Exploring Life & Business with Marianne Richter of The Columbus Museum

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marianne Richter.

Hi Marianne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, I’m Marianne Richter, Director of The Columbus Museum in Columbus, Georgia. One of the largest museums in the Southeast, The Columbus Museum (COMU) has a unique mission that brings together American art, regional history, and meaningful educational experiences. The Museum is located in the home and estate of philanthropist and business leader W. C. Bradley, generously gifted to Columbus by his family in 1947. State legislation passed a few years later established the new consolidated county school district as responsible for maintaining and operating public art galleries and art centers. The new Muscogee County School District partnered with the Columbus Museum of Arts and Crafts, chartered in 1941 to create a museum. On March 29, 1953, COMU opened to the public in Bradley’s historic 1912 Mediterranean Revival home located in the Wynnton neighborhood.

From the beginning, this Museum was envisioned as a gathering place—a place where people could learn, create, and connect. Over the past 70 years, generations of community support have helped the Museum grow. In 2024, we completed a transformative $30 million renovation that reimagined the galleries, exhibitions, and public spaces while preserving the historic character that makes COMU so special. This project allowed us to create a more welcoming, accessible, and engaging experience for every visitor, from lifelong art enthusiasts to families discovering the Museum for the first time.

Today, COMU continues to honor its history while looking toward the future. Our exhibitions, educational programs, and community partnerships are designed to make art and history accessible to everyone. Through our partnership with the Muscogee County School District, our free programs, and collaborations throughout the region, we reach thousands of people every year, creating opportunities for connection and discovery. Columbus has a remarkable creative legacy, with ties to influential artists and cultural figures including Ma Rainey, Bo Bartlett, Carson McCullers, Alma Thomas, Thomas Wiggins, and Amy Sherald. We are proud to celebrate those stories while continuing to amplify new voices and perspectives. At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: museums belong to everyone. We are committed to being a place where our community feels welcomed, inspired, and connected—and where every person can find something meaningful to experience.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like any organization, COMU has had its challenges. For the first period of the Museum’s existence, its inaugural director, Edward Swift Shorter, volunteered his time to help with finances. In 1959, a fire swept through the temporary exhibition area and in the contemporary art section. But through the dedication of the board, donors, and staff, COMU rebuilt, believing in the Museum’s importance.

We’ve been impressed with The Columbus Museum, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are proud of the quality of our art and history collections, which include work by major artists and important historical artifacts. The collection includes works by Dale Chihuly, Amy Sherald, Mary Cassatt, Stuart Davis, Nick Cave, and historical artifacts ranging from Indigenous objects and Civil War-era materials to textiles, decorative arts, and objects that tell the story of Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley. We have a beautiful garden, designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm with W.C. Bradley in the 1920s that is a community gem. Most important for us is sharing stories that connect our region to the broader history of American art and culture.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I invite everyone to experience The Columbus Museum for themselves: please visit us! One of the things that makes COMU so special is that we offer an incredible museum experience right here in our community—and admission is always free.

In addition to our art and history galleries, guests can enjoy our hands-on children’s gallery, relax at our Museum Café, explore our gardens, attend programs and events, and discover new exhibitions throughout the year. COMU was created as a place for the entire community, and we hope every visitor feels welcomed, inspired, and connected when they walk through our doors. There is something here for you!

Pricing:

• Free Admission

Contact Info:

• Website: https://comuga.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comu_ga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/museumcolumbus
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-columbus-museum-inc-/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecolumbusmuseum