Thursday & Friday 10AM-4:30PM
Saturday & Sunday 1-4:30PM
Admission is Free
A History of the William Benton Museum of Art at the University of Connecticut:
The William Benton Museum of Art has a proud past, a vibrant present and an exciting future. The Benton opened officially in 1967, but its roots go back to the early twentieth century and the days of the Connecticut Agricultural College, which evolved into the University of Connecticut. The building that housed the original Museum was constructed in 1920 and served as "The Beanery", the campus' main dining hall until the mid-1940s. The small, elegantly designed College Gothic structure, with its gracious sculpture garden, is among the core campus buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Museum collection traces its beginnings to College President Charles Lewis Beach who bequeathed his impressive holdings of American art to the University on his death in 1933, along with a trust fund for future acquisitions. It was President Beach's intent that the collection "instill and cultivate an appreciation of works of art in the student body of the College and in such other persons as may avail themselves of said collection." This original collection included works by Childe Hassam, Henry Ward Ranger, Emil Carlson, Charles H. Davis, Ernest Lawson and Guy Wiggins.
Since then, the Benton has added works by such renowned artists as Mary Cassatt, Thomas Hart Benton, Fairfield Porter, George Bellows, Rembrandt Peale, Georges Braque, Gustav Climt, Edward Burne-Jones, Maurice Prendergast and Kiki Smith.
In 1965, Dr. Walter Landauer, an internationally recognized geneticist and professor, gave the University 107 Käthe Kollwitz prints and drawings. In 1966, during the Presidency of Dr. Homer Babbidge, these treasures and the Beach Collection, which by then included works by such well-known artists as Mary Cassatt, George Bellows and others, found a home at the Museum later named in honor of prominent Connecticut Senator and University trustee William Benton. His family generously donated to the Museum some of his sizable collection of Reginald Marsh paintings and works by other important 20th century American artists.
The Benton Museum remains true to President Beach's vision by providing the academic community, the citizens of the State of Connecticut and the general public with diverse and widely acclaimed exhibitions, lectures, recitals, and readings. The Museum has an exceptionally fine collection of more than 5,500 works including paintings, drawings, watercolors, prints, photographs, and sculptures.
The future is bright for the Benton with the new addition including the Evelyn Simon Gilman Gallery, new and refurbished galleries and lecture areas, an elegant Members Lounge, Café Muse, and The Store. This expansion serves to enhance the Benton's reputation as a museum of significance, a vital part of the University environment, and an important art venue in the Northeast.
Spring 2010 Art Exhibitions
CounterMart
March 25 - May 9
This exhibition will feature the convenience store scene from Abby Manock's video Counters. Her work includes drawing, sculpture, installation, performance and video in order to explore the tension between idealized childhood visions of the world and adult angst concerning social and political realities.
Masters of Fine Arts
This celebration of the creative talents of the class of 2010 in the Master of Fine Arts program in Studio Art showcases the works of Lauren Laudano (sculptor), Kasey Lindley (painting and multi-media installation), Owen McKenzie (drawing), and Frank Travis (printmaking).
Poem & Picture
March 25 - May 9
Poem & Picture features the collaborative visions of twentieth-century artists and poets, works that combine the disciplines of art and poetry in a way that each is complimented and enhanced by the other.
