Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner Official Page of Ava Gardner: The Golden-Age Hollywood Star
***
Visit for information on the Ava Gardner Museum
(711)

This is the Official Page of the Ava Gardner Estate and the Ava Gardner Museum. The Ava Gardner Museum is home to an incredible collection including original scripts, photos, costumes, and personal effects of screen legend Ava Gardner—a true Hollywood “Cinderella” story. Experience her rise from a local country girl to one of Hollywood’s film goddesses. Born near Smithfield, Ava’s friends and co-s

tars included Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, and Gregory Peck. Her grave site is located in nearby Sunset Memorial Gardens, approximately two miles from the museum. Merchandise is available for purchase. Wheelchair accessible, public restrooms. Free parking along street and rear lots. Admission per person:
$12 adults; $10 seniors, military, teens; $8 children ages 6-12, under 6 - Free. Special group rate of $10/person for 10 or more. Group Heritage Tours $15.00/person (price includes museum admission, subject to availability, please call for details)

Please also consider becoming an Ava Advocate for $36/year (individual) or $60 (family- up to 5 people). Includes a yearly calendar, unlimited admission (excluding special events), and a 15% discount in the gift shop! Hours: Monday- Friday 9:30am -4:30 pm, Saturday 9am- 5pm, Sunday 12pm- 5pm. During instances of inclement weather we may operate on delay or close for safety reasons. Please keep updated by checking our Facebook or calling the museum. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Out with the old and in with the new! 🌟 These limited edition 2024 Ava Gardner Festival shirts are on sale in our gift s...
04/30/2025

Out with the old and in with the new! 🌟 These limited edition 2024 Ava Gardner Festival shirts are on sale in our gift shop for just $15. Visit the Museum while wearing your shirt and receive one free admission ticket for a future visit!

Click to purchase 🔗
https://bit.ly/4kaHMIP

Bonus points if you can guess this 1944 film (featuring an actor born in 1878!)
04/29/2025

Bonus points if you can guess this 1944 film (featuring an actor born in 1878!)

Two weeks ago today, the Ava Gardner Museum had the dear privilege of hosting some very special visitors. Carmen Vargas,...
04/26/2025

Two weeks ago today, the Ava Gardner Museum had the dear privilege of hosting some very special visitors. Carmen Vargas, Ava's dearest companion, Cecilia Peck, daughter of Gregory Peck, and Ondine Peck Voll, granddaughter to Gregory Peck, shared their morning with us at the Museum for the most tender walk down memory lane. We are honored to share our space with such important and admirable women. We will cherish this memory for years to come. 💛

Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated actor Elizabeth McGovern stars as Hollywood's original femme fatale...
04/24/2025

Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated actor Elizabeth McGovern stars as Hollywood's original femme fatale Ava Gardner in a critically acclaimed new play lauded by Entertainment Weekly as “mesmerizing and electric!”

Planning to see Ava: The Secret Conversations? What should you expect? Is this biographically accurate? Look no further, has you covered. Following their trip to LA, the two Ava's sat down to wrote an analysis of the play, basing real from fake (though never withholding applause).

Click to read more 🔗
https://bit.ly/44Bibnv

"The earth is what we all have in common." Happy Earth Day from the Ava Gardner Museum! 🌎 Photo: Ava Gardner in a still ...
04/22/2025

"The earth is what we all have in common." Happy Earth Day from the Ava Gardner Museum! 🌎
Photo: Ava Gardner in a still from On the Beach (1959).

A big ole happy birthday to Jack Nicholson, beloved Hollywood personality who is best remembered for his million dollar ...
04/22/2025

A big ole happy birthday to Jack Nicholson, beloved Hollywood personality who is best remembered for his million dollar smile and role in 'The Shining' (1980). In these photos, Jack poses with Anjelica Huston, daughter of director John Huston as well as Jack's girlfriend at the time. The two pose with Ava Gardner, who was a dear friend and admirer of John Huston. Ava was a "nice surprise" to paparazzi, as she was living in Europe at the time.

Caption this ⬆️ *the Ava Gardner Museum Team eagerly awaiting your captions: 👀*
04/16/2025

Caption this ⬆️
*the Ava Gardner Museum Team eagerly awaiting your captions: 👀*

Please read: The Ava Gardner Museum's IMLS grant has been terminated, effective immediately.IMLS grants have been instru...
04/15/2025

Please read: The Ava Gardner Museum's IMLS grant has been terminated, effective immediately.
IMLS grants have been instrumental to the museum's efforts to preserve and share its collection of materials related to Ava Gardner's life and career and benefit North Carolina’s rich history. Our 2024-25 grant award, which was underway to be completed in August 2025, funded the digitization and preservation of our oversized collection. Our oversized collection includes original film posters, personal scrapbooks and other paper materials, all of which are integral to preserving old Hollywood history. This grant paid for the work of local historians and purchased equipment necessary to properly care for these parts of our collection.
IMLS grants have been instrumental to the museum's efforts to preserve and share its collection of materials related to Ava Gardner's life and career and benefit North Carolina’s rich history.

