New Britain Museum of American Art

The New Britain Museum of American Art, in the city of New Britain about twenty minutes southwest of Hartford, is one of the finest regional museums in the Northeast and is often described as the first museum in the country dedicated solely to American art. Founded in 1903, it occupies a handsome building on a hilltop campus beside Walnut Hill Park, a green space designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The collection spans more than three centuries of American painting, sculpture and works on paper, from colonial portraits through the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, the Ashcan School and twentieth-century modernism to contemporary work. The museum's showpiece is The Arts of Life in America, a large mural cycle painted in 1932 by Thomas Hart Benton, depicting scenes from American culture, from Indian life and the Deep South to city and politics. The murals were created for the Whitney Museum and later found their permanent home in New Britain.

The Benton murals are not the only draw. The galleries include notable works by Frederic Church, Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, Georgia O'Keeffe, Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth, as well as the museum's well-known collection of illustrations and prints. A contemporary wing hosts changing exhibitions, and the museum has a reputation for lively programming, with artist talks, family days and creative workshops. The museum's design combines a historic mansion-like core with newer galleries that provide light and flow, and a gift shop and a cafe provide welcome pauses.

Plan a visit of about two hours, longer if you want to read labels carefully or see special exhibitions. The museum is easy to enjoy even if you are not an art expert, because American art tends to be about familiar subjects, from landscapes and farms to cities, and the labels are clear.

Admission has typically been moderate, with free days or discounts offered at times, and the museum is closed on certain weekdays, so check the website before making the drive. Parking is simple, and the museum is also reachable by public transit from Hartford with a connection.

The museum pairs naturally with the Wadsworth Atheneum, which is more European and eclectic, giving visitors a balanced art tour of the region. Many people spend a morning at the Wadsworth and an afternoon in New Britain, or the reverse, and the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington is a third natural stop for Impressionism. Walnut Hill Park next door is good for a stroll in good weather, and New Britain's downtown offers casual restaurants, including Polish eateries reflecting the city's long immigrant history.

If you have a special interest in American painting, ask the front desk for a map of the permanent collection highlights, then take your time in the Benton room, where the murals' sweeping scale rewards a slow walk from one end to the other.

The cafe is a pleasant lunch stop, and the shop has a good selection of art books and prints of American masters. If you travel by train, the CTfastrak busway connects Hartford and New Britain with frequent service, which makes the museum an easy trip without a car, although you should confirm the latest schedules and the walking connection on the day.