Orlando Museum of Art

Just north of downtown Orlando is the city's cultural hub, Loch Haven Park. The beautiful grounds are home to a number of museums and theaters, and the Orlando Museum of Art is one of the primary attractions there. It may not be as large as other major urban art museums -- expect to spend 1 to 2 hours touring the exhibits -- but its comprehensive collections span human history and cover local, state, national and international works. This is a key stop for art lovers, especially those intrigued by the titles of the four primary permanent collections: American Art, Art of the Ancient Americas, African Art and Contemporary American Graphics.

Best and Worst Times to Go to the Orlando Museum of Art
As would be expected, weekends are considerably busier than weekdays at the museum. January, February, May, and September are generally the slowest months. Conveniently enough, they offer great weather for strolling the surrounding grounds and gardens (although May and September days are often on the hot and humid side).

Must-Sees at the Orlando Museum of Art
The temporary exhibitions are always world-class shows, so don't skip over the special exhibit on display during your visit. Also, look for the sculptures made by the Colima, Maya and Moche in the Art of the Ancient Americas collection. And for something even less common, check out the ornate headwear and costumes made by Yoruba of Nigeria, the Kuba of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Ndebele and Zulu of South Africa in the African Art collection.

Admission to the Orlando Museum of Art
Admission to the museum is cheap at under $10 per person, plus it offers discounts for seniors, military, children and groups of 10 or more. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Parking and Public Transportation to the Orlando Museum of Art
If you drive, access the museum most directly from Rollins Street. You'll have to wind your way through Loch Haven Park if you enter from Princeton Street, though it's not far or particularly complicated. There's ample free parking right outside the museum. If you can pick up the local commuter train, SunRail, the Florida Hospital Health Village station puts you 10 to 15 minutes away from the museum on foot. Also, the LYNX public bus route 125 stops at the Princeton Street entrance to Loch Haven Park.

Food at the Orlando Museum of Art
The museum doesn't have a cafeteria or restaurant. However, there are plenty of high-quality independent restaurants within a few minutes' drive. For example, White Wolfe Cafe and Wolfie's Pizzamia are nearby in the Ivanhoe Village district, or head to the Mills50 district for Yum-mi Sandwiches, The Strand, or lots of other options, especially Vietnamese and other East Asian cuisine.

Insider Tips for Visitors to the Orlando Museum of Art
If the timing of your trip works out, there are a few special times to visit the museum. If you happen to be in town on the first Thursday of any month, stop by from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for the 1st Thursday art party. Or, if you're around in November in the weeks before Thanksgiving, the museum's Festival of Trees is a unique, festive pre-holiday-season experience. And, one other note: if you have a Bank of America or Meryll Lynch credit or debit card, you get free admittance during the first full weekend of any month.

Author's bio: Eric Mohrman is a freelance travel and food writer living in downtown Orlando. Crazily enough, he really likes traveling, eating and writing. And he wants to show you how much more there is to Orlando than theme parks.