Visiting the Museum

Admission to the museum is free.

Hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., First Fridays, 12 noon–8 p.m.

The Paul R. Jones Museum is an essential part of the education and development of UA students and our community. Visitors are encouraged but not required  to wear face coverings inside the gallery. Have questions or need assistance? Call (205) 345-3038 for more information.

Current Exhibition

August 5 – September 23, 2022
Recent Acquisitions: Additions to the Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art at The University of Alabama 2015 – 2022

September 2 First Friday reception, 5-8 p.m.

Curator Emily Bibb has selected a variety of works acquired in the past seven years including paintings, prints and mixed media works by artists such as Radcliffe Bailey, Beverly Buchanan, Willie Cole, Thornton Dial, Clementine Hunter, Ukuu Tafari (Antjuan Oden), and Purvis Young. Read more about the exhibition.

Current and Past Exhibitions at the Paul R. Jones Museum

About the Museum

The Paul Jones Museum, located in the heart of downtown Tuscaloosa, presents a year-round schedule of exhibitions of works from the Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art at The University of Alabama as well as hosts guest exhibitions.

The museum is named for Paul R. Jones, a passionate collector of African American art. In 2008, Jones donated a portion of his collection — over 1,700 pieces — to The University of Alabama. The museum honors  Mr. Jones’ vision of art, community and continuous learning by hosting lecture series, concerts, workshops, and theatrical performances.  The Paul R. Jones Museum is also a classroom for the arts, where students from kindergarten to college experience learning in a new and exciting environment.

The museum is designed to share the works of American artists and their significance with the people of Alabama and beyond and to be used to educate students on the importance of art in life. Works from the collection are on exhibit year-round at the museum and are exhibited in galleries on The University of Alabama campus and at other educational institutions and venues. The collection is incorporated into curricula at The University of Alabama, providing students with opportunities to learn and experience the significance of art first-hand.

The Collection

The Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art at The University of Alabama includes one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of 20th-century African American art in the world, amassed over decades by Paul Raymond Jones, who has been described by Art & Antiques magazine as “one of the top art collectors in the country.” Jones donated the 1,700-plus piece collection valued at more than $10.3 million to the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama in October 2008. An additional 300 works were added in 2013, bringing the total to over 2,000 works. The collection includes art in a variety of media from more than 600 artists.

Museum Staff

Daniel White, Director   Emily Bibb, Curator

Main website: https://paulrjones.museums.ua.edu/

News & Exhibitions

View press releases and news articles about the museum, collection and lecture series.

Browse an archive of past exhibitions held at the museum.

The Paul R. Jones Collection and Museum are featured in WVUA 23’s Spirit of Alabama with Mike Royer

The Paul R. Jones Museum is featured in this video by Tuscaloosa Tourism.