Mandarin Museum News

July 2026

Embrace the Mandarin Experience

This patriotic Mandarin Frog was created by the Dove family as part of their goal to have a Mandarin Frog for every major holiday. We love to see it!

Dear Friends,

As we celebrate our nation's 250th birthday this month, many have and continue to reflect on the words of our Founding Fathers. A brief passage I've come back to several times lately is, "To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do." John Adams wrote this simple dictate in a 1777 letter to his daughter Abigail. She was twelve years old at the time. Less than a year before, her father had been part of the Committee of Five, tasked by the Continental Congress with drafting the Declaration of Independence. No doubt the tenets of civic virtue remained top of mind as he wrote to young Abigail and to her brothers, John Quincy, Charles, and Thomas. He stressed the importance of continued self-improvement as a means, in part, to become a useful citizen for one's country and one's community.

That sentiment resonated deeply with me as it put words to what I had witnessed as of late at Mandarin Museum. You read of Nora Morrow's contributions in our June newsletter. Since then, two other young people have spent their summer volunteering with us, putting their skills to use for their community, while demonstrating an exceptional work ethic, initiative, and positive attitude.

Grant Khoury, a rising 10th grader at Mandarin High School, has spent 4 hours per day, 5 days per week, for the last 5 weeks working diligently in Walter Jones Historical Park. Each morning, he arrives like clockwork, and within minutes he has a wheelbarrow or leaf blower in hand. He sees a task to be done, and he tackles it with great care and precision. And despite the Florida heat, he greets everyone warmly and with a smile on his face. If you have the occasion to stop and chat with him, it becomes clear very quickly that this young man is going far in life. He talks of a possible career in aerospace engineering, or perhaps the trades; he's closely monitoring AI's impact on workforce trends. Regardless of where he ends up, one can be assured he will get there with intention and through his commitment to self-improvement. "To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do."

Paloma Milian, a rising eighth grader at The Bolles School, volunteers two afternoons each week, turning second-hand fabrics into reusable shopping bags for the Museum Shop. When she learned of our goal to phase out plastic bags, she wasted no time setting up a sewing station in the office, developed two patterns - a tote and a simple smaller bag - and has already sent some of each home with happy Museum visitors. Her ability to understand the objective, project plan, and work independently at a rather brisk pace never fails to impress. The pride she takes in using her skills for the good of her community makes us proud to know her. "To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do."

As the month of America 250 celebrations continue, our celebration is reflected in our unwavering gratitude for our nation and our Mandarin neighborhood, and all those in it who work to build lasting community through service and friendship. We hope you and your family had a happy and memorable Independence Day.

And as always, I'll see you at the Museum!

Warmest regards,

Brittany Cohill

Executive Director

Current Art Exhibition

According to Gamble: A Cartoonist's Take on American Public Life

On display through August 20, 2026

Ed Gamble (b. 1943) has called Mandarin home since 1980. That same year, he joined the Florida Times-Union as their first in-house editorial cartoonist, a position he held for three decades.

Known for his sharp takes, and often recognized as an independent thinker, Gamble’s visual rhetoric targeted everything from U.S. domestic and foreign policy to college sports, and everything in between. His tools were simple: ideas and a No. 2 pencil. One cartoon could take as little as 30 minutes. Those he colored with brush and ink might require no more than a few hours.

Gamble’s work has enjoyed national syndication and can be found in the permanent collections of five U.S. Presidential museums, the University of Tennessee, the University of North Florida, and Mandarin Museum. According to Gamble: A Cartoonist's Take on American Public Life invites visitors to consider how one artist’s voice helped shape public discourse surrounding the issues that defined his time.

Mandarin Frog Painting FULL! Now booking for August 1st.

Saturday, July 11

10:00 am

Museum Front Lawn

Purchase, paint, and take home your very own Mandarin Frog (or sea turtle). The cost is $22 + tax per person and all supplies are provided. To register, please email info@mandarinmuseum.org. Payment is collected upon arrival, cash or card. Limited walk-up spots may be available.

First Saturday @ the Museum (this month on the Second Saturday!)

Saturday, July 11

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Join Mandarin Museum the first Saturday of every month from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm when all historic buildings throughout Walter Jones Historical Park are open to the public. Admission is free!

***Cooling stations with misting fans and ice water dispensers will be located at the front and inside Walter Jones Historical Park to beat the summer heat!***

The young and young at heart can pick up a free scavenger hunt at Museum Guest Services to complete as you visit the museum's exhibits and stroll along the park's paved pathways.

Learn more about the area's 19th-century past as museum volunteers greet you at the 1898 St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse for African American Children, the 1892 Losco Winery, the 1876 Barn, and the 1875 Webb-Jones Farmhouse.

The historic Mandarin Store & Post Office, located just down the road at 12471 Mandarin Rd., will also be open to visitors.

Meet the Maple Leaf Divers

Saturday, July 11

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Maple Leaf Shipwreck Gallery

Meet the men who dove the Maple Leaf Shipwreck! On April 1, 1864, the Union steamboat Maple Leaf was sunk by Confederates in the St. Johns River just off Mandarin Point. In the 1980s, Dr. Keith Holland and his team of divers located and excavated the site. Now designated a National Historic Landmark, the nearly 3,000 artifacts they recovered have been entrusted to the State of Florida for preservation. Mandarin Museum displays many of these artifacts through a longterm partnership with the State Archives of Florida.

