Wadsworth Atheneum Museum Of Art
About Us:
I'm delighted to report that the Wadsworth Atheneum, America's oldest public art museum, continues to thrive and grow. We're currently refurbishing our "castle" exterior, have extensively renovated our sculpture garden, are continuously acquiring new works, and are now planning an expansion of gallery space. We invite you to be a part of the flourishing of art in Hartford.
True to founder Daniel Wadsworth's vision, we continue to collect and share the world’s greatest art. The best show in town, and the region for that matter, is our permanent collection of more than 45,000 works of art. Many fine paintings collected by Wadsworth from the Hudson River School are now considered masterpieces of American art, and are one of the highlights of any Wadsworth visit.
Chick Austin, our flamboyant mid-twentieth century director brought to the museum the first Dalí, Caravaggio, and Miró in the nation. Major art patrons have endowed our collections over the years, with priceless Meissen and Sèvres porcelain, English silver, and American furniture.
There's a lot to see here. And we keep changing the "show" to allow you to experience all the variety and passion of art, through special exhibitions, lectures, tours, performances, films, and family events.
Some of our best-known works will be traveling around the country over the next few years. I’m pleased to report that, so far, they've drawn record-breaking crowds wherever they've been. But, don't let their absence keep you away. We have deep reserves of truly wonderful art that we’re anxious to display.
