Our Story
The ZAM story begins with the Clara Street residence of Ruth and Fred Zigler, in their beloved home since 1908.
This historic manor was the original site of their large personal collection of local, national, and international works of art.
In 1969, Ruth Zigler had two large wings added to either side of the home to house an expanding collection and nine large wildlife dioramas. After setting up a trust fund for the on-site operation of the museum, she donated her expansive art collection as well as the home that she shared with her late husband. ZAM was formally opened to the public in 1974. The Zigler collection has been a source of public enjoyment, collaboration, and community ever since.
In December 2015, the Zigler Art Museum was relocated inside the newly renovated Jennings City Hall. The modern facility provides more space for the collection and a landmark location that would allow more interaction with the other cultural and municipal entities of Jennings.
The collection now consists of two- and three-dimensional works from the nineteenth through twenty-first centuries, ranging from folk to impressionist paintings, fine ceramic works to bronze figures, and carved wood sculptures to photography.
The museum's collection surveys and celebrates the development of visual art in Louisiana and beyond. Highlights from the collection include pieces by John James Audubon, Elton Louviere, Clementine Hunter, Charles Sprague Pearce, Ellsworth Woodward, Julien Hudson, Helen Turner, and a large collection of work by William Tolliver. The museum exhibits other selections from the permanent collection on a rotational basis, and hosts visiting exhibitions which highlight diverse contemporary artists and mediums.