Arts|Culture

Creativity has driven our city for over a century. Tom Petty, Sister Hazel, the Phoenix family, and Maya Rudolph are natives, and Bo Diddley is our adopted son.

With art museums, monthly art walks, and galleries spread throughout downtown and then all the way to the Westside, there is always something interesting to see. Visit the Harn to admire a Degas or Monet, head downtown to find a sculpture by a local artist, or check out the Cofrin Gallery at Oak Hall School for masterpieces created by future renowned artists.

Be wowed by a mastodon, meet a dinosaur, learn about Florida history, frolic with thousands of butterflies, and interact in the original Gatorade lab, all on a random Wednesday. With the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Butterfly Rainforest, The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention, as well as a multitude of other smaller museums, learning opportunities can be found in nearly every corner of town.

Want to see a Broadway play, Yo-Yo Ma, the debut of an alternative play, the Boston Pops, or a stunning ballet performed by Gainesville’s own Dance Alive National Ballet? Good! You’ll be able to do that weekly.

Love to see art outdoors on a beautiful North Florida day? Downtown serves up a Fall Arts Fest and the Santa Fe Springs Arts Festival, and Tioga hosts the Winter Arts Fair, all of which attract local and national artists and artisans.