“Artis-Naples” looking for boost during off-season

The museum that displays much of southwest Florida’s best art needs a bit of a boost.

The attendance Artis Naples is down right now, but they have a plan.

Summer can be slow for art galleries and art museums, and the people at the Baker Museum in North Naples know that, so they’re pulling out all the stops to get people interested in the arts and celebrate them.

The Baker Museum at Artis-Naples is typically closed for six weeks in the summer, but this year, they changed things up.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming people year-round for the very first time here at the Baker Museum,” said Kathleen Van Bergen, president and CEO of Artis-Naples.

Van Bergen said it’s critical to keep people coming in. They can no longer afford to shut down.

She was asked if business has been generally slower compared to season.

“Well, summer is still definitely a different rhythm throughout June through maybe September, October, but over the last dozen years, we have continued to add more and more programming, including summer camps and concerts,” Van Bergen said.

Courtney McNeil is director and chief curator at the baker museum. She was asked if staying open all summer was a good idea.

“The numbers are still coming in, but everything we’ve seen so far has pointed to the success of this decision to remain open all summer,” McNeil said.

McNeil talked about the special exhibits.

“On the museum’s second floor, we have a really special show called Naples Collects, where 17 of the top art collectors in our community let us borrow gems from their private collection to put on public view. So, a lot of these objects have never been on public view before, and it’s a truly world-class exhibition,” McNeil said.

Admission to the Baker Museum is still $10, and kids 17 and under can get in for free.

Museum workers said that they don’t plan to increase their prices anytime soon. Also, if you’re a membership club member, admission is free.

For the museum’s website, click here.