Museum’s Growth Transforms New England Town into Cultural Destination
Travelers find the Florence Griswold Museum and Old Lyme, Connecticut Irresistible
OLD LYME, CT, July 1, 2003: A year after the opening of the Krieble Gallery and the installation of the Hartford Steam Boiler art collection, Old Lyme’s Florence Griswold Museum has successfully evolved from a respected local house museum to one of New England’s premier tourist destinations. "To date, attendance is up 75% since the opening of the art gallery, with visitors from 49 states and 23 countries," cites Jeffrey Andersen, Director of the Museum.
In the past, visitors might stop at the Museum as a part of a trip to Mystic or other shoreline towns. Today, travelers make a special trip to Old Lyme, located halfway between New York and Boston, specifically to see the Florence Griswold Museum and to dine, shop, or stay at the village’s fine inns. "The Museum’s unique setting, a rare combination of art, history, and landscape, makes it one of New England’s most special attractions," remarks Doug Evans, Executive Director of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts."
An Art-Lover’s Dream
Here in this serene inlet at the mouth of the Connecticut River, early 20th century Impressionist artists from New York and Boston sought refuge from the trials of city life. Much of the character that drew painters to the area over a century ago remains today. The Congregational Church, made famous by Childe Hassam’s paintings, still stands at the end of Lyme Street. Meandering roads and wooded lanes open to picturesque views, any of which could have been a painting spot immortalized on canvas by Willard Metcalf or William Chadwick. Now the town also offers an array of charming art galleries, specialty stores, and antique shops. Delightful inns cater to visitors’ needs and restaurants tempt their palates. At the heart of town’s artistic legacy is the Florence Griswold Museum, the "Home of American Impressionism." As the historic home of the Lyme Art Colony, the Museum and its grounds offer visitors a unique experience.
A Connecticut Lady and her Bohemian Boys
How did a generation of American artists wind up in Old Lyme? Besides the fact that there was no loss of subject matter to chose from, the artists found perfect accommodations with the kindred bohemian spirit of Florence Griswold. Left with little means to maintain her family home, "Miss Florence" had opened her doors to boarders in 1899. Artists began to appear and over the next decade turned her stately 1817 house into the home of the Lyme Art Colony, where noted names in American Impressionism created some of their best works.
No Where Else in America
The artists left Miss Florence, and generations of art lovers, something very special - paintings on the walls and doors of the Griswold House. The tradition was imported from hostelries in the French art colonies of Barbizon, Giverny, and Pont-Aven. The most breathtaking example is found in the dining room, with 40 paintings by over 30 artists, a complete chronicle of the art colony movement in America.
A New Center for American Art
Today, visitors not only enjoy touring the historic home and Miss Florence’s gardens; they spend their time viewing paintings by America’s premier artists in the Museum’s new riverfront gallery, with changing exhibitions that invite return visits. The new Krieble Gallery has propelled the Museum into a national destination. The recently opened 10,000 square foot gallery building by Centerbrook Architects adds a twentieth century perspective with three skylit galleries flanked by striking, curvilinear metal wings overlooking Miss Florence’s garden and the Lieutenant River.
The Museum has one of the foremost collections of Impressionism in America, with major works by Childe Hassam and John Henry Twachtman, and the largest collection of Willard Metcalf paintings anywhere. Changing exhibitions offer audiences the finest American art dating from the late 18th century to the present. The 2003 season features an exhibition of Pennsylvania Impressionism from the James A. Michener Museum of Art (June 28 – September 28); The American River, a national juried exhibition from October 11, 2003 to January 4, 2004; and Home for the Holidays, a seasonal celebration in the Griswold House from November 29, 2003 to January 4, 2004.
Spend the Day, Spend the Weekend
The Old Lyme Inn and The Bee and Thistle Inn are consistently highly ranked in travel guides for their restaurants and accommodations. The Cooley Gallery is considered a preeminent purveyor of American art, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts graduates some of tomorrow’s top artists, and the Lyme Art Association is the longest continually operating art association run by professional artists in the country. A stroll down historic Lyme Street gives visitors a study in American Colonial architecture with homes grand and modest, boutiques, antiques shops, and an ice cream parlor. Shore Road offers nature lovers a chance to connect with wildlife and natural areas along the Connecticut River Valley and Long Island Sound.
Old Lyme is the gateway to spectacular side trips. Old Saybrook and Essex, Connecticut are a hop across the Connecticut River and feature shopping and attractions like the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat and the Connecticut River Museum.
The artists who founded the Lyme Art Colony were in search of rest and renewal as well as inspiration. A century later, travelers in their footsteps still find the same in the remarkable town of Old Lyme.
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