The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is on North Park Avenue in Winter Park, near Orlando. Its extensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s work spans leaded-glass lamps and windows, jewelry, pottery, paintings and decorative objects. The restored chapel Tiffany created for Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition is a central highlight. You can also explore art and architectural pieces from his Laurelton Hall estate, along with American pottery and paintings. Room guides and a phone audio guide help explain the galleries.
A museum built around Tiffany’s work
The Morse Museum grew from a collection assembled by Jeannette Genius McKean and her husband, Hugh F. McKean. Jeannette founded the museum in 1942 and named it for her grandfather, Charles Hosmer Morse, a Chicago industrialist and Winter Park philanthropist. The collection developed over decades, with Louis Comfort Tiffany’s work at its centre.
The museum moved to its present Park Avenue location in 1995. Its galleries occupy former bank and office buildings linked by a tower; their modified Mediterranean design was intended to fit the surrounding streetscape. Today, the collection covers Tiffany’s work in glass, pottery, painting, jewelry, furniture and other forms, as well as American decorative art and paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
From lamps and windows to the chapel
Tiffany is closely associated with leaded glass, and the galleries let you see how widely he used it. Look for lamps and windows, as well as art glass, mosaics, pottery, jewelry and paintings. The range makes it possible to trace his work beyond the familiar lamp designs and compare different materials and objects.
The chapel interior Tiffany designed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago is a major part of the collection. Its restored interior brings together glass and architectural detail in a setting designed as a complete work, rather than a single object on display. Allow time to take in the chapel itself before moving on to the smaller works in the galleries.
Laurelton Hall and the wider collection
Tiffany’s Long Island estate, Laurelton Hall, is represented through art and architectural objects in a dedicated museum wing. The estate’s pieces entered the collection after Jeannette and Hugh McKean salvaged objects from the property. The museum also displays the restored Daffodil Terrace, associated with Laurelton Hall.
Beyond Tiffany, the galleries include American art pottery, decorative arts, graphics and paintings. These works offer a broader view of American art from the period, so the visit need not be limited to the Tiffany rooms. Look for displays farther into the museum, where objects from Tiffany’s home appear alongside other work from his era.
Making sense of the galleries
Room pamphlets provide information about the works on view, and a complimentary audio guide is available on your phone with admission. You can use these as you move between rooms, or ask museum staff about the exhibits. A short documentary about the museum’s founders and Tiffany is also recommended as an introduction before you begin the galleries.
Set aside at least an hour, and longer if you want to read the room guides and explore the collection at an unhurried pace. The museum is at 445 N Park Ave in Winter Park. Check its website for current admission information and ticket guidance before setting out.
Perguntas frequentes
Where is the Morse Museum?
It is at 445 N Park Ave in Winter Park, Florida.
What can you see at the Morse Museum?
The collection includes works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, such as leaded-glass lamps and windows, jewelry, pottery and paintings. You can also see the restored chapel interior made for the 1893 Chicago exposition, Laurelton Hall objects and American art.
How long should you plan for a visit?
Allow at least an hour. Exploring the galleries and reading the room guides can take longer.
Is the Morse Museum open on Mondays?
No. The museum is closed on Mondays.
