Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

[tourist post] I loved this museum. Spent about 3 hours. I saw so much art including a Van Gogh! I loved that they had sketch pads out near displays. After checking out the museum, went down to the cafe. The lady there was incredibly sweet and welcoming. Def recommend the blueberry lemon cookie she makes!!!

I absolutely loved the museum! The variety of concepts keeps you interested from start to finish. Highly recommended — a must-see spot.

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, located in the heart of Hartford, Connecticut, is a remarkable destination for art enthusiasts and history lovers alike. As the oldest continuously operating public art museum in the United States, it boasts an impressive legacy that is beautifully reflected in its distinctive, castle-like architecture—a striking landmark that sets it apart from other institutions. One of the museum’s most captivating features is its magnificent Great Hall, a space of exceptional beauty and grandeur that leaves a lasting impression. During my visit on a peaceful weekday afternoon, the quiet atmosphere allowed for an intimate and thoughtful exploration of the museum’s diverse collections, ranging from European masterpieces to contemporary works. Whether you are a dedicated art connoisseur or simply seeking a culturally enriching experience, the Wadsworth Atheneum offers an unforgettable journey through centuries of artistic achievement. It’s a true gem on the East Coast and undoubtedly worth a visit.

I’ve been 3 times so far and I plan to go again! The changing artwork makes it very exciting to come again. Plenty of photo opportunities 😉 and also plenty of opportunity to learn! Lots of well-explained history and messages behind the art they have in their collections (as well as some fun ones!) and I can’t get enough of it.

This was a one of a kind experience visiting the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum today. I was totally unaware of the history of this being one of the oldest Art Museums in the US and the extent of the Art collections they have.

Has a diverse and high-quality art collection that may appeal to a range of visitors. Our favorites? The Morgan 1 Great Hall, a gallery with walls packed with art 2 1/2 stories up to the skylight. An informative "highlights" tour by a docent (free - just push the right button when ordering tickets). And a room for kids to relax and create, after viewing "grown-up art". Allow 2 hours minimumCafe. Or 4 if you read signs and/or have a snack or soup in the BMUSE cafe.

Great museum. Very enjoyable selection of paintings and objects. I loved the Cabinet of Curiosities in particular.

We went on the BofA museums on us free weekend. I definitely could have used both days just to wander around this huge museum. I had no idea first that it was so big, with 3 floors and so many different galleries, and second that they had so many famous artists exhibited. I will be going back many, many more times.

Beautiful amazing art workers very friendly too. Also gift shop had very cool things. The art was very diverse there was European, African, Asian etc.

I was miserable most of my time there. BUT. This was a great museum. I was miserable because the only time I could go was on a Saturday, a free Saturday no less, on a day they had a festival, arts and crafts, and a Christmas tree event. So the crowds were INSANE. Like NYC level insane. That being said, I have lots of great things to say about this place, which underwent a huge renovation and modernization several years ago that was so good that the New York Times wrote an article saying it was "a masterpiece of renovation." The great hall is beautiful and though I don't care much for old school colonizer art, I was bummed it was teeming with Christmas trees and families, hindering my ability to take an artful photo to capture that masterpiece. The museum does a great job of mixing colors, styles, appreciating the classical, while also mixing in fun and modern elements. They have European art. Impressionist art. All that gold religious stuff. Modern art that's just some blocks and colors and makes you wonder, "is this really art?" They have a great surrealist section and a huge Dali painting, which is actually the marketing they used to get me here. They have some sculpture, some Greek sculpture and some contemporary art. I enjoyed the art by Black artists and art focusing on Black struggles in the Amistad Center, located on the third floor, though I wish this section was bigger. They had an Islamic art section, Chinese art, American art (most of what I saw was from the 20s through the 90s). I loved how each space was painted a rich, moody color. And the common spaces were full of patterns, stained glass, and multi-colored walls winding up the staircase. The staff were nice and helpful. I paid 20-something bucks for admission, but since I bought a ticket for a free Saturday, the staff was cool enough to contact me and ask me if I wanted a full refund. I told them to take the fee as a donation. I've seen almost all the museums in New York City, which is my favorite place in the world. But this one can hold its own. But if I ever visit again (which I doubt, cus who needs to see Hartford twice?)--I will avoid weekends and free days and definitely the Christmas tree festival!

Wow, how have I not done a review of the Wadsworth yet? I've visited frequently since moving to Hartford (5 years ago)! They offer a pay what you want hour at the end of each day. Visit if you haven't! I brought a friend of mine for her first time and she loved it. I always enjoy their Matrix collection and modern hallway. Lockers are free and easily accessible, plenty of bathrooms are available throughout, and the B Muse café is available inside. Street parking is the most easily accessible but lots at available nearby.

Fantastic collection of artworks. Monets, pollocks, paintings from the revolutionary era, modern works and more. Three stories and three buildings. The staff was always helpful and insightful.

Been a few yrs since I been to the Wadsworth. Took advantage of the festivities today and went. It was nice to see a full house. So many activities for children and guides tours explaining some of the art. It's such a beautiful building and museum. They had the sea glass exhibit which I was happy to be able to see as well. Such beautiful work. Everyone in the museum is so helpful. They provide maps, pamphlets and detail on the art. I really enjoyed it and glad I made it today for the MLK Community Day. Today was free admission so I also took advantage of that. Normally you need to Pay if you are not a non Hartford resident.

There is no excuse to not periodically visit the Wadsworth Atheneum. Unlike larger city museums, here you can enjoy a peaceful, aesthetic experience free of bustling crowds -- even on weekends. Parking is easy, available just a couple of blocks away at the South garage, where you can get a discount parking fee of $3.00 by taking your parking stub to the museum gift shop for validation. And cost? A review of the "visit" page of the museum's website highlights the availability of many days and times when admission is fee-free. However like larger city museums, special exhibits are scheduled, offering a rotation of new displays to entice your return. A small cafe is available, with comfortable upholstered seating, as well as restaurants within walking distance.

Wanted to spend a quiet day at the museum after a hectic at work. Came to the perfect place. Absolutely worth to explore if you go into Hartford. You need half a day to fully explore the museum and absorb the beauty of the art and outstanding details in the art pieces. An abundance of rooms to view and easy to walk through galleries.

Wow this museum is incredible! If you are serious museum lover, you're going to want to allow at least a full afternoon for this place. We arrived at 12:30 and left at 4, still didn't get to see everything and had to rush through a couple exhibits. Parking note: You can park on the side entrance of the museum very conveniently but the metered parking is limited to two hours and they are intense about enforcing the time limits. We had 10 minutes left on the meter by the time I arrived at the car and there was a parking enforcement person already eyeing the vehicle. There is a convenient mobile app you can download to pay but I was surprised I could not extend the time beyond two hours. We later learned you can park at the Convention Center and walk over. The museum will validate and you won't need to worry about the two hour limit. The guides here were all super nice and definitely willing to tell you more about the collection. This is appreciated since the signage and interpretation accompanying many of the artworks is not particularly detailed. If you like a lot of interpretation you may want to do a self guided tour. Also, the guides were very helpful And will tell you exactly where to go to see a particular artwork. They carry iPads and can look it up to direct you. Allison, one guide that I spoke with, even helped me out with questions about parking when I learned I couldn't add time to the meter via Hartford's mobile app and had to go move the car. So, about the collection... there is an impressive selection of masterpieces on the first floor including Picassos, a Dali, Chagall, Munch and others. I loved the antiquities collection including a lot of Roman glass that was quite impressive and a porphyry bathtub that is remarkably intact. My main reason for visiting was the Kusama pumpkin that's just extraordinary! They also have Joseph Cornell box. There's a lot of 17th and 18th century stuff that's not really my vibe but some of the still lifes are very well done. The Curiosity Cabinet room is really cool and interactive with lots of minerals and rocks, shells, arrowheads and weird and wonderful random stuff. Highly recommend this amazing place! You won't regret the trip!

I can't say enough good things about this place. I discovered it on the app Roadtrippers and just wow. I can't believe just an hour and a half away from my hometown is VAN GOGH'S self portrait and I only just found this out!! Better late than never, I suppose. It is a 4 floors of all kinds of art and artifacts. There truly is something for everyone! Definitely plan on spending about 4 hours walking around to soak it all in. It is accessible as well. Big elevators and unisex bathrooms. Down the street is a coffee shop with sandwiches and vegan & gluten free options too!

A mere 1/3 mile from the Marriott/Convention Center, this is a must see. I spent almost 3 hours there gazing and re-gazing at the incredible art. The museum itself is worth seeing and is the perfect showcase for the exhibitions...the curator is to be loudly applauded for the selection and layout. I took lots of pictures (no flash, please) so I could enjoy a bit of the museum from home. When I told the front desk this as I was leaving, they told me they have about 50,000 pieces of art on their website! Can't wait to visit it. I had a tuna salad before I left in their cafe. I think she went out and picked the greens, cherry tomatoes and baby cukes by hand just before serving it with a nice size scoop of tuna and a delightful dressing. I told everyone I saw at the conference to go for a visit if they were at all able. Wonderful day.

An excellent museum if you are an enthusiast of the Hudson River School of painting. I visited the museum with my father who is an artist. He enjoyed the two large galleries of works by Church, Cole, Bierstadt and others--reportedly the largest collection of Hudson River School paintings anywhere. The museum also has a fair collection of old masters from Europe as well as works of contemporary art. The collections from Egypt and Greece are small yet interesting. You can do justice to seeing the museum fully in 2-3 hours. We went on a weekday evening--it was a good day trip from New York--and the museum was not crowded at all. I highly recommend this museum that I was unaware of until a friend from Boston suggested I visit with my father. I'll be sure to return in the future.

Great museum that has a collection to rival major world cities. Their contemporary exhibits have some of the best descriptions of art I have ever read. Everything was amazing except they have a Michelangelo that is behind protective class and directly across from a major source of light which causes a lot of glare. I was very impressed with the breadth in which the museum had.

I timed my spring visit perfectly so that I could view the art and flower exhibition along with the Milton Avery exhibition. Then of course there is the permanent collection that is always fun to see. they tend to switch things around so there may be something new. Did you know that the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is America's oldest continuously operating public art museums? I learned this several years ago and as a Connecticut resident and lover of art, I am proud of this fact and think that it is awesome for Hartford and the state of Connecticut. The museum also boasts of having a collection of 50,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years. Lots of history and lots of art for sure. There is a restaurant on site however I have not tried it yet. There is also a gift shop that has some pretty cool stuff for adults and children. I return to the museum often, at least a couple of times a year depending on the exhibitions. I strongly recommend that you take the time to visit. Add together a walking tour of the area where you will find some historic buildings, interesting restaurants, Hartford Stage, CT convention center, Xfinity Theatre, Bushnell theatre and beautiful park land. Note that the UConn campus downtown Hartford is right here next to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum as well.

Wow, what an impressive gem in the city of Hartford. This museum had a little of everything and I was very impressed with the collections. I did a guided walking tour. I'm not sure that was really worth the time or the $15, but I'd definitely go back just to stroll. There is a little coffee shop/cafe but I didn't try it. Parking is easy and close but not on site. This museum is also in an area with some great restaurants so make sure to stop by for a bit too

I don't know why I wasn't expecting "much" when I decided to visit the Wadsworth Atheneum, but having a layover in Hartford and hearing rumors of this "castle-like" museum right down the street from my hotel (y'all know I LOVE THE CASTLES!), I figured I'd stop in for a visit. Was I in for a delightful treat!!! Ok, where to begin?!? First of all, there is a MYRIAD of ways to access the museum for free! Yes, I said FREE! For the friends and I, we took advantage of the Wednesday to Sunday "Happy Hour" with free access from 4 pm to 5 pm. I will say, this museum was so impressive that one hour was NOT enough time to truly take in everything, but it was a good start. Hartford residents get free admission EVERY DAY the museum is open! Check out here for more ways to free entry - https://www.thewadsworth.org/visit/hours-admission-2/ Number 2 - the impressiveness - this museum reminded me of a small version of the Louvre! Amazing collections of European Baroque art, ancient Egyptian and Classical bronzes, French and American Impressionist paintings, Hudson River School landscapes, modernist masterpieces, and contemporary works, as well as collections of early American furniture and decorative arts - Picassos, Monets, Manets, Degas, Expressionism to Impressionism to Surrealism to Modern Contemporary etc. etc. - Just every genre of art from many different civilizations. The Morgan Great Hall was my most favorite room! There is a striking art library room right as you enter the museum. I ran out of time but will definitely be stopping in there to peruse some more next time I'm in town. And C - they have a quite remarkable Film Program and monthly Public Programs as well! If you love art, this is one place in Hartford you do not want to miss. Another note, they do rent the space out for events. We came in at the beginning of a wedding and there was a lovely photoshoot going on pre-wedding throughout the museum.

