One of Atlantic City’s secret treasures, the Art Center has been providing residents and visitors alike with an unparalleled opportunity to view the work of noted national and regional artists with the beautiful Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, for the pasts 40 years. Re-opening July 31, 1994 after a $5 million 2-year restoration under a 1991 City of Atlantic City bond ordinance, the pier continues to house the Atlantic City Art Center and the Atlantic City Historical Museum.

Garden Pier derived its name from the beautifully arranged flower gardens on its deck. Its previous career was glamorous, having featured international headliners while serving as a summer setting for musicals, concerts and plays.

The pier opened in 1908 when a row of stores was erected on a 175ft frontage, at New Jersey Avenue by George H. Earle of Philadelphia, PA. Earle sold those stores to the pier holding and realty company in January 1912.

The first Garden Pier was erected in 1913 at a cost of more than $1,000,000. It had walls of Terra Cotta tile built around structural steel frames with Spanish tile rooms and copper cornices. Flowerbeds occupied the center of the structure. A theater was built on the ocean end of the pier, and an Easter concert by Irish tenor John McCormick, was a tradition for many years, along with the John Phillip Sousa band.

The pier was acquired by the City of Atlantic City and rehabilitated with luxury tax monies. It reopened as a city operation during the 1954 centennial celebration. A large concert stage and band shell with seats for 1500 spectators was added with elaborate fountain and garden plots in the center of the pier. Granite for the fountain is reputed to have cost in excess of $100,000 and when completed it represented expenditures of approximately $250,000. The world famous Atlantic City boardwalk, a wooden way that boasts of five casinos that have frontage is also home to the Atlantic City Art Center. Housed in the Garden Pier, a historic site that currently houses the Art Center and the Atlantic City Historical Museum,the Art Center is the only east coast art center location with an ocean view.

In March, the center hosted an observance of Women’s History month. The observation of Women’s Month featured “A Salute to Super Women Artists” showcasing the works of Maria Emma Escobar who works in oils and Sarah Jane Kent who is an abstract artist. In addition to the Salute, the Center presented a juried exhibit of female artists from Atlantic County entitled “From a Women’s Perspective 08.”

Three exhibition galleries change monthly and bimonthly featuring artwork by contemporary artists and artisans of national, regional and local renown. The gallery shop offers unique items for sale and features handmade glass from historic Wheaton Village in Millville, New Jersey. The Art Center presents a wide variety of activities in conjunction with exhibits including concerts, gallery talks, artist demonstrations and literary readings Funding for programs has been provided in part by the NJ State Council of the Arts, Department of State, through the Local Arts Grant Program administered by the Atlantic County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs.