Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Introduction
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Lyman Allyn Art Museum was founded by the bequest of Harriet Upson Allyn, a New London resident, in 1926. It is housed in a neo-classical granite building designed by Charles A. Platt and opened in 1932 with an inaugural collection of just 13 works. Today, it has a permanent collection of more than 15,000 pieces, nine galleries, an auditorium, a conservation lab, and a library. Its focus is on 18th-20th-century American art.
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Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Backstory and Context
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The museum is named for Harriet Allyn's father Captain Lyman Allyn (1797-1874), who commanded a whaling boat before getting involved in banking, insurance, and the railroad industry. Harriet Allyn's will provided funds for the museum, as well as a park and a donation of land to Connecticut College.
On permanent display is the American Perspectives exhibit, which showcases 18th-20th-century paintings, sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts, arranged by chronology, region, and theme. For instance, the exhibit includes a robust collection of Connecticut Impressionist works, as well as an impressive collection of pieces relating to New London's maritime history.
The museum also has a collection of toys, many of which are displayed inside an American Victorian Dollhouse, built for the museum in 1962.
On permanent display is the American Perspectives exhibit, which showcases 18th-20th-century paintings, sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts, arranged by chronology, region, and theme. For instance, the exhibit includes a robust collection of Connecticut Impressionist works, as well as an impressive collection of pieces relating to New London's maritime history.
The museum also has a collection of toys, many of which are displayed inside an American Victorian Dollhouse, built for the museum in 1962.
Sources
"American Perspectives." Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Accessed February 26, 2017. http://www.lymanallyn.org/category/the-permanent-collection/.
"History." Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Accessed February 26, 2017. http://www.lymanallyn.org/history-of-laam/.
"The Victorian Dollhouse." Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Accessed February 26, 2017. http://www.lymanallyn.org/victorian-hawthorne-doll-house-learning-center/.
"History." Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Accessed February 26, 2017. http://www.lymanallyn.org/history-of-laam/.
"The Victorian Dollhouse." Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Accessed February 26, 2017. http://www.lymanallyn.org/victorian-hawthorne-doll-house-learning-center/.