The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make thes ...

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, one of fifteen

Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums are a private collection of more than a million manuscripts and documents in the United States, the largest such collection in the world. It was founded in 1983 by California real estate magnates David Kar ...

s in the United States, all housed in repurposed old buildings. Other locations of Karpeles Museums include Buffalo, NY; Charleston, SC; Duluth, MI; Newburgh, NY; Santa Barbara, CA; Tacoma, WA; Shreveport, LA; Fort Wayne, IN; Alvin, TX; Rock Island, IL; St. Louis, MO; Gloversville, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; and Great Falls, MT. Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums display

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in ...

s and

document A document is a written, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ''Documentum'', which denotes a "teaching" o ...

s from the private collection of David and Marsha Karpeles, the world's largest such collection, as well as art exhibits. The museum opened in 1992 in the former First Church of Christ, Scientist building in Jacksonville's Springfield neighborhood. The

Classical Revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

structure, constructed in 1921, is a contributing property in the Springfield Historic District and is listed as No. SP-61 by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission.

Building

Overlooking Henry J. Klutho Park and Hogans Creek, this impressive former church building stands at the entrance to Springfield. Its construction with an imposing Neo-Classical Revival facade highlighted by monumental Doric columns was a departure from the more usual ecclesiastical styles such as Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival, Spanish, and others constructed in the same era. It is also unusual among churches for lacking both a steeple and a bell tower. The construction of this sanctuary in 1921 cost $80,000. The architecture firm responsible for its design was Marsh & Saxelbye, and W.D. Gerbrich was the builder. The first Christian Science services in Jacksonville were held in 1892 and First Church of Christ, Scientist was organized in 1897. It met at several locations in Jacksonville before acquiring the property that would be its permanent home in the Springfield area in 1921. The building, located at 101 West 1st Street (formerly 1116 North Laura Street), was built in the

style. A contributing building in the Springfield Historic District, it is listed as No. SP-61 by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission.Wood, Wayne W., Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage, revised edition 1996, Gainesville: University Press of Florida. p. 198 In 1992 the congregation sold the building to David Karpeles. After the sale the church was voluntarily dissolved August 10, 1993.

Karpeles Museum

The Jacksonville Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum opened in 1992. It is privately owned by David Karpeles, a former math professor who made millions investing in real estate before taking up manuscript collecting. In 1983 he began opening museums across the country to house his collection, now the world's largest. The museum features three or four exhibits from Karpeles' collection a year, as well as exhibits from other collectors and around six art exhibits. The museum maintains the building's original features, many reflecting it status as a church. These features include large stained glass windows, an altar area, and upstairs gallery seating. There are also relics left behind by the building's former occupants, including a piano and a collection of books that the museum has turned into a sort of special library, allowing visitors to sit in a comfortable chair while reading. As previously owned by Christian Scientists, the books are mostly religious or medical in nature though there are also many classics. After 30 years, the museum is set to close in 2023.

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* * {{authority control 1992 establishments in Florida Art museums and galleries in Florida Churches completed in 1921 Churches in Jacksonville, Florida Former Christian Science churches, societies and buildings in Florida Historic district contributing properties in Florida Laura Street Libraries in Florida Literary museums in the United States Museums in Jacksonville, Florida National Register of Historic Places in Jacksonville, Florida Religious organizations established in 1897

Building

Karpeles Museum

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