THE LITTLE ROOM

The Little Room served as Walter Anderson’s sanctuary on the mainland during the latter years of his life. To mentally transport himself back to the Eden he had found in nature, Walter Anderson painted the Little Room, floor-to-ceiling murals chronicling the transition from night to day through the synthesis of plants, animals, and brilliant colors. Through the Little Room, Anderson preserved for himself a never-ending connection to the wonders of nature.

During his life, he never allowed anyone but himself, some cats, and the occasional possum to enter the room. After his death in 1965, Walter’s wife opened the door to the Little Room and found these spectacular murals. Covering the floor were thousands of paintings and drawings – including his treasured Horn Island watercolors – some of which Walter had attempted to destroy in the fireplace, and some which he had carefully selected and stored in a chest in the corner. The Little Room is the Museum's crown jewel, the most intimate evidence of Anderson's creative vision and genius.