the bennington center for the arts

Our second time here. This time we skipped the covered bridge section and stuck to the arts section. Enjoyed the fine works very much. See the website for current exhibitions. Well worth $9 for a couple of hours of fine and interesting art.

A very enjoyable afternoon in Bennington; easy parking, friendly staff and an...eclectic collection of art.

Bruce usually writes but I'm his wife......Thoroughly enjoyed the variety of galleries to view. Went to see the covered bridge exhibit and the carved birds, both were very good. In addition saw art, sculptures, quilts, hat boxes, miniature rooms etc. I'm wheelchair bound but all levels were accessible via small open lift. Well carpeted throughout which my husband told me later was more of an effort to push me round but nice for the normal visitor I'm sure.

A great collection of art - modern, old and ethnic. Enjoyed the Bob Kuhn wildlife collection. The museum also has the Covered Bridges Museum with an interesting video,,images and anecdotes.

One side of the museum was devoted to fine art display and the other side was devoted to the history of the covered bridge. There was a show of the juried exhibit for the Oil Painters of America. This was excellent and we got to vote for our favorite painting. The covered bridge section was quite interesting but someone on the staff was giving a couple a private tour of the museum while we were there. It made it difficult for anyone else to hear the exhibit.

something for everyone, not overly pricey. place for holiday shopping. close to dining opportunities, go do Madisons cafe.

The covered bridges portion of this musuem is excellent. It is just one room, but it is a display worthy of bridge lovers. I do not exactly fall into that category, but I found myself getting sucked in just giving the displays a quick visit. I came to the museum to see the animal art exhibit. It was maybe 25% interesting. Actually a lot of really kitchy art, but well crafted. Just not my cup of tea. The bird carvings were interesting, but what I liked the most was the small displays of navajo rugs in the staircases.I agree that it is an expensive entry fee for what you get in an area with a lot of art but I saw a few good things, and as I said, the bridge room is amazing, so I do feel I got my money's worth.

This is a gem of an art gallery! The show of the National Oil Painters of America and the wildlife art exhibit were terrific, and the gallery asked for a vote on best painting, which made it even more fun. The Eric Sloane's in the Covered Bridge Museum there were also wonderful.

We just happen to visit while the National Oil Painters of America Exhibition was being shown. It was unreal. Their Center is huge, it's laid out perfect. Elevators are available. They have a very nice permanent collect that matches their shows. We absolutely loved the place!

For a smaller venue stuck in a rural setting, the Bennington CA is really a gem, nicely polished. This OPA annual show is well displayed in several of their galleries, and other than a few hanging miscues, done very nicely. I can say that the varied room lends itself well to breaking up the show to avoid monotony, and lighting in most cases is well used to enhance color and value of the works. A few dead zones that perhaps couldn't be avoided and a few pieces hung either too low for the lighting used or next to works that just clashed, but overall a show over 200 pieces is bound to have a couple distractions. I especially loved several of the near impressionistic works, and the jury panel should be commended for pulling a wide breadth of work type and theme. It's not all still life, florals, and portraits! Bravo! BCA staff are very friendly and helpful, so give them kudos for opening on a hot Monday morning right on time. The other exhibits include the Covered Bridge Museum, Native American art, animal art and carvings, and a small works exhibit that was very enjoyable itself!

This is a very well organized and informative Arts Center. The artist exhibits were organized to provide maximum opportunity to view, compare and digest. I will return there on my next visit to the Bennington/Manchester area and look forward to a new exhibit.

In an area with so many other art resources, paying $9 admission for this gallery makes no sense. Go to the Clark, MassMoCA, or the Williams College Art Museum instead.

Very nice art with a great covered bridge museum. Learned a lot. Would visit again. Wish the model train had been working.

While we were visiting Bennington we happened to be timed perfectly for the exhibit after a 5-day plein-air event of artists from all over the country. We loved the art and time chatting with the artists who shared interesting stories about their paintings.

Avoid this place completely if you are a performing artist, and consider discontinuing your support of the 'organization' if you understand that performers often count on gigs to support their families. The place books well in advance, fails completely in promotion, then cancels the event at the last minute with no ownership of a mistake or compensation of any kind for the artists. Community arts could really do without this kind of operation.