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Delray Beach, Florida · checked Oct. 20, 2026

Old School Square, Delray Beach

The short answer

Old School Square is the arts campus at 51 N Swinton Ave, at Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida, set in the town's 1913 elementary school and 1925 high school. The DDA says the Cornell Art Museum there is free and open Wednesday to Sunday. The 1925 school building is the Crest Theatre. The City bought the site in 1987 and it reopened as an arts center in 1990.

Last checked October 20, 2026

A two-storey white building with a grey hip roof and a small central porch, flanked by tall palms and banners, with a paved forecourt and an orange safety fence on the right.
Photo: Donald Albury (per Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 3.0

Old School Square sits on the northeast corner of Atlantic Avenue and Swinton Avenue in downtown Delray Beach, Florida. The Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) lists it at 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444, home to the Cornell Art Museum, the Vintage Gym and the Creative Arts School. The buildings were the town’s schools from 1913, and the elementary school held classes until 1988. This page covers each building, what the sources say about it, and what happens on the grounds through the year. Checked Oct. 20, 2026.

Cornell Art Museum

The DDA says the Cornell Art Museum is free and open to the public Wednesday to Sunday. It fills the old Delray Elementary School, which the Delray Beach Historical Society says was built in 1913; the DDA dates it 1913/14. We did not find published opening times beyond the days, so check before a weekday visit.

Crest Theatre

Front of a cream two-storey school building with green window trim, a central arched doorway under an orange awning, palms and green lamp posts, and lettering for "Creative Arts School" and "Crest Theatre" on the facade, under a blue sky with clouds.
The Crest Theatre and Creative Arts School at Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave. Photo: Aneesh Prabhu, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Crest Theatre is in the former Delray High School, which the Historical Society says was built in 1925 and designed by Sam Ogren, Sr. The high school closed in 1950 when Seacrest High School opened. We did not check the theatre’s show schedule or box office, so look up performances with the operator before you plan around one.

The 1925 gym: Vintage Gym or Field House?

A gymnasium went up in 1925 alongside the high school. The DDA calls it the Vintage Gym and says it keeps its original Dade County pine floors. The Delray Beach Historical Society’s article calls the same building the Field House. Both names refer to the 1925 gym on the campus.

From school to arts center

The elementary school graduated its final class on June 7, 1988, per the Historical Society. The DDA says the City of Delray Beach bought the property in 1987 and the buildings reopened as a cultural arts center in 1990. The National Park Service’s record for “Delray Beach Schools” (NRIS 88000210) is dated March 10, 1988. A separate NPS record covers the wider Old School Square Historic District; it shows no listing date, so we give none. More dates are on our history page.

What happens on the grounds

  • The GreenMarket: the CRA’s Saturday farmers market runs on the Old School Square campus from 9 AM to 2 PM, Oct. 24, 2026 to May 22, 2027, with three closed Saturdays. See the GreenMarket page.
  • The 100-foot Christmas tree: the City says the walk-through tree has been a tradition since 1993, built from aluminum rings lifted by crane, with 18,000 ornaments and 217,980 LED lights. It goes up in mid October. No 2026 lighting date is posted yet; see events.
  • The amphitheatre: the DDA listed the 2026 Garlic Fest at the Delray Beach Amphitheatre at Old School Square. No 2027 date has been published.
  • The City says the 100-foot Christmas tree has been a tradition since 1993, and that it is free to walk through. City of Delray Beach: 100 Ft. Christmas Tree
  • The City says the tree frame is aluminum rings lifted by crane, with 18,000 ornaments and 217,980 LED lights, and that it goes up in mid October because setting the structure and houses takes 10 to 14 days and decorating takes about a month. City of Delray Beach: 100 Ft. Christmas Tree

One rule to know: City Code Section 113.02 bans open containers in public places, but it makes an exception for attendees of Old School Square, Inc. events at Old School Square.

