bates college museum of art

Bates College has a great campus and the Museum always maintains displays that are quite impressive. Jazz was the central theme, but Maine landscapes were also displayed and were quite striking. You'll want to visit there in the Fall of the year, but with the museum's variety of programs, you will be pleasantly surprised anytime.

I have lived here my whole life but it seems the only ones welcomed here are the rich snooty parents of the kids who attend this college. never have I ever been treated so rudely. I feel bad for the kids who have to deal with the parents who think they can decide who should attend

From my own experience, I would say that this free art Museum is worth the time!It is not extremely busy, either. Well-worth the few minutes it took.

This is on the 'Maine Art Trail', which is what brought us here. That and the good reviews of other visitors perplex me. I'm sure if one were local, you would see some interesting things here over time, but perhaps due to its small size, the rotating exhibits may or may not appeal to you on a given visit. When we went, it was definitely a miss. There was simply very little there, and what there was was not very interesting. I was actually looking around corners thinking there must be something we're missing. The college itself, which I know is excellent, isn't really much to look at either.

Discovered this hidden gem on a rainy day just taking a walkabout on campus while visiting from nearby Poland, ME. They were working on the exhibit and not officially open but accommodated our request to peek and it was a wonderful exhibit, made even nicer by the informal, advance preview we were permitted to have.

We went for the exhibit, Starstruck: The Fine Art of Astrophotography, which is there 'til 12/15/12. Mighty interesting. Worth a trip.

But for its size and price (free !) it is worth your time. Sometimes the special exhibits are strange, sometimes they are darn good.

The art on display on this occasion was by senior students, and included acrylic paintings, photography, pottery, India ink drawings, and sculpture. The exhibit was well-lit and displayed, and some of was quite beautiful. The only improvements I could suggest would be a brochure about the artists whose work was displayed, and other pieces that might be available for purchase.

The museum is easy to access on the edge of the campus and despite its small size, is worth the visit. Exhibits vary, check the website for upcoming exhibits and events before heading out.

Interesting and diverse exhibits to grab your imagination and intelligence....right across the way from the Ware Street Inn!