re-christened Springmaid Villa.

In 1975, the Villa changed hands again and was slated for demolition. A campaign to save Springmaid Villa began, led initially by Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild President Gaye Sanders Fisher. The building’s survival, however, was contingent on its relocation: a Herculean effort organized by Guild member and Myrtle Beach Councilman Harry Charles, along with his wife, Jane. Relocating the 150-ton structure required two flatbed trucks for three full days, with a team of City employees, utility workers and every member of the Guild working side by side.

The Villa was taken to its new home eight miles south—an undeveloped property whose donation by the Myrtle Beach Farms Company, precursor to the Burroughs & Chapin Company, had been negotiated by Harry Charles.

verner-award-v2Charles was also instrumental in creating the Springmaid Villa Art Museum Corporation, a new non-profit with a board of trustees charged with converting and later managing the property as a public art museum. Following a decade-long fundraising effort, spearheaded by Harry Love, Claudia Stowe and an auxiliary group of determined women called Friends of the Villa, the Museum opened its doors in June, 1997.

In recognition of the land donation, it was re-named for the founders of Myrtle Beach Farms and became the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum.

A major step to secure the Museum’s future was taken in 2001, when Board Chair Lineta Pritchard negotiated with the City of Myrtle Beach to purchase the Museum’s building and to maintain its exterior and grounds, while leasing it back to the Museum. Freed from mortgage constraints, the Board and Executive Director Patricia Goodwin were able to make a bold move—in June of 2003 the Museum became free admission for all.

In 2013, just one year after its 15th anniversary, the Museum was the recipient of the State of South Carolina’s prestigious Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award for Outstanding Arts Organization. This award honors South Carolina arts organizations who maximize their roles as innovators, supporters and advocates of the arts. The Verner Award is designated as the official “Governor’s Awards for the Arts.”

Celebrating the Art Museum Villa’s 100th Birthday

Join The Villa Club
https://myrtlebeachartmuseum.org/join-the-villa-club/

Thank You to
THE VILLA CLUB MEMBERS

44th & King Southern Pub
Artists on 8th Avenue
Don Baker + Roy Hardison
Marga + Howard Barnard
Elizabeth + Lawton Benton
Miriam Berrouët
Brenda + Brown Bethune
Claudia Bornholdt + Brian Pinke
Clay + Emma Ruth Brittain
Marie Claire + Matthew Brittain
Charles + Sally Brodhead
Burroughs & Chapin Company | Jim Apple/Gail Granchelli
Nancy Cave
Lucy E. Cesar-Jedacek
Chapin Foundation
Harriet + John Charles
Joan + Ken Chartier
The Chapin Foundation
Michael + Sharon Clayton
The Close Family
Will Close
Dr. + Mrs. D. Conaway
Dr. Charles D. Coyle + William H. Miller
The Davis Family | In Memory of Nancy Davis
Christy Holliday + David Douglas | In honor of Margg + John Holliday
Edgar + Cynthia Dyer
Elizabeth & Joel Fairey
Ed + Claudia Farmer
Archie Franchini + Sean Atkinson
Rachel + John Gandy | Commemorating the 100 Year Celebration
Patricia Goodwin
Jonathan Green + Richard Weedman
Vern Hearl
Greg + Renee Hembree
Rebecca + Edwin Hinds
Margaret + Hal Holmes
Sandy Hubbard + Tom Logan
Susan E. Hudgins
Lily Grace + Tom Hudson
Michael + Jean Hussey
Judy Ingle | In Memory of Ron Ingle
The Jackson Companies – Emily + Manuel Vallarino
The Jackson Companies – Laura + Winston Hoy
The Jackson Companies – Kaki + Johnny Williamson
The Jackson Companies – Rachel + John Gandy
The Jackson Companies – Jeanne + Joe Mize
Rosemary Long Jenrette
Adam + Freya Johnson
Kyle + Anna Johnson
Jean Johnston-Smith | In loving memory of Virginia Gregory for her love of art and life!
Mike + Carolyn Jones
Ann G. Charles Jordan | In memory of Harry + Jane Charles
Evie Kahn
Milton + Joyce Karetas | In memory of Harry Love
Milton + Joyce Karetas | In memory of Gail M. Crowley
Ernest + Vivian Lee
Anna Brittain + Rickie LeMay
Ms. Louise Lewis
Martha Lewis | In memory of Carolyn S. Burroughs
Barry + Jill Lieberman
Lindsay Family Trust – Ross M. Lindsay
LS3P – Jim Hubbard
Magnolia Row LLC
Jo Ann Marino
Bubba Meng + Dennis Vibbert
Joanne P. Milnor
Valerie G. Moliterno
Lorry Neher
Fred + Cheryl Newby
Karen Olsen
Kathy Owens
Erin + Tommy Pate
Terry + Tim Patterson
Justin + Michelle Plyler | In memory of Eloise Plyler
Senior Golfers of America – Cynthia Powell | In memory of June + Bob Swanson and Brooks + Margaret Goldsmith
Lineta + Bill Pritchard
Lindsay + Luke Rankin
Brenda + Dick Rosen
Sam Sadove + Karen Fitzpatrick
Sanders Family Foundation – Annette + Dan Sanders, Anne Sanders, Donna + Rod Sanders | To commemorate the Life of Gaye Sanders Fisher
The Sandoz Family
David + Tami Seaborn | To memorialize Carolyn S. Burroughs
The Seagroves Family
Marce C. Singleton
Christi + Frank Sloan
Laura Smith
Lois + David Steed
Claudia + Harold Stowe
Buck + Julie Waters
Jim + Lou Watson | In honor of Carolyn Burroughs
Ellen + John Yates | In honor of our grandchildren – Thomas + Luna Yates
Brett + Pam Yates
and Anonymous

Add your name to the Villa Club List, today!

THE FRANKLIN G. BURROUGHS-SIMEON B. CHAPIN ART MUSEUM IN MYRTLE BEACH

Myrtle Beach’s Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum strives to be one of the finest visual arts museums in the Carolinas. With 11 galleries that change throughout the year, Myrtle Beach’s only art museum offers exhibitions featuring paintings, textiles, sculpture, photography, video, ceramics, assemblage, collage and more. A visit to the Art Museum’s exhibitions can be enhanced by its lively programming, including artist receptions, tours, lectures, workshops and classes for both adults and children.