new britain museum of american art

DON'T, and I repeat, DON'T even think of visiting central CT & skipping this museum. This is an absolute MUST-SEE. I had the luxury of being taken to this museum when I was a child by non-art loving parents. (No idea how that happened) & then luck struck twice! At Washington Jr High School, a dedicated English Teacher, Miss Berson, marched our class down High Street for a field trip to see the "Good Humor" exhibit. This must have been about 1968? After touring the museum, we were given a Good Humor ice cream. It was so memorable that I rarely visit New Britain without stopping at this CT landmark. The influence of my chance encounters as a child & teen has reverberated throughout my life & family. While living in Europe for a decade, I visited with my daughter who ended up volunteering at the museum & going on to become an artist. Take your children! Inspiration awaits!

We were really impressed. It's not big, but they do have an impressive collection of American art - early American up to modern. Well laid out - they also have a nice kids room with interactive hands-on activities. The Sunday we were there they had a jazz quartet offering a free concert as well. Very nice visit.

A true gem hidden in one of CT's smaller cities, the NBMA houses thousands of marvelous pieces of American art. Donors are so enchanted the collection continues to grow, so the rotation sharpens the appeal by inspired curation. I love the giant Chilhuly hanging in the stairwell, but the newer piece brilliantly places close to it shows contrasting styles and has people gawping at certain [I won't spoil your discovery of the tromp de l'oeil] aspects that are not what they first seen.Currently, several very well known earlier American paintings are paired with modern works inspired by them. It is fun and an effortless way to learn to appreciate both pieces more deeply.It is great to see gaggles of school kids avidly absorbing the well-trained and child-sensitive docents: giggles and quickly inhaled breath are just what children should experience in museums. No 'SILENCE/NO TOUCHING' signs or attitude here. The gift shop is small but delightful. And all the staff and volunteers seem actually happy to host all visitors. EXCEPT THE UNIFORMED FELLOW AT THE FIRST INSIDE GLASS DOOR - BET YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET HIM TO CRACK A SMILE EITHER. This is a museum that reflects its Board and Staff's love of art; it tries to share the love with visitors. What a wonderful place!The terrace restaurant is closed in this winter's endless snow, but I want to return to try it.

We're locals and we visit the NBMAA 2-3 times a year. The museum is opening new exhibits regularly and having major collections donated. The permanent collection is very extensive, and a few non-American artists are in the museum here and there! My favorite piece is the large Dale Chihuly glass sculpture hanging in the main stairway. Most recently we enjoyed the opening of the Coastal Collection which is a new acquisition. The variety of paintings depicting the New England/east coast is quite surprising. I expected the pieces to have a sameness to them. The museum is undergoing another expansion, so the parking lot is a bit altered now. There is no trouble parking in the surrounding Walnut Hill Park.

I love this museum and I'm looking forward to the new wing being finished. The museum does a great job with rotating its exhibits. Its Museum After Dark parties which are held once a quarter are a great way to discover the museum, experience new music, and meet new people. Go check it out!

Full disclosure - I live nearby and have been here so many times that I decided to purchase a membership so you could consider me biased. :-) This museum is well worth the visit. It is fantastic to be able to roam in the comfortably sized building and gaze at all American art. A mix of permanent and travelling/visiting exhibits always keep it fresh and it is extremely family friendly. The gift shop is always filled with interesting finds, there is a quality, reasonably priced café on site and weekends feature a small farmers and artisans market in season on the café patio. Oh! And admission is free before noon on Saturdays. Absolutely worth a visit!A special note...New Britain is not the prettiest of cities and most GPS directions will lead you through the center of town to get to the museum. Don't let this affect your visit. The museum has onsite parking and is in a safe neighborhood in town. You and your family can walk around the museum grounds and in the adjacent Walnut Hill Park safely and without issue.

The New Britain Museum tends to have great exhibits year round. They even have some fun things that go on at night sometimes.

Had a great time here on Friday February 13th for museum after dark - freaky Friday. There are some very interesting pieces in the collection, and the music/vibe/drinks created a great atmosphere. Want to come back here with a group of friends next.

To steal a slogan from a well known retailer, this NBMAA is "never the same place twice". I was lucky enough to see the recent quilt exhibit along with the f.64 photography exhibit and found that they met the usual high quality the museum is known for. Douglas Hyland and his staff are doing an excellent job. It's wonderful to know that art is thriving in New Britain, CT.

A great collection of art in all forms in a beautiful setting and easy to negotiate. Many well known artists as well as local people who we were not familiar with. Particularly loved the Thomas Benton exhibition.

I went here one afternoon with my mother and nine year old son. We arrived late in the afternoon and they allowed us to enter as guests, free of charge, since there was only an hour and 15 mins til close. The facility is modern and beautiful. They had gorgeous pieces and everything was clean and accessible with both stairs and elevators. It appears that they are expanding as well. It is great for any age and can be toured extensively in a short period of time due to the layout and size. What a great place so close by!

The current quilt exhibit which runs until early January is stunning. The selection of quilts covers early works to current pieces by well know Connecticut artists. The display is handsomely hung to accentuate the best of the pieces with excellent descriptive material on each work. In addition there is an hour-long Wisconsin PBS video on the history of quilting from earliest time including the best of current art quilter's. Undoubtedly this is available on U-Tube but the visuals enhance the understanding of the development of the art of quilting from earliest times to the presence. Obviously the curatorial staff is to be complimented on their choices of quilts with patterns, colors and changes in techniques over time. The size of the show is just right to help viewers appreciate the work involved. Don't miss this, it is amazing!

A lovely museum with an eclectic mix of items, well curated. Shop in the terrific gift shop and enjoy the small cafe with yummy, reasonably priced lunch items (outdoor patio in the summer), and you have a delightful afternoon outing. Plus they have excellent special events and talks. A little gem in central Connecticut.

we recently attended the special exhibit on quilts. It was very well done. There were quilts from the 1800's up through modern times. There was also an exhibit of B&W photos featuring Ansel Adams and his contemporaries. This museum is first rate for American artists.

Far exceeded my expectations with wonderful exhibits of old and new paintings plus a whole section of Quits. You can spend 1-2 hours and only wish there was more! Using Groupon made this a terrific value.