After its grand opening in October that attracted 20,000 people during  its first weekend, the Mint Museum Uptown is now the center of attention for visual arts lovers in Charlotte.  And it is well deserving of the acclaim.

But often lost in the hoopla is the fact that the original Mint Museum at 2730 Randolph Road is still open.  And it is still a gem.

Newcomers have much to discover there, while long-time fans can once again savor the delights of their favorite pieces from its collections of ancient American art, ceramics, North Carolina pottery, decorative art, historic costumes and American and European paintings.

This includes, of course, the royal portraits of King George III and Queen Charlotte that have graced the museum’s walls for most of its 74-year history and which remain its iconic symbols.

But there are new reasons to visit the Randolph Road site, too, as it continues to feature rotating exhibits.   There are two you want to be sure to catch before they close January 30: The Heights of Fashion: Platform Shoes Then and Now (they were not just a style trend in the ’70s!) and The Art of Affluence: Haute Couture and Luxury Fashions, 1947-2007 (glamour is always in style).

A special spotlight exhibit recently opened last month: Mary Cassatt’s Portrait of Madame X Dressed for the Matinée from the collection Charlotte and Philip Hanes of Winston-Salem.  This is the first time this striking painting has been on display in Charlotte. The painting is complemented by objects from the Mint’s collections of Decorative Arts and Historic Costume and Fashionable Dress that  illuminate the era in which Cassatt lived and worked.  It will be on view until April 3.

Admission is $10 and is good at both facilities for two days.  Admission is free on Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. The museums will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

www.mintmusuem.org.  704-337-2000