Old School Square in Delray Beach-The Center Of This All America City
Almost all cities and towns have a center. It is a place...be it a city block, a corner, or an area that extends many blocks...where residents gather to disseminate local information, hold meetings, and celebrate events.
Old School Square in Delray Beach is just that.
Actually, Old School Square is not just one building but several...Crest Theatre, Cornell Art Museum, The Creative Arts School, The Pavilion, and The Fieldhouse.
The corner of Atlantic Avenue and Swinton began as the home of Delray Elementary (1913) and Delray High School (1925). With hard work, effort, and good foresight, a group of citizens organized to raise funds to keep the buildings from being demolished in the mid-1980’s.
Palm Beach County School District no longer used the schools and they were set for demolition.
Thankfully this group, headed by Frances Bourque, the Delray Beach Historical Society, was able to save the buildings from being demolished but also restored them. All of this was done in a matter of years and by 1990, Delray Beach Elementary emerged as the new Cornell Museum of Art.
What It Is…
The original high school auditorium, this 300+ seat theatre is a showcase for lecture series, some touring Broadway musicals and plays, comedy shows, Catch a Rising Star as well as serves as a venue for performances by local schools and organizations.
Cornell Art Museum
Cornell Art Museum emerged from Delray Elementary School and recently underwent a $1 Million interior renovation.
Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sundays from 1 PM to 5 PM.
Admission is $8 (General Admission)
$5 for Seniors and Students
Free for children under 12, OSS Members and Veterans.
The Pavilion at Old School Square
It’s hard to believe, but the Pavilion was just completed in 2002. Today it is the hub for the Delray Beach Free Friday Night Concerts, Festivals, and many more live performances.
The school is located on the second floor of the Crest Theatre. Classes are held for students of all ages in Photography, Art, Writing, and various children's courses.
The old gym (1925) still retains the look of a high school gymnasium but now is used for craft shows, receptions, community events, and parties. You can still go up to the loft and picture what it might have been like to watch a student basketball game there. Each year the Delray Orchid Society holds its annual Show & Sale in the Fieldhouse.
That’s not all there is to Old School Square and the 4 acres it sits on.
During the season the Delray Beach GreenMarket occupies part of Old School Square Park. And just as Thanksgiving approaches, the park is home to the famous 100 foot Christmas tree and all of the festivities that accompany it.
Old School Square
51 N. Swinton Avenue
Swinton and Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444
561-243-7922
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