Coral Springs Museum of Art delays grand opening until October as major Picasso exhibition is prepared
Coral Springs, Florida – The opening of the new Coral Springs Museum of Art at the Cornerstone development has been pushed back, with the city’s $3.4 million cultural project now expected to welcome the public in October.
City officials recently released an updated schedule showing that the museum’s public grand opening is planned for Oct. 9. The event will mark the debut of the museum’s new home at Cornerstone, located near University Drive and Sample Road, and will feature an exhibition devoted to one of the most recognized artists in modern history, Pablo Picasso.
The featured exhibition, titled “Picasso: A Graphic Journey,” will include 57 original prints created by Picasso between 1923 and 1972. The collection includes etchings, lithographs and linocuts, along with a rare copper printing plate.
The grand opening is scheduled for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will include live entertainment as well as tours of the Picasso exhibition. The event will be ticketed, although museum members will be admitted free.
The museum itself covers approximately 8,100 square feet and is being constructed as part of the larger Cornerstone development. The project is intended to give the Coral Springs Museum of Art a more visible location in the city’s developing downtown area.
The opening delay follows changes to the construction schedule. Earlier plans called for substantial completion of the interior build-out by July 21, followed by final completion on Aug. 21. The latest schedule now calls for substantial completion by Sept. 25, with final completion expected four days later on Sept. 29.
Work is continuing inside the new facility. Crews are painting walls, flooring work is scheduled to begin, and additional work includes painting the museum’s sculptured ceiling. Those final construction tasks will need to be completed before the museum can open its doors for the October event.
The project is being financed through several sources. About $2 million is coming from the city’s capital budget, while another $1 million is being provided through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s capital fund. The property owner is contributing approximately $500,000 through landlord and tenant allowances.
The CRA will also provide ongoing financial support for the museum’s lease. The agency is set to contribute $179,300 annually, with the amount increasing by 3 percent each year through 2032.
While the construction work has pushed the opening later than previously expected, the first major exhibition has already been selected. The Picasso collection comes from Los Angeles collector Timothy Collins and includes an essay written by curator Eric Mourlot.
Among the exhibition’s notable pieces is a group of proofs of “Tête de Femme au Chapeau.” The series offers visitors a look at Picasso’s printmaking process, showing the work from early color studies through the final composition.
The exhibition is expected to give the new museum an immediate high-profile attraction as it begins its next chapter at Cornerstone. Picasso’s work has long been associated with experimentation across different artistic forms, and the collection’s focus on prints will allow visitors to see a particular side of his creative process.
The museum’s new location is part of a broader effort to create an emerging downtown district in Coral Springs. Cornerstone is planned as a mixed-use area with apartments, restaurants, retail businesses and public gathering spaces.
City officials have previously said the move is designed to increase the museum’s visibility and make it easier for residents and visitors to connect with the institution. A location within a growing downtown district is also expected to help attract additional visitors and strengthen the museum’s relationship with the surrounding community.
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For Coral Springs, the October opening will represent the completion of a project that combines public investment, redevelopment funding and private contributions. The new museum is expected to become one of the cultural features of the Cornerstone development.
The Oct. 9 grand opening will offer the first public opportunity to tour the new facility and see “Picasso: A Graphic Journey.” With live entertainment, exhibition tours and a collection of 57 original Picasso prints, the event is set to introduce the museum’s new home with a major exhibition.
Until then, construction crews will continue working toward the revised September completion dates. If the latest schedule holds, the museum will be ready for its October debut, bringing a new cultural destination to Coral Springs and giving the public a first look at its expanded setting at Cornerstone.
