THEN & NOW
Honoring Our Past, Shaping Our Future
Every gallery within The Cici & Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, Science, & History (formerly MOAS) tells a story of vision, generosity, and a shared belief in the power of art, science, and history to inspire. Then & Now celebrates those stories by reflecting on the origins of each space, the donors and community members who made them possible, and the collections that have enriched generations of visitors.
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As The Brown enters a new era, many of these spaces are evolving. They are being reimagined, relocated, or incorporated into our future campus design. While not every detail has been decided, this archive serves as both a tribute and a living record. We’ll continue updating these pages as plans unfold, ensuring that the legacy of our past remains a guiding light for what’s to come.
The 62-acre Tuscawilla Preserve is a rare Florida hydric hammock that once served as outdoor education center for The Brown. Established through early local conservation efforts, it became a cornerstone of the Museum’s commitment to environmental learning and preservation.
Dow Gallery
Opened in 1986, the “Arts in America: 1700–1900” gallery was the first of its kind in Florida, showcasing American art, furniture, and decorative pieces from the Pilgrim era to the Victorian period. In 1989, Kenneth and Mary Dow donated their remarkable collection—hundreds of paintings, furniture, and decorative objects—adding depth and richness to the gallery, offering a fascinating look into early American life and artistic heritage.
Root Family Museum
Opened in 2001, the Root Family Museum features one of the world’s largest collections of Coca-Cola memorabilia, along with vintage race cars, train cars, quilts, and more Americana treasures. Highlights include Florida’s largest teddy bear collection and two historic train cars—the “Silver Holly” and the 1948 “Hiawatha.” The museum tells the story of the Root family’s history with Coca-Cola bottling and offers a nostalgic look at American innovation and family life.
Children's Museum
The Charles and Linda Williams Children's Museum opened in 2008 and was the first hands-on science center in Volusia County. This 9,300 square-foot space housed more than fifteen professionally designed interactive exhibits, geared especially towards children, that demonstrate various principles of science, engineering, and physics.
Schulte Gallery
Established in 1996, the William and Helena Schulte Gallery of Chinese Art showcased 84 objects from the Museum's collection, including large interpretive panels on Chinese history and society. T'ang and Wei horses, Han and Ming tomb figures, Ch'ing gemstone carvings and Ming blue and white objects are amoung the many other cultural items.
Lohman Planetarium
The planetarium, newly relocated and fully digitized with support from ECHO and FEMA, opened in August 2014 and was renamed the Lowell and Nancy Lohman Family Planetarium in 2019. This 94-seat facility features a 40-foot dome, immersive sound, and an OmniStar™ digital projector that greatly expands its capabilities. In addition to star shows, it can screen full-dome HD films across a wide range of genres.
The West Wing—renamed the L. Gale Lemerand Wing—was rebuilt after flooding in 2009 and reopened on October 30, 2015, thanks to FEMA, ECHO, and Museum funding. This expansive once housed the Cuban Foundation Museum, the Karshan Center of Graphic Art, the Gillespy Gallery of African artifacts, the Marzullo Gallery of global weaponry, the Prehistory of Florida Gallery, and the Charles and Linda Williams Children’s Museum.
Elaine and Thurman Gillespy, Jr. Gallery
Coming Soon
Prehistory of Florida Gallery
Discover preserved insects and butterflies, shells and teeth, along with the remains of a giant ground sloth, mastodon, and glyptodont that were found in our own backyard!
Karshan Gallery
Coming Soon
The Cuban Foundation Museum
The Cuban Foundation Museum houses one of the most significant collections of Cuban fine and folk art outside of Cuba, showcasing 300 years of history through more than 200 objects in a bilingual, 2,000-square-foot gallery. The museum’s mission is to offer Cuban Americans—and the broader public—a rare window into Cuba’s rich artistic and cultural heritage.
Bouchelle Gallery
The Anderson C. Bouchelle Study Center and Gallery for International Decorative Arts showcases more than 600 objects, including 18th- and 19th-century silver, gold, furniture, mirrors, and other decorative works. From the Carrera marble maiden at its entrance to the Tiffany-inspired Romeo and Juliet glass door at its rear, the gallery offers a vibrant celebration of international decorative arts.
