Mandarin Museum News

March 2026

Embrace the Mandarin Experience

Photo courtesy of Olis Garber Photography.

Dear Friends,

During Women's History Month, we remember the remarkable literary influence of Harriet Beecher Stowe, who with an unwavering voice and through the power of story helped shape the moral conscience of our nation. Her most famous work, Uncle Tom's Cabin, published in book form on March 20, 1852, brought the realities of slavery into sharp focus through a deeply human and compelling narrative. The novel resonated profoundly with nineteenth-century audiences and went on to become the second best-selling book of that century, surpassed only by the Bible.

Harriet continued writing throughout her lifetime, and in 1873, she published Palmetto Leaves, a collection of essays that are part memoir and part travel narrative, but all of which are based on her time spent in Florida and her daily life as a winter resident of Mandarin.

Harriet became a permanent resident of Mandarin in 2024 when Mandarin Museum unveiled "Harriet Beecher Stowe in Mandarin," a life-size bronze sculpture created by Brenda Mauney Councill in the impressive lost-wax method. Brenda's design intentionally invites you to engage with the sculpture and to sit alongside Harriet on her bench.

If you haven't experienced "Harriet Beecher Stowe in Mandarin" yet, this month is the perfect time. The azaleas in Walter Jones Historical Park are blooming, and the spring temperatures combine with our towering tree canopy to provide a calm and contemplative environment. While you're here, step inside Mandarin Museum to learn more about Harriet Beecher Stowe.

We are excited to announce that we have expanded our regular hours! You can now visit Mandarin Museum every Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is always free.

In addition, the month of March features wonderful programming, including "Coffee with the Curators" of our current art exhibition, When the Kiln is Opened, and a return of the Ritz Chamber Players to the 1898 St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse for African American Children. Keep reading for all event details and more good news.

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

Warmest regards,

Brittany Cohill

Executive Director

Current Art Exhibition

When the Kiln is Opened: The Art of Charlie Moses Brown 
Show extended to Sunday, April 5th

Special thanks to exhibit curators:

Dr. Elizabeth Heuer, Associate Professor of Art History, University of North Florida

Nofa Dixon, Assistant Professor Emerita of Art & Design, University of North Florida

Vina Schemer, Regional Director, American Crafts Council Southeast Region, 1979-2009

First Saturday @ the Museum

Saturday, March 7

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.

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.

Admission is free.

Mandarin Frog Painting

Saturday, March 7

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 will be available.

Meet the Maple Leaf Divers

Saturday, March 7

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, March 7th to meet with visitors. This is an informal, conversational-style event. Drop in to hear their story of discovery, recovery, and preservation.

Third Thursday "Lecture"

Thursday, March 19

6:00 to 8:00 pm

Mandarin Museum & 1898 Schoolhouse



She! Is Silent No More with the Ritz Chamber Players

The Ritz Chamber Players will return to the 1898 St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse for African American Children on Thursday, March 19th. Reprising inspirational works from their 2020 She! Is Silent No More, the evening will feature the remarkable contributions of female composers.

Refreshments will begin in the museum galleries at 6:00 pm. The performance will begin in the Schoolhouse at 7:00 pm. Admission is free. This is an intimate performance and space will be limited. Guests must RSVP by emailing director@mandarinmuseum.org. Limit two people per reservation.

Thank you to our friends at Endless Summer Roofing, Co. for sponsoring our Spring 2026 Lecture Series!

Coffee with the Curators

Saturday, March 21

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Mandarin Museum

Mandarin Museum invites you to a morning of coffee and conversation with Nofa Dixon, UNF Associate Professor Emerita of Art & Design, and Vina Schemer, ceramist and former director of American Crafts Council Southeast Region. Co-curators of When the Kiln is Opened: The Art of Charlie Moses Brown, and counting Charlie as a dear friend and colleague, Nofa and Vina will welcome museum visitors into the gallery to chat about anything ranging from Charlie's technique and pieces to the community of artists who gathered frequently at his home studio, a community that came to be known as the Crown Craftsmen.

Members of the community wanting more information regarding a Charlie Brown piece from their own collection are welcome to bring it to share. *Please note: museum staff, Vina Schemer, Nofa Dixon, and other artists in attendance are unable to advise on the monetary value of any piece.

Our 3rd Annual Exhibit Come to Life: The Untold Story of Black Mandarin was a lively and joyous gathering in the park. Click the photo below to see new images added to our Event Photo Gallery.

Our February 2026 Third Thursday Lecture, "The Seminoles of African Descent," presented by Dr. Vincent Adejumo is now available on our website and on Mandarin Museum's YouTube Channel.

Did you see Mandarin Museum staff and volunteers at Richard H. "Dick" Kravitz Regional Park (formerly Losco Regional Park) recently? Your eyes were not deceiving you!

Through Keep Jacksonville Beautiful and JaxParks' new Adopt-a-Park Program, Mandarin Museum is proud to have adopted the park to expand our stewardship of our community's public spaces. Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to assist us in our efforts!

In the meantime, we encourage you to enjoy the newly named Marion Losco Memorial Trails and the Losco Pavilion at Dick Kravitz Park. Mandarin Museum was happy to work with JaxParks to develop these new opportunities to ensure the Losco Family's contributions to our community and our nation are remembered. The walking trails are situated on land once homesteaded in the 19th and 20th centuries by Italian immigrants, Francis "Frank" Losco and Dometilla Danese Losco. Their son, Marion Losco, is the only known Mandarin resident to be killed in action on the battlefield during World War I. Pictured above is Mandarin Museum volunteer, Dolly Strother, great-granddaughter of Frank and Dometilla Losco, during our initial evaluation of the park's stewardship needs.

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, look for ways you can help the people and places around you!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Weed Wrangle Saturdays in Walter Jones Historical Park last month! Together, we make a difference.

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