Spotlight on Oglethorpe

2 Min Read

Oglethorpe's Gothic revival-style architecture is arguably one of the most impressive sights in the city of Brookhaven, with its towering stone bell tower and curved stadium covered in vines coming into view as you drive through the Dresden neighborhood.

Directly adjacent to the city’s historic district, the 100-acre campus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Oglethorpe University’s Museum of Art, OUMA, bears the distinction of being the region’s only small liberal arts university museum to regularly host nationally and internationally recognized exhibitions. OUMA plays a fundamental cultural role in the greater Atlanta area’s arts community and draws thousands of visitors annually from across the southeast and beyond to experience the museum’s blend of major and small, more intimate exhibitions.

OUMA’s permanent collection houses work in a broad spectrum of disciplines including a unique curation of Japanese porcelain dating back to the 17th century along with works by European artists including Henri Matisse, Camille Pissarro, and Constantin Guys, to name a few. Altogether, the permanent collection houses over 700 objects spanning seven centuries. Recent exhibitions, which are always open to the public, have included works from Cezanne, Renoir, and their Impressionist contemporaries; modern photographer Jane Robbins Kerr’s collection “Bits and Pieces from Mississippi,” and Salvador Dali’s “Stairway to Heaven,” featuring two of the Surrealist’s print portfolios including drawings for Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy.

Oglethorpe also boasts one of Georgia’s oldest intercollegiate sports traditions, and it’s 16 teams play in the NCAA's largest division in the Southern Athletic Association, a league of the South’s most selective liberal arts colleges. Every year, Oglethorpe University celebrates Oglethorpe Day, paying homage to the legacy of the its namesake, General James Edward Oglethorpe, one of Britain’s most influential 18th century humanitarians, a military leader, and founder of the slave-free colony of Georgia. Notable speakers from across the nation present at the Performing Arts Center (which also hosts the university’s active theater department’s productions throughout the year), and just to keep things from getting too academic, there’s a race, an evening soiree, plenty of refreshments, and even a legendary tug-of-war contest.

A walk through Oglethorpe’s campus is more than a recommendation for visitors looking at schools, it’s a community tradition and a great way to spend an afternoon. Check their museum and events calendar online to plan your next outing!

Explore a Little More

Related Partners