Who knew that a fabulous art museum lay tucked away in New Britain, Connecticut?

The Oldest American Art Collection in the Country

I grew up just thirty minutes south of this delightful spot, and I had no idea it existed. But the New Britain Museum of American Art has been around since 1903 — and it was the first museum in the entire United States to devote itself solely to works made by American artists. Since then, the museum has collected thousands of paintings, sculptures, videos, and photographs, and it is a truly spectacular place.

Portraits & Landscapes

The museum is roughly organized by both chronology and theme. We start out with an excellent collection of federal and frontier portraits (here, starting from the top left, we have a quartet by John Simbert, Rembrandt Peale, Sarah Peale, and George Catlin)…

… and an equally stunning group of Hudson River School landscapes (starting from the upper left, these are by Frederic Church, Edward Moran, Albert Bierstadt, William Bradford, James McEntee, and Martin Johnson Heade).

Still Lifes, Genre Scenes, and Surprises

There are also a few still lifes (this, by Raphaelle Peale, is one of my very favorite paintings in the museum) …

… a trompe l’oeil or two (this one is by John Haberle)…

… and a collection of genre paintings (the artists here are Harry Roseland and Edward Larson Henry):

We then come to another one of my favorites: Circles, by Polly Thayer Starr. I’m just amazed that a female artist was creating nude paintings in 1924 — and doing it so boldy.

From Impressionism to Regionalism

The museum then takes us through Impressionism and urban realism (here are some American examples by Childe Hassam, Everett Shinn, and William James Glackens) …

… before moving the viewer to the folk art of Grandma Moses (a.k.a. Anna Mary Robertson Moses)…

… and the vast regionalism of Thomas Hart Benton.

Contemporary Artists

Coming up the stairs, there’s an enormous glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly:

Then we’re taken to several vast galleries of modern and contemporary art (here are a few examples by Irene Hardwicke, Ellen Carey, Richard Pousette-Dart, Christopher Gallego, Martin Kline, K. William LeQuier III, and George Soppelsa):

I was a big fan of the hyper-realistic paintings by Graydon Parrish …

…and Roberto Bernardi…

… as well as the dollhouse-like “Perspective Box,” by Jimmy Sanders.

Walter Wick: A Special Exhibit

The upstairs section of the museum concludes with a special exhibitions wing, which was showcasing the work of Walter Wick when I visited.

Wick, best known for his “I Spy” book series, builds elaborate models of his concepts before turning them into digital renderings.

The exhibit featured both models and large digital prints of Wick’s work, including a whole section on how he’s photographed water in different states.

Benches, Bathrooms, & the Great Outdoors

Overall, this is a great museum. Aside from the pieces in the gallery, what did I love about it? Well, I loved the fun and varied benches …

… the artwork in the bathrooms (unsigned, but awesome) …

… the art in the café (here is a New Britain garden-scape by collage artist Rashmi Talpade) …

… the outdoor sculpture (this is by Howard Fromson)…

… and the historic Landers House (which is attached to the main museum by a short glass hallway and hosts rotating exhibits).

If you want a bonus, pay a visit to Walnut Hill Park, which sits just across the street and was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

We spent just over two and a half hours at the museum, including short stops at both the cafe and the very nice gift shop. And I’m already hoping to go back!

Before You Go: Tips for Visiting the New Britain Museum of American Art

• Hours: Open Wednesday through Sunday (closed Mondays & Tuesdays) — check the website for current times.
• Admission: $20 for adults; free admission once a month on community days
• Parking: Free lot beside the museum.
• Timing: Plan for 2–3 hours to see the galleries, café, shop and sculpture garden.
• Café & Gift Shop: Don’t skip the locally-made goodies in the café — or the adorable gift shop, which has books, gifts made by local artisans, and clever design items.

In the mood for more art? Don’t miss my visit to Glenstone or my day at San Francisco’s de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor.