VISITOR INFORMATION
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, an activity of the John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell Foundation, is a private, not-for-profit arts organization located at the crossroads of southern Illinois in Mt Vernon. It is supported by earned and contributed income from generous individual and corporate supporters.
Cedarhurst is best known for its significant collection of late 19th and early 20th century American paintings, exhibitions featuring regional and international artists, a 80 acre sculpture park, and an annual Art & Craft Fair held the weekend after Labor Day.
The mission of the John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell Foundation is to generate enthusiastic participation in and support for the visual and performing arts in Mt. Vernon, southern Illinois and the surrounding region, and to provide opportunities for enjoyment of the arts and increased awareness, understanding, and appreciation for the arts.
FOR VISITORS WITH DISABILITIES
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts strives to create an inclusive environment for all visitors. The Mitchell Museum, Shrode Art Center, and the Schweinfurth House have accessible facilities and at least one entrance that is accessible to visitors with limited mobility. Staff members are always available to answer visitor questions about accessibility. Please direct your questions to the staff at the Mitchell Museum reception desk, or the attendant on duty at The Shrode Art Center.
DIRECTIONS
FROM INTERSTATE 57
Take Exit 95 (Mt. Vernon) and travel east on Highway 15 (Broadway). At 27th Street (Cedarhurst Drive) turn left (north) and proceed to 2600 Richview Road. Turn right (east) on Richview Road. Turn left at the Main Gate for parking. Cedarhurst is approximately 4.78 miles from Interstate Exit 95.
FROM ILLINOIS ROUTE 37
Turn west on Oakland Avenue, which becomes Richview Road at the 12th Street intersection. Cedarhurst is on the north side of Richview Road. Turn right at the Main Gate for parking. Cedarhurst is approximately 0.62 miles from the Oakland Avenue/Route 37 intersection.
HOURS
HOLIDAY HOURS – NOVEMBER 18, 2025 TO JANUARY 2, 2026 Open daily Tuesday through Sunday: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Fri. Sat. Sun.: 5:00 to 9:00 pm with ticketed admission to The Lights. Closed: each Monday, July 4th, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
YEAR-ROUND: Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Closed: each Monday and national holidays: July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
EXTENDED HOURS:
Memorial Day to Labor Day
Thursday: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
ADMISSION
Admission to the Cedarhurst campus, the Goldman-Kuenz Sculpture Park, and many of the gallery exhibits are free of charge with the exception of some events, e.g. the Permanent Collection Art Gallery, The Cedarhurst Art & Craft Fair, music concerts, and The Lights – An Exhibition of Holiday Magic. View the calendar of events for specific dates and events information.
VISITOR GUIDELINES
- You are welcome to stay as long as you like within our operating hours. We are open year-round Tuesday – Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 to 5 pm. the Museum galleries and sculpture park are open until 8pm each Thursday from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- To preserve the art and for the safety of all visitors, please do not climb on, sit, or touch the outdoor sculptures. Even though the sculptures are exposed to the elements and appear sturdy and durable, touching or climbing will damage the sculptures and their finish. The risk of injury and the safety of our guests is of equal concern.
- The indoor galleries that feature paintings, sculpture, and other 3 dimensional works of art are also meant to be enjoyed by viewing and not touching. Your touch may not seem like much, but even the slightest contact can damage the surface of a painting, discolor stone, and even rust metal.
- Please keep the art safe and do not lean on walls or glass cases. Feel free to sit on the benches or the floor as you talk, write, or draw.
- Photography is allowed outside and in most indoor galleries. Flash photography is NOT allowed inside the galleries.
- Food and drinks are not allowed in the galleries.
- Running, pushing, and roughhousing are not allowed in the museum. Appropriate indoor behavior is necessary for the enjoyment of all visitors and to avoid accidentally damaging the art.
- Restroom facilities are available in the Mitchell Museum building and the Shrode Art Center
- Dogs are welcome in Cedarhurst’s outdoor sculpture park but must be leashed and picked up after by the owner. Dog waste bags can be placed in the outdoor trash receptacles. Dogs are not allowed inside the campus buildings.
- Please keep food and drink a safe distance from the sculptures and dispose of waste in the trash receptacles in the park or at the exit gates.
- Illegal possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages or cannabis is prohibited.
- Donation boxes are located in the museum buildings. Not obligatory, but it is always courteous to give a small donation to free museums when you visit. Donations and Memberships help the museum in many ways.
SPECIALS & DISCOUNTS
Members of Cedarhurst enjoy free admission to all gallery exhibitions as well as discounted rates for programs, events and art classes.
Free Thursday applies to gallery exhibitions that carry an admission charge.
The North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association® network is a mosaic of 1,202 art museums and galleries, historical museums and societies, botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos and more. When you sign up and become a “card-carrying” member of Cedarhurst Center for the Arts (at the patron level and higher) you can enjoy free access and reciprocal membership benefits across the United States, Canada, Bermuda, El Salvador and Mexico!
It’s all part of the NARM program, a partnership program in which Cedarhurst participates so that you can get more from your membership. To see a listing of all the museums to which you have access, visit narmassociation.org
We are a Blue Star Museum! What is a Blue Star Museum?
It is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and more than 2,000 museums across America, offering free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel including The National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve and their families each summer.
The 2023 program will begin on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 2023 and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 2023. For more information on Blue Star Museums please see the Frequently Asked Questions.
CONTACT US
Phone: 618.242.1236 | Fax: 618.242.9530
Email: mitchellmuseum@cedarhurst.org
Street Address: 2600 Richview Road, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 923, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
TOURS
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts offers free staff/docent led tours that focus on current exhibitions as well as the Permanent Collection, the Goldman-Kuenz Sculpture Park and the beautiful buildings and grounds at Cedarhurst. Our volunteer docents are qualified professionals, many with an education and or art background. Tours are designed to include concepts and skills appropriate to the visiting student or adult group. Docent led tours are available upon request for groups of 10 or more and must be scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance. Please click below to request a tour date. After completion one of our staff will contact you at the email provided to gather additional information. Applicable gallery admission fees apply. Applicable gallery admission fees apply. For additional information, please call 618-242-1236 ext. 248 or email tracy@cedarhurst.org.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS & LODGING
Mt. Vernon, home to Cedarhurst, is known as the Heartland of Hospitality in southern Illinois for a good reason. Here you’ll find everything you need with over 1100 hotel rooms including accommodations for large groups and conventions. In addition to local shops, Mt. Vernon’s Times Square Mall offers a variety of shopping, including department and sports stores, and the Rend Lake College Marketplace offers a variety of discount stores, including a golf outlet. Other attractions in the Mt. Vernon area include the Appellate Courthouse where Abraham Lincoln represented clients, The Aquatic Zoo, the Jefferson County Historical Village, and C. E. Brehm Library with its impressive genealogy collection. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy acres of public parks and golf courses. Rend Lake, a 19,000-acre recreational complex, offers visitors a multitude of activities, including golfing, swimming, boating, camping, hiking, fishing, and hunting. For more information on activities and events in the Mt. Vernon and surrounding area, including available lodging, click on the links provided below for more information:
Receive a special Cedarhurst rate when you stay with one of our hotel partners.
NOTE: These properties are currently under renovation. Please contact the hotels about future reservations.
