What's On
December 3 through December 28
Christmastime Teas
Enjoy our hand-blended, superior Ceylon and China black teas blended with a touch of vanilla and other delicate spices over a two-day process by Sundial Gardens and elegant tea sandwiches and seasonal sweets by Gourmet Galley, all the while overlooking the wintery splendor of the Lieutenant River.
November 29 through January 5
The Magic of Christmas
Christmastime at the Florence Griswold Museum is a beloved tradition for friends across the region! This year, we celebrate more than 200 painted palettes on Miss Florence’s Artist Trees with a new keepsake publication Miss Florence’s Artist Trees: Celebrating a Tradition of Painted Palettes. Available in the Museum’s Shop and online.
Spain beckons. Let’s go together!
Travel to Spain with the Museum
The Museum is collaborating with Collette Tours to offer Discover Spain’s Classics, an 11-day excursion from Madrid to Barcelona. Together, we’ll experience Spain’s colorful pageant of art, history, and culture. Set against a backdrop that spans sunny Mediterranean shores and grand mountain ranges, this stunning destination is dotted with white pueblos and groves of oranges and olives. Witness the priceless masterpieces of the Prado Museum, including works by artists such as Velazquez and Goya. Visit the exotic and expansive Alhambra palace, resplendent with Moorish regal flair. See the Cathedral of Seville, the third largest cathedral in the world. Enjoy reserved seating at a flamenco show and feel the passion of this famous dance. Explore Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Granada, Cordoba and Toledo. Become part of an authentic “paella experience,” and learn how this rice dish is made and where it originated. In Valencia, choose to see how the popular Lladro figurines are made by hand or explore the old town of Valencia inclusive of its historic market and Gothic cathedral. View Antonio Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces, including La Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell.
Current & Upcoming
Exhibitions
on view through May 24, 2020
Nothing More American: Immigration, Sanctuary, and Community an Exhibition by Matthew Leifheit
The white clapboard meetinghouse with its towering steeple is an icon of New England’s architecture and art, appearing often in paintings and photographs that depict it at the heart of the region’s small towns. "Nothing More American" brings together depictions of Old Lyme’s renowned First Congregational Church by 19th– and early-20th-century painters such as Childe Hassam with photographs by contemporary artist Matthew Leifheit that contemplate the meetinghouse’s evolving symbolism.
On view through January 12, 2020
Installation in the Florence Griswold House
An Evening of Metamorphosis at the Lyme Art Colony -- Much like Miss Florence invited artists into her home and encouraged their creativity, the Museum has welcomed our first Artist-in-Residence Jennifer Angus to transform the Florence Griswold House into a fantastical insect-themed party held by Colony artists. Angus’s work contributes to the dialogue about the persuasive role art can play in advocating for the preservation of our earth. Through January 12.
Ongoing Exhibition
An American Place
During the first two decades of the 20th century, the village of Old Lyme, Connecticut was the setting for one of the largest and most significant art colonies in America.
Current & Upcoming
Seasonal Events
November 29 through January 5
Magic of Christmas
Visitors can enjoy Miss Florence’s Artist Trees, designer Fantasy Trees, and the Florence Griswold House decorated for a 1910 Christmas. Christmastime Teas, special events for families, hands-on crafts for children and adults, and wonderful items in The Shop are sure to bring holiday cheer!
Check back soon for 2020 dates.
GardenFest
Kick off the garden season in Old Lyme. Visitors to the Museum understand immediately the site’s appeal to the artists who stayed at “Miss Florence” Griswold’s boardinghouse over a century ago. Her house, gardens, and river view were favored subjects of her artistic boarders. Highlights include a Garden Luncheon and Blooms with a View.
Check back for dates and activities
Wee Faerie Village 2020
History Blog
Online
Collections
A New England Identity
Hartford Steam Boiler Collection
The paintings and sculptures in this exhibition are by artists who lived and worked in Connecticut from the late Colonial period to the early 20th century.
In Situ
The Painted Panels
During the first summers of the Lyme art colony the artists began to paint scenes on the door panels of the boardinghouse.
Race Into the Past
Fox Chase
One of the most celebrated works of art at the Florence Griswold Museum is the frieze-like painting titled The Fox Chase (1905) created by Henry Rankin Poore.
Museum
Campus
Krieble Gallery
Begin your visit at the Krieble Gallery.
Florence Griswold House
The Late Georgian mansion was transformed from a wealthy sea captain’s home into a boardinghouse for some of the most noted names in American Impressionism.
Gardens and Grounds
The Museum’s grounds invite exploration.