The Mandarin Museum building in Walter Jones Historical Park was opened in 2004, and since, we have collected many historical objects, photographs, documents, and pieces of Mandarin art in order to fulfill our mission to share the stories of the community’s history, culture, and natural resources.

In 2018, we launched a museum expansion campaign to fund the addition of a new exhibit space and enlarge the archive and collections room. On August 5, 2023, Mandarin Museum hosted a grand reopening and ribbon cutting celebration, presenting to the public the results of the capital campaign. The new exhibit gallery has been designated the Maple Leaf Shipwreck gallery, allowing us to expand and refresh the fascinating Maple Leaf story with more artifacts, documents, and stories. This new gallery allowed us to reopen our Art Gallery, now known as The Stowe Gallery at Mandarin Museum, with rotating art exhibitions, initially featuring Mandarin scenes and Mandarin artists. We expanded our Harriet Beecher Stowe displays with new stories and artifacts never before displayed. And, we are very excited to tell “The Untold History of Black Mandarin” in a brand new permanent exhibit in the main exhibit space.

We are grateful to the generous Bhide & Hall Architects, for the architectural plans. Thanks to generous donations from private individuals, and fundraising events, we have raised the funds for a matching grant.  Sixty percent of the funds raised by the sale of Mandarin frogs have gone towards the expansion, thanks to the Frog Man, Don Bowden. In addition, the Rotary Club of Mandarin selected the museum expansion project as the designated recipient of its “Laughs for Charity” fundraising event in April 2018. In August 2018, the Rotary Club gifted MMHS with a $25,000 donation for the Museum Expansion Project, raised through that event. We are grateful indeed to all private and corporate donors, including the in-kind expertise of Bob White of R.G. White Construction.

In 2019-21, MMHS received a Facilities Grant for museum expansion from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, which enabled us to undertake the expansion project. We are very grateful to the Division of Cultural Affairs for offering and managing grants like this that allow small organizations like ours to benefit. The construction and renovation are nearly complete! We can’t wait to welcome guests into our new permanent exhibits opening Summer 2023.


Our capital campaign has ended. Fundraising will now benefit the Museum’s programming and operations.

If you would like to talk with us about a major personal or business gift or a fundraising idea, please give us a call at 904-268-0784 or send an email to director@mandarinmuseum.org. Our Executive Director, Brittany Cohill, or a Board member will be happy to meet with you.

If you would like to make a donation of any size, please select the “Donate” button at the bottom right of this page, or send a check to MMHS, PO Box 23601, Jacksonville, FL 32241.


All donations are tax deductible. Thank you for your support of our mission.

Mandarin Museum & Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and is registered with the Fla. Div. of Consumer Affairs, Registration No. CH16204. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer services by calling toll-free within the state (800-5435-7352) or by contacting the Division at http://www.freshfromflorida.com/. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.