We went to see the annual Festival of Trees exhibit this year. We loved all of the beautifully decorated trees located throughout many sections of this art museum. Each tree had a theme and a title and was uniquely decorated. From such themes as- tropical trees, music trees, theater, different cultures, social issues- and even a lobster tree- each tree was different and interesting. There also was a collection of handmade wreaths. All items were created by different groups and organizations- an informational card located next to each item tells you the details. Of course, you can also see the large collection of art displayed. I especially loved the Gustav Klimt (Two Girls with an Oleander) and a Salvador Dali painting. Great way to spend an afternoon on a cold Winter's day!

The Wadsworth, as labeled by its website, is a museum of a museum: in the last few years the Morgan Memorial was restored into a grand salon gallery, floor to ceiling, while a wunderkammer gallery of nature objects was installed second floor, with that glorious marble staircase you'd expect--then, any expectations of stuffy are shaken by Yayoi Kusama's massive Pumpkin (2018), and elephantine 1131/Whirls and Twirls, a mural composed by Hartford native Sol LeWitt, one of four LeWitt wall drawings at the Wadsworth. See those occasional silver-framed gallery labels? The work was made by an one time up and coming artist featured in the Wadsworth's contemporary Matrix gallery in the Avery Court. This ever-changing gallery is never predictable. Say you saw it first! The second Saturday of the month means free museum entry for all, complete with family-friendly art activities and performances with different monthly themes. I can't recommend the December Second Saturday enough, especially if it overlaps the Festival of Trees & Traditions (worth the $3 cover charge if you go when it's not Second Saturday). While the Wadsworth has rock stars like Van Gogh, Delacroix, Goya, Klimt, and it also has contemporary rock stars Kehinde Wiley, Vanessa German, and Sean Scully. The museum is part Encyclopedia, part Art News. It's a wonderful place for Hartford visitors and Art fans.

Omg I am so glad I came here , we literally parked in front of the front door . Everyone who worked there were very friendly. It's the oldest art museum in the country. There was such a great mix of classic art work and modern. Even walking around the outside side of the museum there were many interesting pieces of art and historical buildings. And a nice park down the street.

What's an "Atheneum"? Dictionary.com says it's an institution for the promotion of literary or scientific learning. What's the Wadsworth Atheneum? It's an incredible art museum in Hartford. It has 50,000 pieces of permanent art spanning 5,000 years of history, going all the way back to Greek and Roman antiquities. A constant rotation of visiting collections keeps the museum fresh and new. The regular collection is divided into groups - European Art, European Decorative Arts, Costumes & Textiles, American Art, American Decorative Arts, and Contemporary Art . I liked the Contemporary Art collection a lot, especially the Jackie Kennedy silkscreen by Andy Warhol and a big 84" X 60" oil and silkscreen of JFK and the '60s by Robert Rauschenberg. There are statues, immense rooms, and high ceilings everywhere you look. It is gorgeous and one helluva great way to spend a few hours in Hartford.

What a treasure in Downtown Hartford. You could get lost for an entire day here with the amount of art to see. Definitely plan for at least a couple hours to view your main interests. There are many different wings that organize art collections by period and location so there is a lot of ground to cover all in one go. As a UConn student I was able to enter for free and my partner who is a veteran received free admission as well! Knocking a star for the ease of navigating the museum, the layout is not friendly to those who are directionally challenged and a lack of clear signage doesn't help. When you have all day to meander this isn't so much of an issue but can be tricky in a time crunch. Also, water and food is not allowed in the gallery but the cafeteria is current closed so plan to eat before or after.

We took a day trip a couple of days ago to visit this remarkable art venue about an hour and a half from our hometown, and we were very well impressed. It showcases a remarkably rich permanent collection as well as traveling exhibits and active family and community programming, with free admission all day on Second Saturdays, and a museum shop and cafe. Parking may be secured at the Connecticut Convention Center garage for $3(with validation at the museum) or you may park in metered parking along Main Street and the Atheneum Square. Veterans with ID or DD214 documentation can enter for free. If you park in metered parking during the work week, be aware that these spots are closely monitored by the city, and the fines are stiff if you run out of time while at the museum. Current traveling exhibits that can keep you mesmerized include 60 artworks by Milton Avery which are spectacular, which is scheduled to run until 06/05/22, and Nevine Mahmoud's sculptures of glass and stone, the new Matrix exhibition, scheduled to run until 05/01/22.