Please consider supporting the Ava Gardner Museum through donations. Each donation will receive a personal letter and sticker from the Ava Gardner Museum.

At the end of the day, we do it all for Ava and her indelible mark on history.

Click to donate:
https://bit.ly/3G9CWfZ

Harold Clifford Keel, professionally known as Howard Keel, was born April 13, 1919. Ava and Howard worked together on ...
04/13/2025

Harold Clifford Keel, professionally known as Howard Keel, was born April 13, 1919. Ava and Howard worked together on two different films; 'Show Boat' (1951) and 'Ride, Vaquero!' (1953). What's your favorite Howard Keel Film?

Happy National Pet Day from the Ava Gardner Museum! In this photo is Ava with her "baby", Cara. 🐾
04/11/2025

Happy National Pet Day from the Ava Gardner Museum!
In this photo is Ava with her "baby", Cara. 🐾

Ava is exceptional in her role as Nicole Dressler in 'Cassandra Crossing' (1976). It's a personal favorite here at the M...
04/08/2025

Ava is exceptional in her role as Nicole Dressler in 'Cassandra Crossing' (1976). It's a personal favorite here at the Museum. Have you seen it? ⬇️

Gregory Peck was born April 5th, 1916. There aren't words to appropriately sum up the love, respect and adoration that...
04/05/2025

Gregory Peck was born April 5th, 1916.
There aren't words to appropriately sum up the love, respect and adoration that Ava had for Gregory and his family. Ava and Gregory had a deep, loving appreciation for each other throughout their entire adult life, as proven through these photos taken in and out of work.
After Ava's passing in 1990, Ava's close friend and assistant, Carmen Vargas, went to live with the Peck family, as did her beloved corgi, Morgan.

Read more about Ava and Gregory's indelible friendship 🔗
https://bit.ly/3QVtz5M

Today is National Film Score Day! To celebrate, tell us which of Ava's films has your favorite score.
04/03/2025

Today is National Film Score Day! To celebrate, tell us which of Ava's films has your favorite score.

🌟 Women's History Month, pt. 2 🌟We've highlighted a few Hollywood starlets to be celebrated in this special month, and o...
03/24/2025

🌟 Women's History Month, pt. 2 🌟
We've highlighted a few Hollywood starlets to be celebrated in this special month, and of course, missing several! Comment some other Hollywood ladies that deserve a shout out (there are SO many!)

Address

325 E Market Street
Smithfield, NC
27577

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(919) 934-5830

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ava Gardner posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to Ava Gardner:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Our Story

This is the Official Page of the Ava Gardner Museum, which is home to an incredible collection including original scripts, photos, costumes, and personal effects of screen legend Ava Gardner. Experience her rise from a local country girl to one of Hollywood’s film goddesses. Born near Smithfield, NC Ava’s co-stars included powerhouse stars such as Clark Gable, Richard Burton, and Gregory Peck. Her grave site is located in nearby Sunset Memorial Gardens, approximately two miles from the museum. Merchandise is available for purchase.Wheelchair accessible, public restrooms. Free parking along street and rear lots. Admission per person: $12 adults; $10 seniors (65 and up), military, teens (13-17); $8 children ages 6-12; children under 6 are free. Special group rate of $10/person for 10 or more. Group Heritage Tours (which tours points of interest in Ava’s hometown) can also be arranged by calling the museum and are $15.00/person (includes admission to museum.) Please also consider becoming an Ava Advocate for $36/year (individual), $45 (couple) or $60 (family- up to 5 people). Includes a yearly calendar, unlimited admission (excluding special events), and a 15% discount in the gift shop! Hours: Monday- Friday 9:30 am- 4:30 pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm, Sunday 2pm- 5pm. During instances of inclement weather we may operate on delay or close for safety reasons. Please keep updated by checking our Facebook or calling the museum. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

For any party interested in information concerning Ava's image and publicity rights, or commercial projects, the Ava Gardner Trust works with Legacy Talent to manage the Ava Gardner brand. Please contact them directly.

Representative Legacy Talent and Entertainment, LLC For Licensing, Endorsements, Promotional & other Commercial Opportunities please contact: [email protected] East Coast: 704-334-7727 West Coast: 310-892-7561 www.legacytalentandentertainment.com