Dr. Holland and the Maple Leaf Divers will be in the gallery from 10:00 am to noon on Saturday, July 11th to meet with visitors. This is an informal, conversational-style event. Drop in to hear their story of discovery, recovery, and preservation.

Photo courtesy of Olis Garber Photography

The Art Yard at Mandarin Museum, Session 2

Sunday, July 12

1:30 to 3:30 pm

Museum Front Lawn

Registration is open for FREE children’s art classes at Mandarin Museum! Geared toward kids aged 8 to 15, sessions are held the second Sunday of each month and continue through April 2027. Register for some or all sessions. A few spots remain for each session.

The Art Yard at Mandarin Museum was developed and is led by Nora Morrow, rising senior at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and lifelong Mandarin resident.

For more info, including how to register, click HERE!

Mandarin Museum is pleased to welcome Ed Tudor in his new role as Museum Operations Manager. A Jacksonville native, Ed grew up in Mandarin and attended Loretto Elementary and The Bolles School before graduating from Wolfson High School. He holds a degree in Film and Television Production with a minor in History from the University of Florida. Following an Emmy Award-winning career in local television media, the Walt Disney Company, and ABC Television Network, Ed joined the staff of the Smithsonian's Office of Visitor Services, overseeing more than 350 volunteers across nine Smithsonian Museums in the Washington, D.C. area.

Ed is thrilled to be back in Mandarin and bringing his expertise to his hometown museum! As Operations Manager, he will oversee daily Mandarin Museum operations, manage our lively corps of volunteers, coordinate tours and our field trip program, and assist in special events and programming.

Next time you're in the area, stop in and say hello to Ed!

Kathy Stark's newest additions to her Park Poster Series are available in the Mandarin Museum Shop! Two Keep Florida Wild posters and the Jacksonville Arboretum join a collection of eye-catching archival fine art prints on acid free matte paper. Perfect for framing!

Mandarin Frogs are hitting the road this summer...with YOU! And we want pictures!

Get in on the fun! Here's how:

1. Stop by the Mandarin Museum Shop and purchase your very own travel-size Mandarin Frog. They are light weight and can go anywhere!
2. Follow our Instagram account (@mandarinmuseum)
3. Give your Mandarin Frog a name and take your new friend on all your summer travels.
4. Take creative Frog selfies, action shots, etc. and post them on your Instagram.
5. Be sure to tag us in the post @mandarinmuseum AND use the hashtag #MandarinFrogsOnVacay

We've already had one Mandarin Frog hit the road, traveling to Manchester, England, Paris, France, and County Galway, Ireland! Where will your Mandarin Frog go on vacay??? We can't wait to see!

Families have been traveling from miles around to check out our newest Adventure Backpack - Wander Walter Jones! It's FREE to become an explorer for the day, discovering native plants, trees, birds, and pollinators throughout the Park. You even get to do your part to help our pollinator friends by planting native wildflower seeds in our new raised Children's Garden!

And we've partnered with the Jacksonville Public Library on this! An Adventure at Mandarin Museum earns you our EXCLUSIVE Reading Dragons and Friends Water Expansion Pack. For all information on the Reading Dragons and Friends program, visit JPL online.

Mandarin Museum's 4th Annual Fundraising Dinner returns on Thursday, September 17th, and will be hosted at the beautiful Bowing Oaks!

Always the River presented by Yoga Den will be a true celebration of what has been foundational to our love for the community and its history – the St. Johns River!

Tickets go on sale this month so stay tuned! For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, visit us online HERE.

All proceeds from our annual dinner support quality programming and operations at Mandarin Museum.

Be a supporter of arts & culture in our community through the purchase of an annual membership! Every contribution made through the purchase of an annual membership enables us to fulfill our mission!

Mandarin Museum members at the Family Level and above automatically enjoy the benefits of NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum Association)! By supporting your favorite museum, you receive reciprocal member benefits at almost 1,500 museums, botanical gardens, aquariums, and more across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and The Cayman Islands. Simply show your Mandarin Museum membership card at participating locations!

Read 2026 issues of the Mandarin Newsline online now!

This free newspaper allows Mandarin Museum to share history, events, and programs with the public. The newspaper remains free to readers due to the robust local advertising. Please visit, shop, and eat at those businesses who support the community in this way.

Until next time, practice self-improvement for the
good of your community!

We are so grateful for Eagle Scout candidate Bryan Carwell and his support of Mandarin Museum programming with his Eagle Scout project! Bryan met with Museum staff and Duval County Master Gardener Candace Barone to devise a high-impact project, and led a team to construct 4 raised Children's Garden beds for use with our Adventure Backpack program. Last month, Bryan delivered the beds to the Museum's front lawn, and since, children have enjoyed planting sunflowers, marigolds, and cosmos. Last weekend, Bryan dropped by and was overjoyed to see his garden beds already being put to good use!

Thank you to all our community partners!

A thriving creative economy enhances the quality of life for us all. Supported in part by the Merit-Based Cultural Service Grant Program, administered by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville with funding from the City of Jacksonville and our elected officials, we extend our gratitude to all partners who make this possible.

OUR MISSION: Mandarin Museum & Historical Society shares the stories of Mandarin's history, culture, and natural resources by providing engaging programs that educate, entertain, and inspire.

VISIT. JOIN. VOLUNTEER.

Mandarin Museum & Historical Society

904-268-0784

info@mandarinmuseum.org