Have you visited any of the university museums in Connecticut? Connecticut is home to a lot of amazing colleges and universities. We’re even home to Yale University. Many of these universities and colleges house art museums. Keep reading for a few of my suggestions. If you are local, or planning to visit Connecticut, bookmark this post.

1. Fairfield University Art Museum

The museum includes the Bellarmine Hall galleries and the Walsh gallery. Both galleries are open from Tuesday to Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Bellarmine Hall galleries hold the museum’s permanent collection along with rotating special exhibitions. The Walsh gallery showcases larger special exhibitions.

You will find European and American paintings as well as drawings, prints, photographs and other works of art from Asia, Africa, and the Americas. A benefit of having university museums in Connecticut is their close proximity to other larger museums. There are art pieces on long-term loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Yale University Art Gallery and other collections.

Check out their website for current exhibitions and upcoming events. They offer various in-person events highlighting various artwork. You are invited to bring your questions and observations of the artwork to be discussed in person. Events like this are free.

Address: 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824
Website: https://www.fairfield.edu/museum/

2. Housatonic Museum of Art

This museum has a collection that spans the ancient times all the way through to the contemporary era. The museum is generally open for Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Weekend hours vary depending on the season.

The permanent collection includes works of art from Africa, Oceania and the Americas. It is on continuous display throughout the large 300,000 square foot facility. Outdside you’ll find a sculpture garden in the courtyard.

Visit their website for current exhibitions and upcoming events. Besides in-person exhibition visits there are virtual tours. There are also lectures, workshops and other programs held at the museum.

Address: 900 Lafayette Blvd, Bridgeport, CT 06604
Website: https://museum.housatonic.edu/

3. Yale University Art Gallery

This art gallery’s collection numbers nearly 300,000 objects. The items are from all regions of the globe, spanning many time periods. It’s open from Tuesday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday hours vary by season. The museum is also open Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Yale University Art Gallery was founded in 1832. It is the oldest University Art Museum in the Western Hemisphere. The gallery’s collection includes works of art from Africa, Asia, Europe and Indo-pacific regions. Expect to find a wide variety of art using nearly every type of medium.

See their website for current exhibitions and more information on their permanent collection. Online and in-person programs are offered. These include virtual workshops and in-person learning programs for teens.

Address: 1111 Chapel Street (at York Street) New Haven, CT 06510
Website: https://artgallery.yale.edu/

4. The William Benton Museum of Art (UCONN)

The museum was founded in the early 20th century, in the days of the Connecticut Agricultural College. This was before the college became known as the University of Connecticut. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on weekends from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The museum has a collection of over 7,500 pieces with art dating back to the 15th century. They have many exhibits located in the museum as well as online exhibitions. This includes a searchable database of cataloged items from the collection.

Go to their website for current and future exhibition information. The museum is located in Storrs, Connecticut. This area has a lot of other attractions.

Address: 245 Glenbrook Rd, Storrs, CT 06269
Website: https://benton.uconn.edu/

5. The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University

The gallery is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 4:00 p.m. It’s open on Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 7:00 p.m. Saturday it’s open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Additional hours can be scheduled by appointment.

Expect to find works of art from international and regional artists. Art work from students and faculty members is also included. Lectures are also held on topics such as current events and issues that span a range of academic majors.

Visit the website for current and future exhibitions. The museum’s YouTube channel goes into further detail of some of the exhibits. It includes interviews as well.

Address: 83 Windham St, Willimantic, CT 06226
Website: https://www.easternct.edu/art-gallery/

Be sure to save this post for your next trip to Connecticut. If you are local, definitely make a point to visit as many of these university museums in Connecticut as you can! Then check out this post, for the best way to navigate a museum.

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