Ava Gardner Museum

Museum Collection

The Ava Gardner Museum is home to an extensive collection of Ava Gardner memorabilia.  Each object in the museum was either owned by Ava Gardner or her family, used in her films or had a special meaning or relationship to Ava.

 On exhibit are costumes, movie posters and awards that represent Ava’s 50-year career as a leading Hollywood actress.  The Museum also houses a collection of personal items of china, jewelry, clothing and fine art, including 40 portraits by Bert Pfeiffer, an artist whose collection was donated to the museum in 2001.

Bert Pfeiffer collection

Any movie buff can easily appreciate the enchanting beauty of Ava Gardner, but artist Bert Pfeiffer made Ava his lifelong passion.
After first seeing Ava in the 1948 film One Touch of Venus, Pfeiffer was hooked. In the film, Ava first appears as a statue of Venus, the Goddess of Love, and is brought to life with a kiss from a window dresser. The movie left quite an impression on the young Dutchman, who was enrolled in art school at the time.

Soon Pfeiffer began painting portraits of Ava, using photographs to memorize her facial features. The artist would spend the rest of his life creating his own interpretations of Ava's likeness. He also collected a wealth of memorabilia featuring the late actress. Pfeiffer's work is now a part of the Ava Gardner Museum collection. Following his death in 2001, Pfeiffer's family and friends followed his wishes of donating his collection to the Ava Gardner Museum.

Visit this lovely website: http://www.avagardner.org/