City: Delray Beach, FL

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (561) 243-7922

Address: 51 North Swinton Ave.

Description: Old School Square is a National Historic Site that has won wide recognition around the country for its ongoing preservation efforts. The original early-20th-century buildings have been totally renovated, and they now house the Cornell Museum of Art and American Culture, the Crest Theatre, the Vintage Gymnasium, and restored classrooms that host world-class performances, lectures, and classes.Old School Square Cultural Arts Center actually was one of the first efforts in the development of Delray Beach’s new downtown. A group of local citizens in the 1980s raised over $7 million to renovate and adapt old school buildings set for demolition for use as a museum and a theater. The Cornell Museum is an airy place in which the floors are polished woods, and the art is displayed very attractively. It features regional, national, and international exhibits of fine art, craft, and American culture that change every six to eight weeks to keep the exhibits fresh. The Crest Theatre is now a magnificent place to watch theater, musical, and vocal performances. There’s a Main Stage Series of musical and theatrical performances; the Broadway Cabaret Series; and a Lecture Series with provocative topics.