The Cameron Art Museum, formerly known as St. John’s Museum of Art, was established in 1964 in historic downtown Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...

. The museum operated successfully in the downtown area for forty years and grew exponentially during this time. In 2001 St John’s Museum of Art had outgrown its small downtown gallery space and was relocated to the intersection of Independence and 17th Streets, changing its name to the Cameron Art Museum. The museum’s new facilities allowed for the construction of three exhibition areas along with lecture and reception hall. In addition, it provided space for outdoor exhibits, a clay studio, and an arts education center.

Exhibitions

The Cameron Art Museum offers several rotating exhibitions annually of historical and contemporary significance. The museum's permanent collection is composed of work by international, national, and local artists and covers a variety of disciplines.

Civil War Battle Site

The Cameron Art Museum’s new location on Independence Street is also home to the significant Civil War site of the Battle of Forks Road fought on February 20, 1865. The Confederate loss at the Battle of Forks Road directly following the Fall of Fort Fisher marked the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. The loss at Forks Road placed the Cape Fear Port in the hands of the Union cutting off supply lines to General Robert E. Lee in Northern Virginia and leading to the final surrender of the Confederate Army. The museum grounds are lined with Confederate revetments built during the Battle of Forks Road and every year the museum commemorates the lives lost on its property with a re-enactment of the battle followed by lectures, workshops, and artillery demonstrations.