One of the original five Stickly pianos on display at the MAACM. Photo by Gabrielle Reeder Left: One of only five original Stickley pianos on display inside MAACM. Right: A glass window display peering out into downtown St. Pete. Photos by Gabrielle Reeder
Largest Collection of the Arts and Crafts Movement on Display in St. Petersburg By Gabrielle Reeder The Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement (MAACM) invites visitors to explore the largest collection of Arts and Crafts style artifacts in the world. The five-story and 137,000 sq. foot display transports you to the origins of the 19th and 20th century movement.
Movement Originating in England the latter half of the 18th century, and making its way to America in the 1890s, William Morris and John Ruskin despised the growing demand for machines, believing they took away human jobs while creating subpar materials. In order to combat this industrial complex, they introduced the Arts and Crafts Movement: an attempt to use simple, man-made and Earthly materials to create furniture, textiles, pottery, lights and more. At the basis of the movement, the items would bring users closer to nature and allow them to appreciate simplicity and man-made creations.
Two Red Roses Foundation Rudy Ciccarello took his fondness for the Arts and Crafts Movement and put his vision into place. In 2004 he founded the Two Red Roses Foundation, an organization that strives to provide education, materials and research on the Arts and Crafts Movement. To further his interest
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in the style, Ciccarello founded the museum. Thoughts of the monument began buzzing in 2014, however the building of the museum started in 2017, with doors opening on September 7, 2021. The Red Roses Foundation displays its colossal collection in the museum and there is a room dedicated to Ciccarello’s personal collection of paintings, furniture and artifacts.
Museum With over 800 pieces of art, furniture, pottery, textiles, lamps and installations, the museum can pique anyone’s interest. Walking into the building, a gargantuan white spiral staircase will catch your eye. To add to the entrancing effect of the architecture, chandeliers hang from the ceiling and the building is surrounded in clear windows, peeking out into the midst of Downtown St. Petersburg. “MAACM has something for everyone, with art, exhibitions, educational programs, research library, Museum Store, and Arts Café. Followers of the Arts and Crafts movement enjoy the depth of the collection, while those new to the movement are enchanted by its beauty,” Betsy Walch, the director of development at the MAACM said. “We strive to provide MAACM’s visitors with an educational and entertaining experience. At its core, the Arts and Crafts movement was about making life better through art, and we hope visitors leave enriched,” Walch said. For more information visit www.museumaacm.org.
