AE Backus Museum and Gallery

A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery

500 N Indian River Dr.Fort Pierce, FL 34950

(772) 465-0630

www.backusmuseum.com

AT A GLANCE:  A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery
Parking	Plentiful and free, onsite parking.
Amount of time needed to peruse exhibits:	35 – 50 minutes
Amount of time needed for gift shop	30 – 45 minutes
Dress code	Dress tastefully.  This is a “higher end” gift shop and museum
Be sure to…..	Shop on the left side of the store (read on for explanation).  You are such a rebel.
Nearby/other establishments to visit	Wander down to the coastline and stay a few minutes to take in the beauty of the scene.  You’ll see plenty of boats moored at the nearby marina.
Walkability, general downtown area / amount of traffic	The area immediately surrounding the A.E. Backus Museum is walkable.  You will need a car, though, to get to Archie’s for lunch.
Safety, in terms of type and number of crimes committed in general area	Generally safe.  Practice the normal precautions of stowing your valuables out of sight and locking your car.

Outside of the A.E. Backus Museum

We return to Ft. Pierce, Florida this week, home of the Navy UDT Seal Museum, the Manatee Observation and Education Center, Heathcote Botanical Gardens, and the St. Lucie Aquarium/Smithsonian Research Station.  This week’s museum boasts a story of Florida’s untamed and wild landscapes, renegade artists, and the inspiration of the art movement that made the artists famous.  I speak of the Highwaymen, also known as the Florida Highwaymen.  They were a group of 26 black artists who painted the colorful Florida landscapes depicting palm trees, oceans and the sun and sky.  Their busiest times were from the 1950 through the 1980s.  However, these were the decades in the United States before the Civil Rights movement, and most museums had no interest in displaying art from a group of self-taught black artists.  Read about them at these sites:  The Florida Highwaymen , Florida artists who defied the odds ,or Florida Highwaymen Paintings.  Luckily, the Highwaymen had a mentor and a supporter: renowned American artist A.E. Backus.  Why am I telling you this?  Most of Highwaymen originals are now worth a few thousand dollars. Now it might be worth ferreting out the garage sales in your area.  And, again, you will have the knowledge, to impress your friends and family with such an intimate knowledge of Florida.  Kudos to you!    I’m not going to lie to you.  You know I’m not an art critic, but to me the paintings are on the kitschy side.   

 It is the Backus museum that we visit today, mentor of the Highwaymen.  A museum whose mission, according to their website, is “to promote arts in the community and to perpetuate the artistic and humanitarian legacy of A.E. Backus."  Step through the front door, and you’ll find that the Backus Museum has an airy, yet comfortable, design. You pay the $5 admission fee, turn around, and you find yourself in the middle of the gift shop.  No magic, just creative design.  There are no bumping into walls here, because this is an open-air gift shop.  I thought I was walking through one of the museum’s exhibits, and was absolutely delighted that I was in the middle of the gift shop.  No walls, but display after display of beautiful and wondrous things.  My shopping mojo kicked in as I stood there transfixed.  

The gift shop is invisibly divided:  consignment jewelry and original art on the left and
the traditional gift shop items are on your right.  Some of the vases on the left side are beautiful.

A fish from the left side

Warning:  you will get yelled at by the ticket taker if you attempt to photograph this area.  I sure did.  However, I was able to snap a few photos beforehand.  Discreetly of course, and in a very polite way.  The taller vase in this photo sells for $375.   I would have bought two of them if I had that kind of spare change on me.  As a matter of fact, I believe I would have purchased everything inthis particular display, because they were unique and stunning.  Make a point to shop the left side of the shop.

 
Sigh.  I shuffled over to the photo-friendly right-hand side of the gift shop, and headed to the far right to look at full-sized reproductions of a few of Backus’ paintings.  Make it a point to gaze at the “Poinciana Tree” print, because

The Poinciana Tree

this became the painting most associated with Backus, though he didn’t care much for it.  He understood, though, that the artsy public adored them.  You’ll find a goodly amount of items in the gift shop bearing that image:  placemats, coasters, serving trays and ornaments. Take a look at coasters and serving trays, though you’ll have to stoop down to see the coffee cups on the bottom shelf.

