The Mandarin Museum building in Walter Jones Historical Park was opened in 2004, and since then we have collected many historical objects, photographs, documents and pieces of Mandarin art. We want to show the community more of what we have, but we have, in fact, outgrown our space.
To that end, we launched a museum expansion campaign that will give us one more exhibit room and a larger archive and collections workroom. The new exhibit space will be a designated Maple Leaf gallery, which will allow us to expand and refresh the fascinating Maple Leaf story with more artifacts and documents. Adding this space will also allow us to reopen our Art Gallery with rotating art featuring Mandarin scenes and Mandarin artists. We will also be able to expand our Harriet Beecher Stowe displays and add new stories and objects that have never been displayed before. And, we are very excited that we will be telling “ The Untold History of Black Mandarin” in a brand new permanent exhibit in the main exhibit hall.
We are grateful to the generous Bhide & Hall Architects, for the architectural plans. Thanks to generous donations from private individuals, and fundraising events, we have raised the funds for the matching grant. Sixty percent of the funds raised by the sale of Mandarin frogs have gone towards the expansion, thanks to the Frog Man, Don Bowden. In addition, the Rotary Club of Mandarin selected the museum expansion project as the designated recipient of its “Laughs for Charity” fundraising event in April 2018. In August 2018, the Rotary Club gifted MMHS with a $25,000 donation for the Museum Expansion Project, raised through that event. We are grateful indeed to all private and corporate donors, including the in-kind expertise of Bob White of R.G. White Construction.
In 2019-21, MMHS received a Facilities Grant for museum expansion from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, which enables us to undertake the expansion project. We are very grateful to the Division of Cultural Affairs for offering and managing grants like this that allow even small organizations like ours to benefit. We had hoped to start building in March or April, 2020, but The COVID 19 pandemic has caused much delay. Now we are expecting to start building in February, 2021.
We are still seeking donations to assist with our exhibition materials and displays.
・If you would like to talk with us about a major personal or business gift or a fundraising idea, please give us a call at 904-268-0784 or send an email to mandarinmuseum@bellsouth.net. A Board member will be happy to meet with you.
・If you would like to make a designated donation of any size, please select the “Donate” button at the bottom right of this page, or send a check to MMHS, PO Box 23601, Jacksonville, FL 32241.
All donations are tax deductible. Thank you for your support of our mission.
Mandarin Museum & Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and is registered with the Fla. Div. of Consumer Affairs, Registration No. CH16204. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer services by calling toll-free within the state (800-5435-7352) or by contacting the Division at http://www.freshfromflorida.com/. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.