2026 – 2031
Strategic Plan
Thank you to everyone who took an active role in shaping the future of the Harn Museum of Art by participating in our strategic planning process. Your insights and feedback through surveys, focus groups and our Town Hall meeting were invaluable in charting a course for continued growth and improvement.
About the Harn
Since opening in 1990, the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida has been a cornerstone of the Greater Gainesville arts and culture ecosystem. In addition to serving the students and faculty of the University, the Harn is the most prominent fine art museum in the greater North Central Florida region and demonstrates its commitment to being a cultural resource through its free admission and educational activities. The museum is known as a trusted resource and for its high quality and relevant exhibitions, many of which have toured across the United States.
Strategic Plan Highlights
Mission Statement
The University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art’s mission is to inspire, educate and enrich people’s lives through art.
The Harn uses the power of the visual arts to open conversations about our shared cultural history and pressing contemporary issues through exhibitions, collections, scholarship and programming of the highest caliber. The Harn strives to develop an academic community of creative, divergent thinkers in collaboration with the University of Florida, and fosters joy and community by welcoming students, UF faculty and staff and local residents to engage with art.
Vision, Values & Guiding Principles
The vision for the Harn’s 2026 – 2031 Strategic Plan is grounded in the following overarching values and guiding principles:
- Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive “Third Place”
- Partnering for Impact
- Producing Professional and Artistically Excellent Experiences
- Fostering Intellectual Freedom and Openness
Strategic Goals
Goal 1
Increase and deepen student engagement with the Harn Museum of Art.
Goal 2
Foster a sense of community and wellbeing.
Goal 3
Strengthen the Harn’s brand.
Goal 4
Elevate the Harn’s status as a premier university art museum by improving the physical plant and strengthening the museum’s workforce.
