• 1994

    George Ohr Arts and Cultural Center

    A Mississippi citizens group, with funding support by the Knight Foundation, opens the George Ohr Arts and Cultural Center, Biloxi, MS.

  • 1998

    New Building Fund

    The Jeremiah O’Keefe family contributes $1M to the capital campaign, kicking off the new building fund in honor of Mr. O’Keefe’s late wife Annette.

    1998

  • 1999

    New Building Design

    Frank Gehry, Gehry Partners LLP, begins design of the new Museum. Design process takes four years 1999-2003.

  • 2004

    Museum Construction Begins

    2004

  • 2005

    Hurricane Katrina

    August 29 Hurricane Katrina destroys both the new Museum construction as well as the George Ohr Arts and Cultural Center, then current home to the Ohr Museum.

  • 2010

    Phase 1

    November 6, Ohr-O’Keefe patron Jerry O’Keefe, Museum architect Frank Gehry and Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway cut the ribbon to open Phase I of the new Museum including the Mississippi Sound Welcome Center, IP Casino Resort Spa Exhibitions Gallery, Gallery of African American Art, and the Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center

    2010

  • 2012

    Biloxi Center for Ceramics opens

    City of Biloxi Center for Ceramics opened September 2012.

  • 2013

    The Pods

    Construction underway on the John S. and James L. Knight Gallery (the Pods) scheduled to open in 2014.

    2013

  • 2014

    First Pod Opens

    The first Pod opened on July 12, 2014 (George Ohr’s 157th birthday). The remaining three await funding to complete the interiors of the buildings.

  • 2021

    All Pods Open to the Public

    Under Executive Director David Houston’s guidance, two pods additional pods were completed. The final pod, while unfinished, is used as an experimental exhibition space. The completion of the campus is set for 2024 thanks to a grant from the state of Mississippi.

    2021