What great little museum!!!! World class artists in a casual and approachable museum. Picasso, Miro, Calder, Mondrian and many more. These are alll very good examples of each artist. After being to great art museums around the world this a a jewel in my own backyard. If you have not been here go soon

What a gem of a museum!! Right here in downtown Hartford well stocked with works from most of the greatest artists in history as well as many who one day, will be! Vegas, Van Gogh, Dali, Monet and Renoir await you so, please do not not miss this wonderfully staffed and presented collection today!!

Absolutely loved this museum! We happened upon it by pure luck & we were about 15 mins to 4PM. The hostess was nice enough to tell us to go for some coffee down the street and return at 4PM because it is free between 4PM - 5PM. An hour is more than ample time to run the course of this museum in the middle of downtown Hartford. Most of their pieces were priceless including my favorite from Dali - Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach. I could not believe I was looking AT THE original painting! My heart just fluttered!!! And yet I was so taken aback that I FORGOT to take a picture of it! Their other pieces were just beautiful... their Morgan Great Hall has some very nice pieces to admire. I was even able to define one that took place called An August Morning with Farragut - The Battle of Mobile Bay. To know that we were at that fortress 2 summers ago in Dauphin Island and connect the dots on that painting was amazing! They had a few Vatican style pieces including a version of the Pieta (my favorite of all time from the Vatican Splendors). That depiction of Mary holding her dying son speaks to me at so many levels! Another painting of Madonna and Child that is priceless to me was on display. Everything about this museum was just perfect to take in during our trip! We should never lose that desire to do art... be art... express art!!! It's what helps make sense of the senseless things in this world!

What a great museum! We stumbled on this museum in April 2018. We had come from NYC to Hartford with my older son for the MTG conference. We stayed at the Marriot and were walking around the area. The Gothic, Gloomy Worlds Of Edward Gorey was a temporary exhibit. When my husband, 9 year old son & I noticed that, in we went! It was a weekend and there were no lines & no crowds. The curation of the exhibit captured the artist and his work. Also the museum itself is small enough that you can explore all the exhibits in one visit. I do love NYC museums (I can't wait to go to the David Bowie exhibit @ The Brooklyn Museum of Art this summer!) but I know it will be packed and my family will have to purchase tickets beforehand so it's not sold out! This museum was a pleasure!

Hidden behind the ugly modern art and politically correct nonsense is hidden some real art, mostly packed in a bulk, no-frills display in the Morgan Great Hall. It almost makes up for the complete absence of parking and the higher-than l-NYC entrance fees. Almost.

Excellent collection in an outstanding building. Give yourself a few hours for this vast amount of paintings, sculptures, and fine art at this museum.

Visiting this museum definitely exceeded my expectations and was a great experience! The museum was a lot bigger than expected, and had a great variety and range of artwork. They had arrows on the ground to direct traffic, but it didn't at all take away from the freedom of exploring the works. It was socially distanced, and pre-caution measures were taken seriously. I also loved the fact that it is in the heart of downtown, so there were many great restaurants around to try!

What a treasure. Go often and stay as long as possible. My happy place for a long time.

This is a pretty cool little art museum. Actually it's not that little and has a decent amount and variety of art. Wednesday to Sunday from 4-5 (close) it's free, which is what I did and the museum was pretty empty, which was a shame because there are good things to look at. One security guard in particular was giving a lot of info about paintings without being asked, and I wondered if he was lonely or bored so just memorized all the info because there weren't a large amount of visitors. An hour is enough to get some good highlights but not enough to see everything. At 5 they promptly kick you out (which isn't surprising) but they also close the gift shop pretty quickly too. They want out. If you have a little time, take advantage of the free hour, but there's more to see in an hour. I also like that it looks like a castle, but I did NOT like how they put "OMG" as a light up sign as some installation. Here's hoping when you go, you don't have some jarring neon lights on a medieval ish style building. I believe there is paid parking but I had no problems getting nearby street parking on a Saturday. Good to check out.

