Masur Museum History
The Masur Museum of Art was built as a private residence in 1929. A lumberman by the name of Clarence Edward Slagle had the modified Tudor estate built for his wife Mabel. The Indiana limestone and Pennsylvania blue slate used to build the home were transported on various waterways to the scenic Ouachita River, which runs behind the estate. The home was given the name Grey Gables by the Slagles. Originally the grounds included an English-style rose garden and a lawn extending down to the river. When the Army Corps of Engineers built the levee system in the 1930s, the home’s carriage house was moved behind the new levee but only had to be moved twenty feet.
In 1934 Clarence Slagle passed away and his widow soon after sold the home to the Masur family. Sigmund and Beatrice Masur and their children Sylvian, Jack, and Bertha Marie, lived in the home until the 1960s. The Masur children donated the home to the City of Monroe in 1963 to be converted into a fine art museum. Initially, the museum began to present exhibitions and art education through the hard work of docents and volunteers. In 1974, the Twin City Art Foundation was formed to provide additional support for the museum, providing funding for exhibitions, educational programs, and the permanent collection. To this day Masur operates as a partnership between the City of Monroe and the Twin City Art Foundation. The Masur Museum of Art is a division of the Department of Community Affairs within the City of Monroe.
The Masur Museum of Art is bringing you an amazing selection of Summer Art Camps with a collection of local teachers and artists! Choose from a variety of media-specific and themed camps offered throughout the summer. Cost of attendance varies by camp. Masur Museum Members receive a discount. Find out more and sign up through the links below!
Summer Camp (20% Off for Masur Museum Members)
Ceramic Surfaces: Summer Art Camp with Jansyn Jenkins
Date: June 23rd - 27th, 2025
Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Ages: 12-17
Cost: $125.00
Campers will hand-build clay forms like cups and vases, then explore a new surface design technique each day—such as sgraffito, sculpture, slip trailing, and underglazing. On the final day, they’ll revisit and expand their favorite ideas.
Snacks and drinks provided.
*Please provide the camper’s name and age in the notes box on the checkout page.
Jansyn Jenkins is a Monroe-born artist who will receive their Bachelors of Fine Arts with a concentration in Ceramics in May 2025 alongside their Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM). Jansyn was the first recipient of ULM’s Cultural Arts Fellowship, an opportunity that allowed them to work alongside Monroe’s Black Creative Circle as well as host a solo exhibition in Sugar Gallery during June 2024’s Art Crawl. Jansyn assisted in last year’s clay summer camp and as the President of ULM’s Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society, they are always looking for new ways to bring arts to the forefront of Monroe.
Plushie Buddies with Inique Harris
Date: July 7th - 11th, 2025
Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Age: 11-17
Cost: $125.00
Campers will learn the basics of sewing and learn to create a plushie of their own!
Snacks and drinks provided.
*Please provide the camper’s name and age in the notes box on the checkout page.
Inique Harris is a local talented art teacher and illustrator. She helps with the Downtown Gallery Crawl and volunteers at other community events.
Cartoons, Comics, and Anime with Keagan Vaughan
Date: July 28th - August 1st, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Age: 8-12
Cost: $110.00
Do you like cartoons? Comics? Anime? Come explore your creativity by creating your own characters, projects, and stories in several different styles of illustration. Appropriate for artists of all skill levels and backgrounds.
Snacks and drinks provided.
*Please provide the camper’s name and age in the notes box on the checkout page.
Keagan Vaughan is a local talented art teacher at SallieHumble Elementary school and coordinator for the Downtown Gallery Crawl. They were recently one of the artists in the Masur Museum’s 61st Annual Juried Competition and won an Honorable Mention Award for their piece.
FREE Scavenger Hunt!
You can stop by the museum during normal business hours, and not only will you be able to see amazing art, but you can also get the latest sheet that will guide you on a fun scavenger hunt! You will search for the object listed on the sheet you are given and now there is all new fun!
Business Review
"This is a such a fun place for kids! Our grandson loves going to Masur and especially loves the Scavenger Hunt activity." - Rickey and Missy Robertson
