Venice Museum exhibit highlights city planning, “New Urbanism”

The Venice Museum & Archives (VMA) honors the innovative city planner, John Nolen, and his 1926 plan for Venice in its newest exhibit Design for Living: John Nolen and the Renaissance of New Urbanism. The exhibit is a collaborative effort between the VMA and Rollins College, located in Winter Park, Florida.

The exhibit explores the inspirations for Nolen’s plan for Venice and how his planning principles connect with the New Urbanism movement today. Original plats and plans from the VMA’s collection and current examples of New Urbanism projects in Venice and Sarasota County are also highlighted. Build your own ideal city with a hands-on activity and share your viewpoints about what makes a city beautiful and livable.

Design for Living was made possible by funding from Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Venice Heritage Inc. A speaker series in connection with the exhibit will begin in January 2016:

• Victor Dover presents Bicycling Through Time on Jan. 12;
• Clay Henderson presents Economic Value of Historic Preservation on Jan. 26. • Ed Chiles persents Local Food on Feb. 9;
• Dr. Bruce Stephenson will give a lecture and sign his latest book, “John Nolen: Landscape Architect and City Planner,” on Feb. 23.

Design for Living is on exhibit through February 24, 2016. The Venice Museum and Archives is free (donations appreciated) and open to the public Mondays through Wednesdays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.