  • City Code Section 113.02 makes it unlawful to drink alcohol or carry an open container on public streets, sidewalks and rights-of-way, on the beach, in public parks and in motor vehicles. Seated patrons of a permitted sidewalk cafe are an exception, as are attendees of Old School Square, Inc. events at Old School Square. Delray Beach Code of Ordinances, Chapter 113 Alcoholic Beverages (Municode)

Nearby: Arts Garage and the Spady Museum

Arts Garage is at 94 NE 2nd Ave, at the south end of Pineapple Grove. It calls itself a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a main stage, the Stuart & Shelby Theatre, and two galleries. Its box office is open Tuesday to Saturday, 1 PM to 5 PM, and during performance hours. Phone 561-450-6357.

The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum is at 170 NW 5th Ave in the West Settlers area. It lists hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 11 AM to 4 PM, or by appointment, at (561) 279-8883. General admission is $10, enhanced guided tours are $20, and members and children under 12 are free.

  • Arts Garage is at 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444, phone 561-450-6357. It calls itself a 501(c)(3) non-profit, with a main stage (the Stuart & Shelby Theatre) and two galleries (the Marshall Family Foundation Gallery and the Black Box Gallery). Box office hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 1 PM to 5 PM and during performance hours. Arts Garage: home page
  • The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum (170 NW 5th Ave) lists museum hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 11 AM to 4 PM, or by appointment, phone (561) 279-8883. General admission is $10 per person; enhanced guided tours are $20; members and children under 12 are free. Spady Cultural Heritage Museum: Connect With Spady

The Delray Beach Historical Society is at 3 NE 1st St, per the DDA. We did not check its tour hours or fees.

Parking for Old School Square

LotAddressWhat the DDA lists
Old School Square Garage95 NE 1st Ave$1.50 an hour, free EV chargers
Cason Cottage Parking Lot5 NE 1st StFree, no hours or time limits
Delray Beach Library Lot100 W Atlantic AveFree
Bankers Row Parking Lot200 NE 1st Ave$2 an hour, 4-hour limit, enforced 11 AM to 9 PM Sunday to Thursday and 11 AM to 2 AM Friday and Saturday

Rates are the DDA’s as of Oct. 20, 2026. The parking page has the full list and the parking picker. For the rest of the Avenue, see things to do.

Places on and near the Avenue

Old School Square FAQ

When is the Delray Affair?

The Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce lists April 9 to 11, 2027, along 7 downtown city blocks.

Source: Delray Affair (Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce)

What is Old School Square?

A historic school campus at 51 N Swinton Ave that is now an arts center. The DDA says the City bought it in 1987 and reopened the buildings in 1990 as the Cornell Art Museum, the Crest Theatre and the Vintage Gym.

Source: Delray Beach DDA: The Story of Old School Square

How old are the Old School Square buildings?

The Delray Beach Historical Society says Delray Elementary School (now the Cornell Museum) was built in 1913, and the Delray High School building (now the Crest Theatre) and the gymnasium in 1925.

Source: Delray Beach Historical Society: An Old School Inspires a Town

Is the Cornell Art Museum free?

The DDA says the Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square is free and open to the public Wednesday to Sunday.

Source: Delray Beach DDA: The Story of Old School Square

What is the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum?

A museum of Black history and heritage at 170 NW Fifth Avenue. It says it was established in 2001 and that the Spady House turns 100 in 2026.

Source: Spady Cultural Heritage Museum: home page

Which museums are closed on Mondays?

The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum lists hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 11 AM to 4 PM, or by appointment. Sandoway Discovery Center also lists Monday as closed, and the DDA says the Cornell Art Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday.

Source: Spady Cultural Heritage Museum: Connect With Spady

How much is Sandoway Discovery Center?

Sandoway Discovery Center, 142 South Ocean Blvd., lists admission of $10 per person, ages 3 and up. It is closed Monday; open Tuesday to Friday 12 PM to 4 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday 12 PM to 4 PM. Shark and stingray feeding is at 1 PM Tuesday to Sunday, with an extra Saturday feeding at 11 AM.

Source: Sandoway Discovery Center: home page

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Delray Beach (official site)

Living here

Like a day on the Avenue? See what living near it looks like.

LPE Realty LLC, a licensed Florida real estate brokerage serving South Florida, is behind this guide. If a Saturday at the GreenMarket or an evening on Atlantic Avenue has you thinking about a home in Delray Beach, talk to us about buying or selling here.

Visit LPE Realty LLC Call LPE Realty LLC (561) 652-6917

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