On view September 30, 2023—January 28, 2024

Connecticut artist Anna Held Audette (1938–2013) discerned loveliness in decay, creating monumental oil paintings of the disused factories, machines, and scrapyards that are America’s ruins. Her works, positioned somewhere between landscape, still life, and abstraction, reference the arc of America’s ascendance and decline as a manufacturing titan. Appreciative of art and architecture from across the ages, Audette perceived transcendent humanity and ingenuity vested in the crafted objects and spaces that caught her eye, defying expectations for women artists by embracing the inhospitable places recorded in her work.

Image: Anna Held Audette (1938–2013), Scrap Metal V, 1990. Oil on canvas, 70 ½ x 80 in., Florence Griswold Museum, Gift of Louis G. Audette, 2022.24

 

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September 30—October 29

Our annual Wee Faerie Village returns for a month of outdoor fun for all ages!

This year, dive in and explore Fathom Heights, the magical underwater world of the sea faeries. More than two dozen teams of artists will wow visitors with their delightful pint-sized creations.

Full calendar of special events and programs here.

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41st Annual Benefit Auction & Dinner Dance

Saturday, September 23, 6—11pm

41st Annual Benefit Auction & Dinner Dance

As we celebrate this fabled place that has forever filled artists’ heads with visions, the Florence Griswold Museum’s 41st gala will immerse one and all in a misty wonderland brimming with moonlit dancing, dining, cocktails, and spirited bidding on over 100 bewitching auction items.

A night of wonders and happily-ever-afters awaits…

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Bid in our Online Auction

September 10—23

Bid in our Online Auction

Now open for bids: over 100 unique and exciting items up for bid in this year's Online Auction!

Artwork, décor, experiences, travel, and much more. 100% of proceeds directly support the Museum's innovative and inspiring educational programs.

Bidding opens September 10 at 8am and closes September 23 at 8pm. You do NOT have to be present at our gala event to bid and win — anyone anywhere can bid on the array of items to support the Museum.

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Pre-purchased Tickets for Wee Faerie Village

Now Available

Pre-purchased Tickets for Wee Faerie Village

We have exciting news: this year, ALL Members receive free admission to Wee Faerie Village! If you are not already a Member, now is the perfect time to join and enjoy this Members' perk.⁠

And, for the first time, we are offering online ticketing for Wee Faerie Village! Pre-purchased tickets are NOT required, but if you would like to take advantage of this convenience, reserve tickets now at the link below.

Purchase tickets here...


Current and Coming

Field Trips & Group Tours

Field Trips & Group Tours

Thinking of planning a field trip or group tour of the Museum? We have multiple different options for delightful trips, no matter the size or age of your group!

Get in touch with our Education team to plan a memorable visit today.

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Miss Florence's Teas

November 28—December 30

Miss Florence's Teas

This holiday favorite sold out so quickly last year that we have added dates and additional seatings for 2023.

November 28—December 30, Tuesdays—Saturdays, tea will be served twice each day. Choose a seating at 11am or at 2pm and enjoy your tea for up to two hours. No teas on Sundays or Mondays.

Reservations open on Wednesday, November 1 and are made by calling 860.434.5542 x111.

MEMBERS’ PERK! Members can make their reservations beginning Friday, October 13.

Become a Member today...

Solitary Garden

by artist jackie sumell

Solitary Garden

The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme is collaborating with the New Orleans-based artist jackie sumell to install one of her “Solitary Garden” beds on our grounds, in conjunction with the exhibition Social & Solitary: Reflections on Art, Isolation, and Renewal. The Solitary Garden project comes to life through correspondence between a volunteer and a currently incarcerated “gardener.” Their letters articulate to the Museum what kinds of flowers or plants are grown in the garden bed. Each Solitary Garden is a gesture of hope connecting an isolated person to the outside world through the restorative act of nurturing plants.

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Friends and Neighbors

Explore Old Lyme

You won’t find a more quaint and inviting arts district than Lyme Street in Old Lyme. Spend your day engaged in the American arts as you walk from the museum to our art galleries, wander through a sculpture garden of imagination, and stop by a coffeehouse where someone just might be strumming their guitar. A renowned Jazz Club joins other inspiring music venues and performance series across town, while special events celebrating the arts happen throughout the year.

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Online

Collections

Hartford Steam Boiler Collection

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.

More Information

The Painted Panels

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.

See the Collection

Fox Chase

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.

See the Collection


Museum

Campus

Krieble Gallery

Krieble Gallery

Begin your visit at the Krieble Gallery.

Visit the Gallery

Florence Griswold House

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.

Visit the House

Gardens and Grounds

Gardens and Grounds

The Museum’s grounds invite exploration.

Visit the Grounds


History Blog

Landmarks: Einstein Dreaming in Old Lyme

By Carolyn Wakeman Featured Image: William Lord house, Tantummaheag. Lyme Historical Society Archives at the Florence Griswold Museum The story...

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