The Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, is one of the nation's oldest teaching museums. Founded in 1876, it was created to enrich the college's academic life by giving students direct access to original works of art. Today, its collection spans over 17,000 objects - from ancient artifacts to contemporary pieces - and supports interdisciplinary learning across the campus and beyond.
Its origins are closely tied to the college's early history. The museum's first acquisitions included missionary collections brought back by alumnae of the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. The first formal donation, a painting by Albert Bierstadt, arrived in 1876 and was displayed in Lyman Williston Hall. Over time, the museum grew through gifts, endowments, and the development of dedicated art spaces, including the Dwight Art Memorial Building, which opened in 1902.
I did not recognize most of the artists but the one I did was an absolutely stunning Barbara Hepworth sculpture. Beautiful!
Admission to the museum is free, and donations are warmly accepted to help sustain its programs and exhibitions. Visitors can explore both permanent and rotating displays, with works ranging from classical antiquity to global contemporary art. As part of the Five College Museums and Historic Deerfield consortium, the museum offers a rich experience for students, scholars, and curious...
Read moreA serene setting for a spectacular botanical garden and solarium with thousands of magnificent plans. The museum is small and richly filled with artifacts from Greece, China, Italy and more. There are some well-known artists as well as lesser known painters and printmakers. But the work is unique and thoroughly enjoyable. A really nice day trip - under an hour - from...
Read moreThis is a gem of an art museum containing wonderful treasures that might just surprise you. If you are an art lover and ever in the area, take the time to visit. You may be the only person exploring the museum during your time there, giving you all the space you need to take in Mt. Holyoke's Museum's...
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