History was made as the Museum first opened to the public in June, 1997, but was conceived some 13 years earlier by a small group of Myrtle Beach visionaries—artists, art patrons, business leaders, cultural enthusiasts and other private citizens. In 2013, just one year after its 15th anniversary, the Museum was the recipient of the State of South Carolina’s prestigious Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award for Outstanding Arts Organization. This award honors South Carolina arts organizations who maximize their roles as innovators, supporters and advocates of the arts. “Governor’s Awards for the Arts.