Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College

The Maier Museum of Art is a university art museum in Lynchburg that holds American paintings, prints, and photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries. These works hang in five galleries arranged by time period, showing how American art evolved across two centuries.

The building was constructed in 1951 as a fireproof facility designed to protect national art collections. The steel-reinforced concrete structure was meant to serve as a safeguard during the Cold War, though the collections it was meant to shelter never actually arrived.

The museum displays works by notable American artists whose names appear regularly in art history discussions. The galleries show how different artistic styles developed and influenced each other across the centuries.

The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 PM to 5 PM with free admission for all visitors. You can move through the galleries at your own pace and spend as much time as you want with the artworks.

The building was originally designed to hold a secret national art collection in case of war, but this collection never materialized. Today it houses American artworks from various sources, creating an unexpected transformation from Cold War precaution to everyday cultural space.

Location: Lynchburg

Part of: Randolph College

Website: http://maiermuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 37.43919,-79.16992

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:16