How to Plan an Art-Filled Day Trip to Connecticut
Fairfield County—the state's southwest corner—is particularly popular with architecture aficionados
Connecticut may not have the same reputation as an arts destination that the Hudson Valley or the Hamptons claim, but there’s more than enough in Fairfield County—the state’s southwest corner—to fill a fun day out from New York City. The area is particularly popular with architecture aficionados, who come to visit the wealth of significant modernist and contemporary residences and cultural buildings scattered through the countryside. And some of these that are open to the public also integrate well-curated art exhibitions and programs, too.
Just over the state line, the town of Greenwich is an ideal place to start your day. Here, The Bruce Museum’s ongoing exhibit “Nature’s Impressions: The Modernist Landscape” collates works by American Impressionist painters, and a series of nine galvanized steel sculptures by Isamu Noguchi are on display through mid-November. For those with an appreciation for craft, a retrospective of works by basket weaver Jeremy Frey is also on view until September 7. The town center has a handful of small independent galleries to peruse as well.
Before heading further north for the afternoon, be sure to stop at one of the Greenwich local favorites for brunch or lunch including French-themed spots Bistro V and Le Penguin, Terra for pizza and pasta, or Townhouse if you’re willing to splurge.
Travel northeast for 30 minutes to reach New Canaan, home of The Glass House, which renowned modernist architect Philip Johnson designed as a residence for himself on a 49-acre estate in 1949. A National Trust for Historic Preservation site, the seminal transparent house and its ancillary gallery buildings that Johnson added to the site over the years are only accessible via a pre-booked tour, available all through the summer except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. These start from The Glass House Visitor Center and Design Store in the center of New Canaan, from which visitors are shuttled to the house located a short drive away in the lush woodland.
This summer’s exhibition, “Barbara Kasten: Structure, Light, Land,” spotlights five decades of photographs and sculptural installations by the Chicago-based artist. Spread across the various galleries, her bold, geometric works that blend Constructivism and Bauhaus principles inject flashes of color throughout the property. Back at the Design Store, items that range from tableware to toys make great souvenirs.
A few minutes further north, the Grace Farms Foundation sits on 80 stunning acres of natural landscape. This non-profit arts organization operates a cultural and humanitarian center that brings together arts and nature through its varied programming. It all centers around the striking River Building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm SANAA, which cascades elegantly down the hillside. Its shimmering, snake-like roof covers a series of glass pavilions that house the foundation’s offices, event spaces, and several large-scale murals and installations. In the café, visitors can enjoy Afternoon Tea with Grace Farms’s own brand of teas and coffees—the profits from which directly support the Design For Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.
This summer, Grace Farms is hosting the Amazing Butterflies Exhibit, a temporary exhibit created by The Natural History Museum in London in collaboration with Minotaur Mazes, as well as monthly educational programs and self-guided nature explorations for kids. For adults, a packed schedule of programs includes yoga, art classes, picnics, and mocktail creations. Free performances are taking place each Thursday in July as part of the Songs of the Summer series, and a full concert from the foundation’s music director Marcus G. Miller and his band is planned for July 19.
East of New Canaan, the Silvermine Arts Center offers a hands-on experience for art and craft fans. A wide variety of courses and workshops on printing, jewelry, painting are available for adults, while week-long art camps for kids aged 3-17 run through the summer. The center’s galleries also host a rotating series of exhibitions, including the Guild Summer Salon from July 19 to August 21 that presents works by Silvermine’s guild members, then the 75th A-ONE, an international showcase of diverse work by established and emerging artists, starting August 30.