art museums in connecticut
Arts and review
By Ashley Peng, 2026
Published 10/12/23
One of the distinct privileges of living in Connecticut is our access to different cultural institutions and sites from Boston to New York to Philadelphia. Despite the international acclaim of museums and institutions in these cities, Connecticut has plenty opportunities to view and experience art of all types, so here are some of the best art museums in the state:
Yale University Art Gallery
Known for: Being the oldest college museum in America, a diverse collection of mostly traditional and historical art from around the world
Located: New Haven
Admissions: Free
Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 10am-5pm (Till 8 on Thursday)
Saturday-Sunday: 11am-5pm
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Known for: Oldest continually operating art museum in America, wide collection of traditional art, notably Baroque, Impressionist, and Modernist paintings
Located: Hartford
Admissions: Adults: $25, Seniors: $10, Children: $10
Hours: Thursday-Sunday: 12pm-5pm
New Britain Museum of American Art
Known for: The first museum in the country dedicated to solely American art, including colonial portraits, Impressionist works, and post-contemporary works
Located: New Britain
Admissions: $15
Hours: Wednesday, Friday-Sunday: 10am-5pm (Till 8 on Thursday)
Yale Center for British Art (Closed until 2024)
Known for: The largest collection of British art outside of the United Kingdom,
Located: New Haven
Admissions: Not available
Hours: Closed for conservation until 2024
Hill-Stead Museum
Known for: Being a National Historic Landmark that was the home of Theodate Pope Riddle and the current home of a large collection of Impressionist artworks
Located: Farmington
Admissions: Adults: $18
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
Slater Memorial Museum
Known for: One of only two museums on high school campuses in the country, features a collection of plaster casts called a gypsotheque
Located: Norwich
Admissions: Adults 12+: $10, Children under 12: $8
Hours: Monday, Wednesday-Saturday: 10am-4pm
Mystic Museum of Art
Known for: Featuring not only a permanent collection of art along with a collection of many temporary exhibitions by local artists
Located: Groton
Admissions: Free
Hours: Closed until October 27 for installations
Monday-Sunday: 11am-5pm
Mattatuck Museum
Known for: Art almost exclusively made by Connecticut artists along with a collection of 15,000 buttons
Located: Waterbury
Admissions: Adults: $15, Seniors: $12, College Students with ID: $10, Children Aged 5-18: $8
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11am-5pm
Sunday: 11am-4pm
Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Known for: A National Register of Historic Places building, housing a collection of both America, European, and non-European art
Located: New London
Admissions: Adults: $12, Seniors: $9, Students: $5
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: 1pm-5pm
William Benton Museum of Art
Known for: A National Register of Historic Places building, named after US Senator William Benton with a collection of over 6,500 artworks
Located: University of Connecticut, Storrs
Admissions: Free
Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 10am-4pm
Saturday-Sunday: 1pm-4pm
MoCA Westport
Known for: Being an art museum dedicated to contemporary art
Located: Wesport
Admissions: Free
Hours: Thursday: 12pm-7pm
Friday-Sunday: 12pm-4pm
Florence Griswold Museum
Known for: A National Historic Landmark building that was a center of Impressionism, housing many works of that style
Located: Old Lyme
Admissions: Adults: $12, Children 12 and under: Free
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10am-5pm
Silvermine Arts Center
Known for: Being an exhibition space along with a learning center for artists
Located: New Canaan
Admissions: Free
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-4pm
Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
Known for: Having no permanent exhibitions and being the only museum in Connecticut to dedicate itself exclusively contemporary art
Located: Ridgefield
Admissions: Adults: $15, Seniors and students: $9
Hours: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday-Friday: 12pm-5pm
Saturday: 10am-5pm
Fairfield University Art Museum
Known for: Displaying traditional European art, along with Celtic and Asian works
Located: Fairfield
Admissions: Free
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 11am-4pm
Bruce Museum
Known for: Exhibitions and a philosophy guiding art, science, and natural history
Located: Greenwich
Admissions: Adults: $20, Seniors and students: $15
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10am-5pm
Housatonic Museum of Art
Known for: Founded by artist and professor Burt Chernow, along with having no professional staff and being completely volunteer-dependent
Located: Bridgeport
Admissions: Free
Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:30am-7pm
Saturday: 9am-2pm
Mashantucket Pequot Museum
Known for: Collections of both artistic and historical significance explaining Native American lives in Connecticut
Located: Ledyard
Admissions: Adults: $25, Seniors and college students: $20, Youths: $16
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday: 9am-5pm