New Britain Museum of American Art
A focused national collection moves from early portraiture and Hudson River landscapes to illustration, modernism, and contemporary art at a manageable scale.
Artwork inspired by Milton Avery
Founded in 1903, the museum calls itself the first institution devoted solely to American art. Its strength lies in continuity: colonial faces, landscapes, Ashcan scenes, illustration, abstraction, and contemporary work share one route, making shifts in national identity and visual language easy to compare.
The building is compact enough for a complete visit, but temporary exhibitions can deserve half the available time. Begin chronologically, then double back to compare a modern work with an earlier landscape or portrait. Verify special-gallery closures and evening programs before relying on a favorite artist. Outdoor sculpture adds another useful scale of comparison.
- Founded
- 1903
- Focus
- American art
- Scale
- Manageable in one visit
Quick guide
- Follow the timeline
- Walk from early American portraiture toward modern abstraction.
- Make one return
- Revisit an early work after seeing the twentieth-century galleries.
Know before you go
- Begin historically
- Use the early galleries to establish who commissioned American art.
- Track landscape
- Watch wilderness become industry, suburb, and abstraction.
- Notice illustration
- Give commercial image-making the same attention as easel painting.
- Check rotations
- Works on paper and fragile objects may not remain on view.
Good to know
The museum’s name is similar to other regional institutions; use the New Britain address when opening maps. Free community days can be much busier than a standard paid-admission afternoon.
Notice these
- Hudson River School
- American illustration
- Modern art