About Us

Ava Signature The Ava Gardner Museum in historic downtown Smithfield, NC holds an extensive collection of artifacts from Ava Gardner's career and her private life.

AVA GARDNER MUSEUM MISSION

To display the collection in an entertaining and educational manner for the edification of the general public
To constantly search for and acquire important pieces of Ava Gardner memorabilia – from her career as well as her life in Johnston County, NC
To preserve and restore the collection for future generations
To support the other organizations that preserve film history or promote Johnston County heritage.

FUNDING

The Ava Gardner Museum is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and depends on the generosity of Ava’s fans through membership, admission fees, gift shop sales, grants, and private contributions to continue its operations and service to the public.

STAFF

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Executive Director

Annice Broadwell

Bookkeeper

Sarah Bryant-Owens

Docent

Lisa Sullivan

Docent

Sarah Edwards

Docent

Receive Museum Newsletter

Museum Collection

The Ava Gardner Museum is home to an extensive collection of Ava Gardner memorabilia. Each object in the... Read more

AVA'S STORY

Ava Lavinia Gardner was born on Christmas Eve, 1922, in Grabtown, a rural community seven miles east of Smithfield, NC. She... Read more

Your are currently browsing this site with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

Your current web browser must be updated to version 7 of Internet Explorer (IE7) to take advantage of all of template's capabilities.

Why should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 7? Microsoft has redesigned Internet Explorer from the ground up, with better security, new capabilities, and a whole new interface. Many changes resulted from the feedback of millions of users who tested prerelease versions of the new browser. The most compelling reason to upgrade is the improved security. The Internet of today is not the Internet of five years ago. There are dangers that simply didn't exist back in 2001, when Internet Explorer 6 was released to the world. Internet Explorer 7 makes surfing the web fundamentally safer by offering greater protection against viruses, spyware, and other online risks.

Get free downloads for Internet Explorer 7, including recommended updates as they become available. To download Internet Explorer 7 in the language of your choice, please visit the Internet Explorer 7 worldwide page.