After retiring from Chicago’s Acme Steel, Ralph H. Norton moved to West Palm Beach where he offered the public his sizable collection of paintings and sculpture. In 1941, the museum, with an Art Deco/Neoclassical façade was opened followed by two major expansions. With an ever expanding collection the building now totals 122,500 square feet.

The Norton houses not only Florida’s largest collection of art but, also Florida’s most distinguished with permanent representations of American and European impressionists, outdoor sculpture, photography, Chinese, contemporary as well as Renaissance and Baroque pieces.

The American collection centers on late 19th to mid 20th century artists that include approximately 1,200 works by Mary Cassatt, Charles Marion Russell, George Wesley Bellows, Stuart Davis and Jackson Pollock.

The European collection ranges from 1450-1950 with examples of all major genres. Peter Paul Rubens, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall are just a few of the noted representations.

Chinese art has been on display at the museum since its opening featuring prehistoric and archaic jades, bronze vessels of the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties, porcelains of the Ming and Qing dynasties and much, much more.

There is an extensive photography collection from the very early days to current times. Photographers featured are Henri Cartier-Bresson, August Sander, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Walker Evans, Mary Ellen Mark, Man Ray, Paul Strand and Manuel Alvarez Bravo.

Lounge and linger comfortably under Dale Chihuly’s illuminated glass ceiling of colorful vessels and shells or relax and ponder the sculptures in the lovely center garden.

Visitors may appreciate a 2:00 p.m. specialized 30-minute docent tour focused on particular aspects of the museum. Lectures and gallery talks, as well as programs for kids and families that include interactive tours and hands-on art projects, are also available.

Check for touring exhibits as well as monthly events when food and entertainment make for a magnificent multi-sensory experience.