aldrich contemporary art museum

This year they are celebrating their 50th anniversary. There were 4 or 5 artists exhibited. Very interesting. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly.

This should be at the very top of everyone's visit to charming, picturesque Ridgefield. In the heart of town on historic Main Street, it is a jewel of a contemporary art museum. Headed by a top flight team of art historians, artists, teachers and critics, the Aldrich is not only a town treasure, it is a national one, too. It is that good. Brilliant execution of programming, rock star artist exhibitions, wide and varied outreach to the arts community well beyond its borders, this is a must-see. MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

If you like art that, although it is made with little intelligence but tries to convince you that you are not smart enough to understand it, you will like this stuff. I agree with The New Yorker cartoon from the 1930's : " I say it's spinach and I say the hell with it".

There is no permanent collections, other than the monumental sculptures outdoors. But the changing exhibitions are fascinating, well curated. The children's program and adult lecture series are not to be missed. A wonderful, cutting edge place for art, tucked behind a perfect colonial house that fits in flawlessly with the lovely historic townscape.

This is not a museum where you will see old masters or early 20th century painters. The art work is challenging and at times confusing. You might not even acknowledge that it is art. But the museum is well laid out and not overwhelming. Tuesday are free. Frankly, we did not enjoy the exhibits but the museum lives up to it's mission to be a showcase of recent art works.

Hoped to see some inspiring art, saw mostly what can only be described as questionable art. This is the second time I visited the museum and now the last. As others here say, the museum watchers hovered too closely, and while I expect they were informed docents, they crowded us unnecessarily. As for the exhibits, they were puzzling, making me wonder what criteria (if any) the curators employ to select this grab-bag of exhibits. Overpriced.

Sometimes we want to see a good exhibit and just are not in the mood for the hour drive into NYC, so it is easily fixed with a visit to the Aldrich. Excellent exhibits, inside and out, openings, etc. Best times are summer evening openings.... try it if you are within an hour or so.... can't miss!

Weird exhibits like a room with giant sheets of tin foil. A bunch of "collages" where somebody ripped some pictures out of a catalog and slapped them on a piece of paper. A video of some people playing the same tune repeatedly on a piano and a recorder with little kids screaming (who could blame them)? You are followed around by staffers as if you are going to steal the crown jewels. Fun because it's so ridiculous - like a tiny MassMOCA.

This was our first trip to the ACAM and it will be our last. We are new in town and came for an event specifically marketed to families. However, upon arrival we were treated as if our children were spray-can wheeling hooligans. From the moment we arrived the staff was over our shoulders and remained there for our entire visit. We have been to museums all over the United Stated and Europe and we have never been treated so poorly. Our children are well behaved children who were calm and respectful for the duration of our visit. At no time did they attempt to touch or interact with any of the exhibit pieces. Due to the constant surveillance we were under it made the children uneasy to ask questions and it made it difficult for us to engage them in any sort of meaningful conversation It was more than an uncomfortable experience. It was downright demeaning. We will not be back to visit this museum and we will never recommend it to any friends or family.

Having this museum in town is just a bonus to living here. The exhibits rotate periodically and they've included some controversial 'art' over the years, but it just makes the whole process that much more interesting.In the Spring you see busloads of tourists coming up from who knows where just to see what we have in our own backyard.It's really surprising to have this in a small town.

The Aldrich rarely disappoints--provocative installations, kid activities, teen offerings (with pizza), 20something minglers, outdoor events, and lectures. Even if you dislike an exhibit, you'll be talking about it--great resource for our town and beyond!

Cold (really cold) winter day...."Let's go do something, indoors and close". Well, I decided to give the Aldrich a try with my teenage kids. Small and intimate, but uncrowded and very manageable, we all found the Aldrich to be a really cool destination. The current installation is concentric around music. Having been to the MOMA many times, we were all acutely aware that art comes in many forms, and these exhibits exemplified that. It's an affordable entry fee, and located in downtown Ridgefield, so certainly convenient to the area. Staff was VERY helpful and pretty numerous considering the size of the museum. We spent just over an hour and that was perfect.

There are always some intriguing exhibits here. although some fall into the pretentious category (really -- a slamming piano? The point is...?) Loved the recent exhibit of walking into a room filled with balloons.No cafe on site, but there are a number of good options in the area.

Beautifully located on the Main Street of lovely Ridgefield, the museum was in a state of flux when we visited. Most of the exhibit halls were closed as they were being renovated and/or future exhibits were being hung. However, it was free due to its current condition. Worth a return visit when it's up and running.

We recently participated in a docent tour at the Aldrich. I can't remember the last time I had such a stimulating, entertaining, informative ,AND time sensitive museum experience. (and I have had many, in many towns and cities)