History, Arts & Culture

Jacksonville’s history, arts and cultural community shines bright with stand-out museums, boutique galleries, and performing arts galore. Experience a unique blend of festivals, live music, art events, and exhibitions.

As a melting pot of cultures and races since 1564, Jacksonville is proud of its vast heritage and culture, and eager to welcome new visitors to discover it!

Art and history are an everyday/everywhere occurrence in Jax and you can experience it in our hip historic neighborhoods, in Downtown through our active Art in Public Spaces Program, at one of our Jacksonville Symphony concerts, at our Jacksonville Jazz Festival, during our numerous street fairs and craft markets, and inside our thought provoking world-class museums, some of the most visited in the Southeast. This vibrant mix of old southern charm, and modern Florida flair, make Jacksonville one of the Top Art Cities in the Southeast.

So, make sure to stop, look around you, and experience the culture of the city everywhere you go. Local, national and international artists have left their mark all over Jacksonville while drawing inspiration from our river, our beaches, our many natural wonders and our long list of outstanding residents.

Read more on How to Experience Jacksonville's Art & Culture.