ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁art ▁museum ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁USA . ▁The ▁permanent ▁collections ▁include ▁American ▁Art , ▁An cient ▁American ▁Art , ▁American ▁and ▁European ▁cer am ics , ▁American ▁and ▁European ▁Dec or ative ▁Art , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Pot tery , ▁historic ▁cost ume ▁and ▁fashion able ▁dress ▁and ▁access ories , ▁African ▁Art , ▁Asian ▁Art , ▁historic ▁maps , ▁Contempor ary ▁art , ▁and ▁phot ography . ▁The ▁companion ▁M int ▁Museum ▁of ▁C raft ▁+ ▁Design ▁focus es ▁on ▁contemporary ▁craft . ▁ ▁Collection ▁highlight s ▁ ▁The ▁M int ▁Museum ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁visual ▁arts ▁institution ▁in ▁Charlotte ▁and ▁holds ▁the ▁largest ▁public ▁collection ▁of ▁Charlotte - born ▁artist ▁Rom are ▁Be arden ' s ▁work . ▁ ▁The ▁American ▁Art ▁collection ▁compr ises ▁approximately ▁ 9 0 0 ▁works ▁created ▁between ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 7 0 0 s ▁and ▁circa ▁▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁It ▁includes ▁portrait ure ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁era , ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁land sc apes , ▁and ▁paint ings ▁from ▁the ▁group ▁known ▁as ▁" The ▁E ight " ▁( Ro bert ▁Henri , ▁George ▁Lu ks , ▁William ▁G lack ens , ▁John ▁Slo an , ▁Ever ett ▁Sh inn , ▁Maurice ▁Pr ender g ast , ▁Ernest ▁Law son , ▁and ▁Arthur ▁Bow en ▁Dav ies ). ▁ ▁Add itional ▁highlight s ▁in ▁this ▁area ▁include ▁works ▁by ▁John ▁Sing leton ▁C ople y , ▁Gilbert