Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art
Open September 21, 2024 through March 2, 2025
Presented by Cici and Hyatt Brown

John James Audubon’s Birds of America was a monumental achievement of both art and ornithology. His collection of 435 prints and accompanying field notes changed the way people saw and understood bird life. A major portion of this production was Audubon’s six-month expedition to Florida in 1831-32. Audubon collected and painted 36 bird species and observed and wrote about 50 more during his time in Florida. Some of the most famous images of his collection such as the American Flamingo, Great White Heron, and Roseate Spoonbill resulted from the Florida trek, and many have strong local connections. Hyatt and Cici Brown have collected over 75 original Havell prints from Birds of America, which have a Florida connection. This exhibit and accompanying catalog will display these historic prints and tell the story of his Florida expedition, where he traveled, what he observed, and what he painted. The exhibit and book will also examine how Audubon’s work inspired the modern conservation movement and remains relevant today.