colby college museum of art

This museum is outstanding. phenomenal contemporary art, inside a beautiful building too! very peaceful, and free!

The Colby College Museum of Art is definitely a hidden treasure. The museum has the best collection of art in Maine thanks to the generosity of the Lund Family and others. I always like to visit the Alex Katz exhibition but the new Lund Wing has added a depth to the museums collection that is marvelous. To make it even better the museum is open to the public and has no admission charge. The art talks are also open and free of charge. It is seldom, make that never, crowded. A real gem for Waterville.

My friend Alex and I came here for our first time each to see the Bernard Langlais exhibit. This was a moving and memorable experience of a large cross-section of Langlais's work, from his earlier paintings to his large-scale wood reliefs and animal sculptures. He was truly a nature lover and this is reflected in the collection. The lighting on a few of the pieces was a bit off, but over all his work was displayed beautifully and thematically, and was a delight to behold- evoking emotion and a sense of wonder. The museum itself, comprising 5 wings and 38,000 square feet of exhibition space, is the largest in Maine- and admission is free. The buildings are immaculately clean and modern. In addition to changing exhibits, and the showcasing of emerging talents in various mediums, Colby College Museum of Art is home to significant collections by many other celebrated artists, including: John Marin, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Richard Serra, Chuck Close, Alex Katz and Elizabeth Murray, to name but a few. Signage is excellent with clear direction on the use (or not) of photography as well as "no touching" reminders. The museum was fairly well attended on this visit. It is truly spacious, with a large lobby and comfortable, modern seating, and the staff on duty were helpful and informative.Parking is free, convenient and readily available. Be advised there are no food concessions or cafe' available. However, there are clean restrooms, a water fountain and complimentary coffee station, and coat rack. It will be a joy to return again, either for a specific exhibit or to marvel at their impressive permanent collection, or both. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

The recent expansion of this museum has brought it up several levels. There is art here that would be worthy of a trip to Boston (4 hours away)..but now I can see it right in Waterville. If you are an art lover in the central Maine area (or even farther away), you must see this place! There's something here for everyone, from history buffs to ultramodernists. And did I mention, admission is FREE?

Disclosure: I'm not an artist or an art historian. That said, I loved our visits to the Colby Museum. The Colby College Museum is now the largest art museum in Maine. We've taken several docent-led tours, each better than the last. One pointed out how the spaces were designed to fit the collections displayed there, something I hadn't realized. The collection has something for everyone, and I highly recommend a visit. And it's free!

What a gem! Has lots of Winslow Homer and James McNeil Whistler art! But also has a good selection of paintings, etching, sculptures, photographs, etc from artists of all decades. Also good folk art collection. Spent 3 hours there and still could go back and see it again. Free, too! Closed Mondays, but open Sundays. Highly, highly recommended!

An amazing gallery for a college location. They change things every semester for the students. A real mix but some excellent pieces.

38,000 sq ft of exhibition space of contemporary and American art on a picture perfect New England old college campus should put this on any traveller's itinerary.Picture 4000 yr old Asian ceramics, then view from this partial roster:Alex Katz,Winslow Homer,Serra,JM Whistler,Cassatt,Calder.Many more.Go with awe and wonder about imagination. And, no charge.

I went with friends who have in Waterville their whole lives and didn't know about it. Almost a sanctuary. I've recommended it to many people!

This was a well worth it detour on our way back from coastal Maine . The architecture was stunning and the collections (including the Langlais works) were spectacular for a small institution. we very much enjoyed the 2 1/2 hours we spent there.I also want to comment on the staff. From the front desk folks to the security people all were warm and gracious and welcoming which made for an even better experience.There is no entrance charge but don't be cheap - make a voluntary donation so this place remains open to the public - we all benefit from places like this !

Housed in a relatively new building, the art collection represents a diverse range of genres and time periods. The curator's descriptions and signage are quite informative and insightful. The size of the collection is just right for an afternoon's activity. I highly recommend a visit.

It was my first visit to Colby Museum of art and I was quite impressed. They have nice permanent collection and interesting rotating exhibits.

I f you love art, don't miss this superb museum. Founded in 1959 and now comprising five wings, more than 8,000 works, and more than 38,000 square feet of exhibition space, this museum is a testament to the success of Colby's graduates. In 1992, 1999, and again in 2009, over 28,000 square feet of galleries were added providing stunning well lit space for this museum's impressive collection of artists such as James McNeill Whistler, William Merit Chase, Winslow Homer, John Marin, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Sera, Sol Lewitt, Adolph Gottleib, Chuck Close, Alex Katz, and others. This museum is worth a journey and a must for art lovers!

If you're in central Maine, you should stop off and visit Colby College's beautiful new museum. It's probably one of the largest collections of art, if not the largest, in Maine. Spend a couple of hours perusing the beautiful and eclectic pieces. From Degas to Katz this is a collection worth viewing.

The Colby campus is beautiful. The museum has recently undergone a major renovation and expansion. Right now not all the galleries are open; even some (the Alex Katz galleries for which the museum is probably most famous) that are not are not being renovated are not accessible.