Cameron Art Museum
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This was the second time I visited this modern art museum; my DH's first. We were with friends and had brunch before checking out the various art work. It's not a huge museum but there was plenty to see. I'm not into a lot of modern art, but there were some things I really liked. I was most interested in Minnie Evan's work. I didn't know anything about her and read about her after I got home. She was born in Long Creek, NC and passed away in Wilmington. This, for me, makes seeing her work more special - a local artist! Her work is quite colorful but also quite strange and unique. Google her, as I'm sure you will find her history very interesting. I saw paintings by Miro, Warhol, and Dali. There were other works on display, some that were weird. There's a dark room that had umbrellas that were attached to accordion type machines that opened and closed the umbrellas, along with really weird music. In one room there were some beautiful Mardi Gras costumes. Also on display were duck decoys. The one thing we didn't like about the place was the lack of information or story about the artists that were featured (such as Minnie Evans). Or did we miss seeing the information? This is definitely a place I'll return to, as I want to learn more about different artists; and maybe I'll become a member.
Monica PileggiMonica Pileggi
00
This visit to the museum was extremely disappointing. The ticket prices were quite high, yet the quality of the exhibits didn’t even come close to justifying the cost. Most of the artwork felt unfinished and lacked any real artistic value, resembling incomplete sketches or something you’d expect from a high school art project graded a B. To make matters worse, some of the exhibits consisted of “lifestyle photography” that looked like images you’d find on a free stock photo website. It’s hard to understand why these were even included in a museum setting, as they added no artistic merit to the overall experience. The museum layout was equally baffling. There were only two main exhibition halls. The first hall was divided into around ten smaller rooms, each of which was no larger than an average living room. The pieces displayed there were sparse and unimpressive, with little to capture your attention or encourage a closer look. The entire first hall could be walked through in minutes, and there was hardly anything worth stopping for. The second hall did show a slight improvement in quality, but it was still disappointingly small and lacked depth. The only highlights were a few works that explored the use of different materials to recreate the same image and some flag-inspired pieces that allowed for multiple interpretations. These were creative and interactive, offering a brief glimpse of artistic potential, but unfortunately, they were far too few to salvage the overall experience. The final room featured a handful of architectural sketches and landscape drawings, which were by far the most interesting pieces in the entire museum. However, they were isolated moments of quality in an otherwise poorly curated collection. The exhibits felt like a random assortment of modern and abstract art pieces, many of which seemed hastily put together or entirely derivative, lacking any sense of originality or craftsmanship. The only positive aspect of the visit was the friendly and helpful staff, but that doesn’t make up for the shortcomings of the exhibition itself. Overall, this was a very underwhelming and overpriced experience. It lacked any sense of cohesion, emotional impact, or artistic inspiration. For anyone who appreciates art, I can’t recommend this museum. Save your time and money for something that truly values its audience. I won’t be sharing images of the entire exhibition because, for a museum that charges admission, it wouldn’t be fair to reveal everything. Instead, I’ll just share one or two pieces that I found somewhat decent.
wei sanwei san
00
As time progresses on, it seems that the appreciation for the Arts diminishes. This is where I am thankful for the Cameron Art Museum. Today, I visited CAM on a Monday for a private photo shoot and had the opportunity to observe, appreciate and lose myself inside of the Museum, as it was closed to the public. Heather, our event coordinator, was an amazing hostess, as was the entire staff that was working inside. We were allowed private access to the 2020 Illumination Exhibit, where local Artists have submitted their pieces up for public vote and they were incredible!!! I found myself feeling overwhelming peace and serenity the entire time I was working inside. The galleries are spacious, sterile and showcase the pieces well. I love visiting, time moves by too fast when I'm here and I cannot wait to come back each time I leave. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to visit your wonderful Museum, for your hospitality and also for offering our community a true Gem! 5 STARS!!
Joshua MannJoshua Mann
00
From downtown Wilmington, drive and drive and drive some more to find the Cameron Art Museum on the edge of town. We visited in early 2020 for the Isamu Noguchi lantern exhibit which was amazing. This was a side of the artist we had not seen before. The Cameron's permanent collection is one of the largest collection of prints by abstractionists. Many of the names are famous in other media, so the prints are a new twist: Calder, Giacometti, Nevelson, Matisse, etc. The staff was super friendly and there's a sculpture garden outside.
Gary KibbleGary Kibble
00
Looking for museums in Wilmington North Carolina and we drove past assigned saying Cameron art museum this way. Hoping that it wasn't a smaller museum that would only take an hour to view works, didn't work out. It is a small art museum though it is really a gallery. Looks like a nice little restaurant inside. The sculpture garden was pretty much non-existent and the placard for the one sculpture we found was unreadable due to age deterioration. The exhibit of young and adult works was nice. It's a nice space but...
John CroyleJohn Croyle
00
What a wonderful little art museum in Wilmington! Very clean and modern, with excellent rotating exhibits. Today we got to see the work of Elizabeth Bradford, which was beautiful. They often hold special events as well as classes. We got in free for active duty military which was also wonderful, so be sure to stop in during the summer months if that applies to you! But if not, the tickets are $8 for adults. They also have a cafe on site that I want to visit next time because it looked delicious!
Alexa HerreraAlexa Herrera
00
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Basic Info
Address
3201 S 17th St, Wilmington, NC 28412
Map
Phone
(910) 395-5999
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Website
cameronartmuseum.org
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Reviews
Overview
4.6
(372 reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
accessibility
Description
The Cameron Art Museum, formerly known as St. John's Museum of Art, was established in 1962 in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina in the 1804 Masonic Lodge building. The museum operated successfully in the downtown area for forty years and, eventually, outgrew its space.
attractions: The Pointe 14, The Pointe at Barclay, restaurants: Zocalo Street Food and Tequila, Nori The Pointe on 17 st - Nori Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar, Oklahoma's Original Burger, Peño Mediterranean Grill, Far From France Bakery and Bistro, Bagels on Pointe, Brunches Barclay, Which Wich The Pointe, Spindle's Filling Station, Tap Tea Bar Pointe

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