The only National Park dedicated to American Impressionism was home to three generations of artists including Julian Alden Weir, a leading figure in 19th century art and America’s most beloved Impressionist. Weir described his home as the “Great Good Place.” Weir’s farm is a national legacy to American Impressionism, the creative spirit, and historic preservation.
Today the 68-acre park, which includes the Weir House, Weir and Young Studios, barns, gardens, and Weir Pond, welcomes everyone to experience the power of creating art in nature. Seasonal offerings include yoga in the garden, painting, pond hikes, wellness walks and more.
Located in the heart of Hartford, the Wadsworth is a great place to connect with amazing art. Home to nearly 50,000 works, the collection encompasses European art from antiquity through Modernism as well as American art from the 1600s through today.
The museum is deeply engaged in the community; and hosts a series of programs including an artist residency, during which artists work closely with Hartford community groups to plan, develop, and execute a collaborative project.
The Wadsworth is the oldest continuously operating public art museum in the United States, opening in 1844. Today, visitors find captivating and innovative programs mining the iconic holdings and offering new stories that illustrate the breadth and quality of the museum’s collection.
Visitors to the Stamford Museum & Nature Center can enjoy a picnic on the meadow, walk more than 80 acres of nature trails, visit Heckscher Farm and say hello to the farm animals, and stop into the Stamford Museum Galleries to view rotating exhibitions. Special events include culinary offerings, family farm and forest adventures, paint nights and musical performances.
The center is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The center seeks to inspire creativity, foster self- discovery, promote environmental stewardship, and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance the visitor’s experience of this unique site.
Located on the historic campus of Norwich Free Academy, Slater Memorial Museum features a global collection of artwork and objects and several permanent galleries focusing on the art history of civilizations spanning thousands of years.
The museum also features a gift shop and select juried exhibitions and special exhibits in designated mediums throughout the year.
Highlights include a unique, world-renowned and breathtaking plaster cast collection; a gallery dedicated to African art; and works by notable Norwich and Connecticut artists throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Silvermine Arts Center, one of the oldest artist communities in the United States, is the preeminent visual arts center in Fairfield County. For 100 years, Silvermine has been a gathering place for artists and art lovers to enjoy and learn about the arts.
The four-acre campus encompasses an award-winning School of Art; a nationally renowned guild of professional artists; a permanent collection of original prints; an outdoor Sculpture Walk and a complex of five galleries with free admission, presenting exhibitions by emerging and established artists.
Educational offerings include jewelry, photography, sculpture, ceramics, painting, woodworking, drawing, printing and glassmaking. The center’s Outreach Programs provide arts education and enrichment in under-resourced Norwalk, Bridgeport and Stamford schools.
The first institution dedicated solely to acquiring American art. Spanning four centuries of American history, the New Britain Museum of American Art’s collection is renowned for its strengths in colonial portraiture, the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, and the Ash Can School.
The museum contains more than 8,400 paintings, works on paper, sculptures, videos and photographs. Notably, its collection includes Thomas Hart Benton’s celebrated five-panel mural “The Arts of Life in America” (1932).
Community offerings include classes in watercolor and illustration, musical performances, gallery talks, meet-the-artist events, and more.
Based on the values of community, culture, and creativity, Mystic Museum of Art (MMoA) has served as a focal point for the arts in southeastern Connecticut for more than 100 years.
Located in historic downtown Mystic, on the banks of the Mystic River, the museum offers studio art programs, guest lectures and special seasonal events. Its permanent collection ranges from early 20th-century works to the early 2000s.
Founded in 1913 as the Mystic Art Association, MMoA today delivers transformative art experiences via richly curated exhibitions, interpretive activities, studio classes, outreach programs, and an engaging museum store, for ever broader audiences. MMoA’s mission is to inspire creativity and critical dialogue by engaging the regional community in the understanding, appreciation, and practice of visual art.
MoCA CT is a destination for contemporary visual arts exhibitions, music performances, and comprehensive arts education. The museum’s mission is to build a deeper understanding of, and passion for, the arts by presenting thought-provoking and relevant arts experiences.
Community activities include classes for children and adults, open mic nights, Paint N Sip, film showcases and much more.
By sharing a diversity of genres and perspectives, MoCA CT strives to positively impact the community, and to connect and captivate the local, national, and international audiences it serves.
This vibrant destination in the heart of downtown Waterbury’s architectural district hosts numerous changing exhibitions each year as well as a permanent collection, featuring 300 years of work by American giants including John Trumbull, Erastus Salisbury Field, Frederic Church, John Frederick Kensett, Kay Sage, Arshile Gorky, Yves Tanguy, Peter Poskas, Abe Ajay and Alexander Calder.
‘The Matt’ is also home to the Waterbury Button Gallery of 10,000 buttons from all over the world. These miniature works of art have been made in a variety of materials, including glass, porcelain, pearl, metal, bone, paste, wood and jade. The museum hosts a robust calendar of events, including tai-chi, lunch and learn series, homeschool and family activities, open crafting and organized excursions.
Located just off I-95, Exit 83, the Lyman Allyn Art Museum has enjoyed celebrating the arts with visitors for almost a century. Featuring particularly strong collections of American paintings and decorative arts, the museum also presents a wide range of changing exhibitions and programs throughout the year.
The historic grounds include a sculpture trail which is surrounded by 12 rolling acres of gardens and lawns. The grounds are open to the public for walking and picnicking. The museum’s free first Saturdays are popular with families, and include hands-on arts and science activities. On the first Thursday of every month, adult visitors can enjoy an upscale creative session, with drinks and light bites.