For my first day in Connecticut, I decided to head down to Hartford and see what it had to offer. It was raining a bit so I decided to spend my time at the Wadsworth for a few hours. Since I came straight from the airport with luggage, the staff offered to hold it in the manager's room while I walked around the museum. For travelers like me, this is awesome! There were quite a lot of pieces to look at. I was surprised that they had a pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama. I like to look at pieces from east Asia, but maybe I just didn't find the right room. After a few hours, it was still raining outside but I was hungry. Luckily, the museum had a small restaurant within it. The interior was beautifully decorated with fancy frames on the wall. The food was delicious. I had their special of the day. It was a vegetarian lasagna with a salad on the side with a light vinaigrette. (Plated beautifully) Wish I got to see the dessert menu, but they were just about to close. The staff and head security guard here were incredibly helpful and kind that it made me feel welcome in this new city. They gave me suggestions about what to see next when I headed out. Stood in the rain for a bit to check google maps and the head security guy runs out in the rain to point me in the direction of where to go. That was really sweet and nice. I would definitely come back again for the Fine Arts and Flower event next year.

The Wadsworth is definitely my new favorite spot in Hartford. What an amazing collection and beautiful space! Definitely try to snag a museum tour, which are on the top of the hour. Every docent has a different collection of art to show you, and you will definitely learn something new and practically travel through art history time in an hour. You will learn a lot about the museum itself, too. The collection is varied and nicely curated. Their museum store is also pretty awesome. It includes some Hartford goodies and also has a robust children's area. I have started to take all my friends and family who visit us to this museum - and with good reason! There's no reason to delay your visit.

A beautiful body perishes, but a work of art dies not. -Leonardo da Vinci Artwork inspires, teaches, criticizes and challenges who we are. Without sound it holds humanity's powerful voice. It's a wonderful place, it's time well spent. If you visit, and nothing here seems exciting or worthwhile, create something that is! Hopefully you'll share my sentiment after visiting yourself. There are many things everyone should do once in a lifetime, visiting an art museum is one of them... creating a piece of artwork is another. Thank you Wadsworth Atheneum!

I work at a day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. On Saturdays, we take day trips out in the community. My job at is to find venues and activities for our people to participate in and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum seemed like a good activity, especially for a self guided tour which I was pleased was an option for them. When dealing with the population we are, it is best to give them some freedom to go off on their own and do their own things with the supervision of our staff. One of my guys was leaning a little too close to the wall where paintings were hanging, and a staff member from the museum came running up to the group and announced herself as their "impromptu tour guide". My staff replied by saying that they had a self guided tour scheduled. But the museum staff said they were getting too close to the walls and proceeded to follow them throughout the entire museum, making my staff and several of the guys uncomfortable. She even went as far as to follow them both up and down the elevator. Seems to me someone may have been judging some books by their covers and judging behaviors based off appearances. Would definitely not recommend this place to anyone, especially someone providing care for someone with a disability. I understand the artwork featured is expensive as well as pieces of history, but rest assured, in a ratio of 1 staff to 5 individuals, we would not let anything happen, and we go to museums and other similar places regularly.

I never thought of myself as a museum goer before this.. But I just simply couldn't help loving some of the exhibits here at Wadsworth The exterior is very castle like ... The interior is bigger than it seems from the outside... It has many wings and 3 floors to explore ... Could easily take 4-5 hrs to walk through the exhibits and not even have seen them in detail.... Some of the pieces speak a loud powerful message of humanity... I was very intrigued by that. They have a lot of event all year round and sometime you can enjoy the museum free of charge ... Normally entry would be $15. Some useful info : Year-round education activities include school and teacher programs, student and public tours, TAP audio tour and Great Chain Game, lectures, gallery talks, Second Saturdays for Families, Community Days, studio classes, artist residencies, concerts, and films. They had a make shift planetarium on the day we visited .... My kid had the best time. I realized something that day...you don't have to be too old to appreciate good art.

The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the US. It was founded in 1842! It is a pretty big museum with lots of paintings. The admission price isn't too bad. Hartford residents get in for free. It was a lot bigger than I thought it would be and because Hartford isn't a very populous city it feels like you have the whole place to yourself. I really enjoyed the room with the cabinets of curiosities which contains a collection of different interesting items such as rocks and minerals, fossils, and pinned insects.

A great winter morning seeing an array of art from all periods. So much to see and even a cafe serving lunch. Fyi...most libraries have free passes to lend.