Poinciana items

Maneuver to the book section, again to your right, for great titles reflecting rural and old-time

"A Land Remembered"

Florida, the Highwaymen, and the early Florida Crackers (named for the sound of their whip as they drove cattle to market.  *Crack*).  You will also discover a book that details a history of the town of

Ornaments

Ft. Pierce, which is the town that houses this Backus Museum.  I highly recommend the book, “A Land Remembered” by Patrick D. Smith.  It’s quick and easy-to-read fiction that will expand your view of Florida’s land history.  Really, it’s a good read.  You can probably read it for free through membership sites such as Amazon Prime or Audible, but do you remember what cool travelers do?  They support museums.  Buy the book and help support old-time Florida art.  Calendars displaying a different Backus print for each month of the year are next to the books. 

A rack of children’s books are on display as you work your way to the interior displays.  They are

joined by coloring books and a supreme set of colored pencils, both geared toward adults.  Before you leave this area, check out the funky and handmade tote bags.  Why not pick one up for a friend or co-worker?  Just remember that to keep the universe in balance, you must now buy something for yourself.

Head over to another display of children’s books that deal with Florida’s environment.  I loved how the gift shop selected “Happy

Hatchlings.  The tale of six happy hatchling turtles.”  Six plush turtle hatchlings shared the display.  Speaking of children, consider taking them across the parking lot to the Vanishing Mermaid Gift Shop, located across the parking lot from the Backus Museum.  They won’t find much for themselves here.

Is this a good gift shop? I’d have to give it mixed reviews.  Yes, it’s undeniable that the gift shop supports the art of A.E. Backus.  However, the gift shop had no refrigerator magnets, shot glasses, or branded wearables.  It had coffee cups, which are sometimes just as good as shot glasses.  For some of you, that’s not a big deal.  For the others of us, well… I have to admit that I think it’s fun to score a refrigerator magnet. 

A rock rooster

Is this a good shop?  Yes.  Definitely, yes.  What I liked here are the “rock animals” (please see photo).  How cute would they be in your garden, sunroom or office cubicle?  Come to the A.E. Backus Museum to learn about the renegades the Highwaymen, and to leave with another piece of Florida history under your belt.  It’s a good use of your time, and like the Vero Beach Museum, you’ll have to go elsewhere for the souvenir trifecta.

Rock Geese

Ready for lunch?  Get back in your car and drive a couple of miles north to Archie’s.Archie's link:  This is a busy and fun place to eat, much like the Original Tiki Bar mentioned in the review of the St. Lucie Aquarium a few weeks back.Original Tiki Bar  If you want a non-touristy, local eatery, Archie’s is the place for you.  Harley Davidson has a strong brand following in Florida, and it seems like we saw almost half of them at Archie’s.  We notice several Harleys as we pulled into the parking lot.  Practice caution and don’t hit them.  I can’t see that ending well.

At Archie's

We settled at a table , where all of us ordered the fish basket, based on our server’s recommendation.  It was good. The fish was lightly battered and pan fried, not at all like the heavy beer batter and deep fried fish commonly available.  I was also pleasantly surprised to read the sigh “Gift Shop located by restrooms.”  Think about it.  How many times have you gone out for lunch and not had to use the restroom?  The restrooms are located behind, and to the right of the band.  Yes, there was a band performing while we ate our fish, complete with a horn section (the band, not the fish).  Archie’s has a fun and lively vibe, and is appropriate for children.

For a restaurant, Archie’s gift shop is a fairly good sized one.  It’s packed floor-to-ceiling with branded wearables from toddler-sized to 4X. 

You can choose from different styles (t-shirt, tank top, or sweatshirt) and various designs.  Archie’s is telling you that Florida wants you to “shop on.”  That’s why they made things easy for you.  This is the place to buy enjoyable souvenirs for you and your friend.  The best part?  There’s no one there to yell at you for wandering over to the wrong side.