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About the Collection
The State Historical Society of Missouri's paintings Order No. 11 and Watching the Cargo, as well as a selection of our Bingham portraits, will be on exhibit at the Truman Library in Independence from March 10 through September 8.
The State Historical Society will open it's exhibition about Bingham's engravings and lithographs, "The Graphic World of George Caleb Bingham", in our Main Gallery on March 12.
The Society holds one of the largest collection of paintings by George Caleb Bingham, including, Order No. 11. The Thomas Hart Benton Collection contains the Year of Peril series, lithographs and other works. Many other Missouri artists, both past and present, are well represented in the Society's holdings.
The Society's extensive editorial cartoon collection includes original drawings by Daniel Fitzpatrick, S. J. Ray, Bill Mauldin, Don Hesse, Tom Engelhardt, and others.
The Main Gallery and Corridor Galleries feature rotating exhibits, with selected paintings by George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton on permanent display.
Hours
The Main Gallery is free and open to the public.
| Monday | Closed (open by appointment only) |
| Tuesday - Friday | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. |
| Holidays and special events | Closed |
The Corridor Galleries are open during regular business hours.
Check our list of scheduled closings before planning a visit to the galleries.
The Society is ADA accessible.
Art Reproductions
Reproductions of Bingham's paintings, Order No. 11 and Watching the Cargo are now available.
Tours
Organizations and school groups can schedule tours of the Main Gallery by contacting the Society at (573) 882-7083 or (800) 747–6366.
Online Exhibits
Women, Children and George Caleb Bingham
View the Women, Children and Geoge Caleb Bingham Gallery on Flickr
Exhibits
Directions to the Gallery in Columbia.
A State Divided: Missouri and the Civil War
September 15 - January 28
The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center - Columbia, Main Gallery
As a border state, Missouri suffered greatly from brother against brother fighting during the war. Images and objects in this exhibition chronicle the conflict, revealing the complexity of the period. Among the artworks to be displayed are pieces by George Caleb Bingham and original wood engravings from Harper’s Weekly and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. Also included, three charming and rarely shown sketchbooks of drawings made in the field by artist Robert Sweeny who accompanied Union forces (page from one sketchbook at left).
The Prices of History: The Legacy of the Price Family in Mid-Missouri
September 15 - January 28
The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center - Columbia, Main Gallery
Also opening on September 15 to commemorate the return of Order No. 11 to the Society’s Main Gallery and acknowledge the legacy of the Price family and their connection with George Caleb Bingham through R. B. Price, who helped finance “Bingham and Co.,” publishers of the engraving Martial Law (Order No. 11), for which the Society’s version of the great Civil War picture was painted.
Fred Geary: Missouri Master of the Woodcut
July 16, 2011 through April 2012
Society Corridor Gallery
Missouri artist Fred Geary became actively involved in the nationwide woodcut revival of the 1930s and 1940s, and the Society's collection of over fifty of the graphic masterpieces reveals his exceptional skill in the medium. Depictions of Missouri landscapes and landmarks, as well as a wide range of other subjects, display the expertise of this extraordinary artist.
*Note: The Fred Geary exhibit is temporarily off display due to reconstruction required following water damage from the Ellis Library fire in September. The exhibit will be reinstalled when remodeling is finished and will be extended through April of 2012.
View the Fred Geary Gallery on FlickrTraveling Exhibit
Objects Worthy of Notice: The Wildlife Encountered by the Corps of Discovery
This exhibit presents a look at the rich diversity of wildlife observed by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their 1804-1806 expedition through the newly acquired and relatively uncharted Louisiana Territory. Under instructions from President Thomas Jefferson to record “objects worthy of notice,” the naturalist-explorers scientifically documented 122 new species and expanded knowledge about many others. The elegant and detailed work of naturalists John James Audubon, John Woodson Audubon, and Charles W. Schwartz illustrate engaging excerpts from the explorers' journals.