As we move closer to the holiday season, there’s still plenty of great exhibitions and events to discover on the Connecticut Art Trail — and just a couple of months left to complete your Passport-Journal! If you’re looking to get a head start on your holiday shopping, our popular buy one, get one deal on Passport-Journals will return on November 15th. Member museums will continue to sell 2024 Passports until they run out, or until the start of the new year.

Read our latest newsletter to learn about the latest news and upcoming events on the Connecticut Art Trail, including:

• The reopening of a sculpture garden at The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art
• Museum honors for the Housatonic Museum of Art and Mattatuck Museum
• A combined Giving Tuesday effort among the Hill-Stead Museum, New Britain Museum of American Art, and Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
• Featured family activities including Colonial Toys and Crafts at the Greenwich Historical Society, Fun with Printmaking at the Fairfield University Art Museum, and A Sandra Boynton Christmas at the American Mural Project
• A featured permanent collection item at a Connecticut Art Trail site: Childe Hassam’s The Mill Pond, Cos Cob at the Bruce Museum

As the changing leaves paint Connecticut’s landscapes in vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold, we’re reminded of the transformative power of nature — and its everlasting ability to inspire us. This autumn, come visit the museums and cultural sites on the Connecticut Art Trail to witness the changes taking place everywhere from artists’ homesteads to award-winning galleries. Whether you view the awe-inspiring landscapes of famous artists or the thought-provoking pieces of contemporary talents, you’re sure to find your own inspiration. 

Read our latest newsletter to learn about the latest news and upcoming events on the Connecticut Art Trail, including:

• A profile of the Eastern Art Gallery
• Information on the Governor’s Art Awards taking place at the Five Points Arts Center
• The Art Museum at the University of Saint Joseph seeking public input on a new acquisition
• How the Yale University Art Gallery and Yale Center for British Art helped the Yale University School of Art earn a high ranking in a prestigious publication
• Featured family activities at the New Britain Museum of American Art, Lyme Art Association, and Fairfield University Art Museum

If you currently have a Connecticut Art Trail Passport-Journal, you only have a few months left to visit all 24 sites on the Trail and be eligible for our grand prize giveaway! We’ll have more information shortly on Passport-Journal availability for 2025.

The Connecticut Art Trail has launched a new campaign encouraging people to take advantage of the autumn season by mapping out adventures at the state’s art museums.

“Map It Out” invites residents and visitors to experience the Connecticut Art Trail by seeing multiple museums in a single day or weekend. The organization is sharing routes that highlight museums in close proximity, posting suggestions for these trips on its social media channels. The campaign also highlights individual museums, encouraging people to include them on their itinerary during fall trips.

“Connecticut’s landscapes have been inspiring artists for years, and it’s a particularly popular time for people to enjoy the changing scenery before the chilly winter months arrive,” said Carey Mack Weber, President of the Connecticut Art Trail and the Frank and Clara Meditz Executive Director at Fairfield University Art Museum. “Many of our member museums are just a short drive away from one another, making it easy to spend a full day experiencing some of Connecticut’s great cultural attractions.”

Map It Out is also a way to help all holders of the Connecticut Art Trail’s Passport-Journal to complete this document before the end of the year. The Passport-Journal grants free admission to all member museums on the Trail for one year after purchase. Anyone who visits all of these museums during the calendar year is eligible for a grand prize giveaway of an overnight stay for two and couples massage at the Delamar Hotel of their choice.

Passport-Journals are available for purchase on the Connecticut Art Trail website or at any member museum for $35.

It’s that time of year when it seems like nature itself becomes a canvas, as the trees become awash with brilliant hues of red, orange, and gold. Connecticut’s landscapes have long drawn artists to our state to create amazing works that reflect the beauty of the environment. This autumn, we invite you to include Connecticut Art Trail’s 24 member museums on your itinerary as you map out your fall adventures. See the seasonal transformation of their landscapes, tour outdoor sculpture gardens and exhibitions, and see how local artists have taken their inspiration from their surroundings.

Read the latest Connecticut Art Trail newsletter to learn more about how you can experience the season at these museums. Find out more about current and upcoming exhibitions and events, and learn more about our member museums with features on two locations. This month, we’re showcasing the Fairfield University Art Museum and MoCA Westport.