Collection Highlights
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Jesse Monongya -
Bonnie Marris -
Ed Mell -
Eanger Irving Couse -
Billy Schenck -
John Coleman
Welcome!
Our museum was founded by Tom and Mary James, a gift to the St. Petersburg community and beyond. Through personal relationships with artists and many travels to the American West, they have amassed a significant collection that speaks to their interests in history, storytelling and the human spirit. The narratives and varying perspectives within the art evoke personal responses. While often relating scenes from the past, most of the art was created in our own era. Mary and Tom James share a passion for supporting living artists, especially those who portray subjects of American Western history, American Indian cultures, and wildlife from around the world.
The James Museum collection is arranged in themed galleries: Early West; Native Life; Native Artists; Frontier; Wildlife; and New West. The galleries connect one to the next, much like the stories in the art relate to each other. Hundreds of paintings and sculptures are on display for enjoyment, education, and inspiration.
Early West
Early West
The Early West Gallery features the oldest paintings in the collection, from the 1890s to the 1940s. Well-known artists include Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, and the Taos Society of Artists.
Native Life
Native Life
The Native Life Gallery tells visual stories of American Indian life in the 1800s. Cultural traditions and daily life from many different tribes are highlighted.
Native Artists
Native Artists
The Native Artists Gallery is dedicated to art by 20th- and 21st- century American Indian artists. Cultural influences are prominent in much of the work, shown using a variety of styles and techniques. The Jewel Box within this gallery celebrates contemporary Native American jewelry.
Frontier
Frontier
The Frontier Gallery explores cowboy life and their independent, hard-working culture. Also included are visual stories of expansion westward, the fur trade, and the adventurous Wild West.
Wildlife
Wildlife
The Wildlife Gallery showcases paintings and sculptures of North American mammals and birds, then expands to animals from around the globe.
New West
New West
The New West Gallery features Western subjects in unexpected styles and approaches. Inspired by Pop Art, Cubism, and other movements, these canvases showcase the independent spirit of the West in new ways.