As a native of Connecticut I have been to the Wadsworth (the oldest continually-operating museum in the US) countless times growing up - from school sponsor field trips to Saturday afternoons with my parents. However, until recently, I did not realize the depth of its art collection as well as the substantial number of cultural events. I had the pleasure of attending the recent Coney Island Exhibit Opening - which they have been curating for 5 years! In addition to putting together this huge traveling exhibit - the staff has been diligently working to complete renovations to this historic building. I had no idea that it has been over 50 years since the ENTIRE museum was open to the public. That blows my mind - as the many times I have been there I have been awestruck by room after room of art work from every corner of the globe. You can pretty much find any style of art that might interest you and with the renovations - after September 2015 there will be even more for patrons to explore. In addition to their vast art collection - the museum does a lot of out reach with City residents as well as opens it's doors after hours for themed First Thursdays. A great way to see artwork from a different perspective. It almost makes me feel a little like a character in Night at the Museum (but without the T-Rex) The Wadsworth might not be as big or "popular" as some of the other art museums in the area but check it out and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what a gem of a museum the City of Hartford has in its back yard.

It is always nice this time of year to stop by the Wadsworth for the Christmas Tree Festival and competition as always they have some very interesting trees and decorations. There is a slight $3/per person up-charge for the tree festival but certainly worth it in my opinion. After visiting the festival roaming through the museum is always a treat revisiting some of my favorite paintings, sculptures and artifacts.

Very nice building. We went to a show a week ago and place is well kept, staff is friendly. I enjoyed my visit.

Hartford residents (especially dwellers) get some perks here including free admission and occasional discounts on events and shows. I not only like coming here for the art and walking around, but the annual shows hosted by the Aetna Theatre are great in the basement of the Wadsworth. Events also include brunch and bites at their very own cafe, live music from the local orchestra, and event previews. Looking forward to coming here more.

This art museum is the best museum in Hartford. In fact, it is also the largest one in the state of Connecticut. I have been spoiled by the massive museums in NYC. Though much smaller than those ones, this one is still of a decent size. Their collection consists mainly of European, American, and Egyptian art. Worth a look if you are spending a day in Hartford.

You don't think of Hartford as a place to go visit art. Living here, I tend to imagine, visiting museums when I head out to Boston or New York, or other places. I thought Wadsworth is really pretty impressive and well worth visiting! I'm especially partial to modern art, so the initial rooms were especially compelling. Whatever you like, there's a lot of what you might be looking for. The place is much bigger than what you might expect from the outside.

One of Hartford's gems, the Wadsworth did not disappoint. Great collection with a focus on European and American art. Watch for works by Caravaggio, Vuillard, o'keeffe, de Kooning, William turner and Klimt. Expect at least a two hour visit. Great lighting and display. Staff was professional. Washrooms were clean. Enjoy Hartford!!

Very cool location in downtown. Free entry for Hartford residents (you sign up for a special card) along with any member of sponsor organizations (UCONN, The Hartford, etc.) Many of the exhibits are staples, but there seems to be something new every time I go. Many times throughout the year, they host Art After Dark (1st Thursday) often featuring food, live music, interactive art exhibits and demonstrations, along with a free movie in the basement. Every year they put on the Festival of Trees, a beautiful fundraiser with donated decorations that are for sale. Well laid out, always clean, respectful staff and docents. Variety of styles and types of art, not expensive. Check them out.

Great place to bring the family! A bunch of beautiful pieces. I love the quiet setting of the whole place every level you will find someone asking if you'd like to know more about any of the art. COVID FRIENDLY

I came here for a visit on a Friday afternoon during their 4-5pm "happy hour". During this time entry to the museum is free which is a great deal! We parked right out front and walked around the museum for about 1 hour. It's filled with great exhibits and changes periodically. At this moment they do have arrows on the ground to direct visitors in one direction, so just something to keep in mind. I'd definitely recommend a visit in.

This was a decent sized art museum with an interesting art collection. The happy hour was great because it allowed visitors a chance to see the museum for free in the last hour before closing! One of the most impressive sights was the Great Room with its collection of paintings all in one room and its time lapse video of how it came into existence. I thought the pumpkin at the end of the Great Room was really eye catching. It didn't look like much on the outside, but it went deep and it connected to various buildings. Bathrooms were clean and updated.

Great range of art here. Beautiful gallery and nice/super helpful staff! I'll be back for sure!