Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia, was the first museum dedicated to collecting and showing the art and artists of the American South. It stands on 10th Street beside the Riverwalk, close to the Savannah River, and it is one of the easiest cultural stops to fit into a walk through downtown.

The story behind it

The museum grew out of a foundation set up in 1985 by William S. Morris III, publisher of The Augusta Chronicle, in memory of his parents. It began as a non-profit with a clear purpose: to gather and display Southern art in one place.

The collection took a big step forward in 1989, when Morris bought 230 paintings from the collector Robert P. Coggins. The museum opened to the public in 1992. Today its permanent collection holds more than 5,000 works, and the museum also puts on changing exhibitions, concerts and art classes. Together, the paintings show about two centuries of Southern portraits, landscapes and stories.

What to look for

• Notice the setting first: the museum sits beside the Riverwalk, next to the levee that holds back the Savannah River, so the art and the river are never far apart.
• Inside, look for the Southern landscapes, which show how artists have pictured the region's land and water over two centuries.
• Take your time with the portraits, since faces from different eras are one of the best ways into the people and stories of the South.
• Check the changing exhibitions on your visit, because they mean the walls are not always the same from one trip to the next.

Tips for your visit

• Allow an hour or two inside if you enjoy looking closely at paintings, and less if you only want a quick tour of the main galleries.
• Check current opening hours and admission details before you go, as they can change with the season and with special exhibitions.
• Pair the visit with a stroll along the Riverwalk, which is right beside the building and gives you a look at the Savannah River.
• Look at the museum's calendar for concerts and classes if you want something beyond the galleries.

See it on a quest

Ghost Hunt in Augusta is a good fit if you like your sightseeing with a spooky edge. You reach the museum on foot as one stop of a longer route through downtown, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle right in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Oz Escape: A Wicked Glitch in Augusta turns the same streets into a playful game. You walk between the stops yourself, hear about each place as you get there, and work out a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Augusta Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. suits anyone who likes a mystery with their history. The route takes you through the area on foot, the app gives you the background on each stop, and you solve a puzzle at each place. One ticket covers the whole group.