MATTATUCK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

THE MATTATUCK MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EDUCATION AS A CENTRAL MISSION COMPONENT, FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THESE LEARNING AND OUTREACH EFFORTS ESTABLISH THE MUSEUM AS A KEY RESOURCE FOR INTERACTING WITH ART AND HISTORY. IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, THE MUSEUM PRIORITIZED CREATING VARIED PUBLIC AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN THIS BOND, OFFERING CHANCES FOR ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT LIFE, FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD TO RETIREMENT. THE MUSEUM SERVES DIVERSE GROUPS, INCLUDING YOUNG CHILDREN, FAMILIES, K-12 STUDENTS, ADOLESCENTS, AND ADULTS, THROUGH DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING. WHILE CENTERED ON RESIDENTS OF THE GREATER WATERBURY REGION, THE GOAL IS TO REACH AUDIENCES ACROSS WESTERN CONNECTICUT. THE MATTATUCK AIMS TO OFFER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND WELCOMING FOR FAMILIES SEEKING ENRICHING GROUP EXPERIENCES. THE MUSEUM'S PROGRAMS HOLD SIGNIFICANT VALUE AS MANY CHILDREN AND FAMILY UNITS RARELY ACCESS THE FINE ARTS DUE TO HISTORIC ISSUES WITH ACCESSIBLILTY. PROGRAM OFFERINGS INCLUDE VIRTUAL AND ON-SITE VISITS FOR K-12 CLASSROOMS, SPECIFIC SCHOOL'S OUT ACTIVITIES DURING BREAKS, DEDICATED ART AND HISTORY PROGRAMS FOR HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITIES, INDEPENDENT GALLERY VISITS, ORGANIZED AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITIONS FEATURING COMMUNITY ART, ACCESS SERVICES FOR VARIOUS GROUPS, FREE COMMUNITY VISITATION DAYS, AND PRACTICAL TRAINING (INTERNSHIPS) FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE PARTICIPANTS. THIS EFFORT ENGAGED APPROXIMATELY 15,000 STUDENTS AND YOUNG INDIVIDUALS IN THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2025. THE MATTATUCK MAINTAINS ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, DANBURY, ANSONIA, BRIDGEPORT, BRISTOL, AND THOMASTON AND HAS EXPANDED OUTREACH TO SOUTHINGTON THIS YEAR.

IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO HIGHLIGHT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MATTATUCK MUSEUM CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT THIS PAST YEAR. THINGS CONTINUE TO BE BUSY AS WE PRESENT STRONG EXHIBITIONS, DEVELOP OUR COLLECTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR COLLECTING PLAN, AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. THE MATTATUCK CONTINUES TO PRESENT A ROBUST AND ENGAGING EXHIBITION SCHEDULE THAT TELLS IMPORTANT STORIES WHILE REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE MOUNTED 11 UNIQUE EXHIBITIONS IN OUR CHANGING GALLERIES THIS FISCAL YEAR. HALF OF THESE SHOWS WERE INTERNALLY ORGANIZED, WHICH ALLOWS US TO TAILOR THEM TO PRESENT LOCAL ARTISTS, ENGAGE WITH RELEVANT TOPICS, AND RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY. THE REMAINDER WERE LOAN SHOWS ORGANIZED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ART BRIDGES FOUNDATION AND BROUGHT ARTISTS OF INTERNATIONAL RENOWN TO THE MATTATUCK WALLS. ON EXHIBIT CURATED INTERNALLY BUT FEATURING WORKS ON LOAN THROUGH THE ART BRIDGES PARTNER LOAN NETWORK, MODERN WOMEN: GEORGIA O'KEEFFE & KAY SAGE, RECEIVED A CONNECTICUT LEAGUE OF MUSEUMS 2025 AWARD OF MERIT. IN ADDITION TO THE LARGE-SCALE EXHIBITIONS WE ORGANIZE FOR CHANGING GALLERY SPACES, THIS PAST YEAR THE DEPARTMENT PRESENTED THREE SMALLER INSTALLATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND UPSON GALLERIES. THE MUSEUM CONTINUES TO INCREASE OUR HOLDINGS IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS. WORKING WITH THE COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE CONTINUE STRATEGICALLY TO ADD TO OUR ART, HISTORY, AND ARCHIVES COLLECTIONS, WITH SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION TO RECOGNIZING AND REPRESENTING CONTRIBUTIONS BY UNDERRECOGNIZED CREATORS. DURING THE PAST YEAR WE ADDED 135 NEW ART AND HISTORY PIECES THROUGH GIFTS AND ACQUISITIONS, FILLING GAPS IN THE COLLECTION AND INCREASING ITS DEPTH AND DIVERSITY. MANY OF THE NEW ACQUISITIONS HAVE BEEN ON VIEW THROUGH ROTATIONS IN THE COLLECTION GALLERIES AND SHOWCASED IN OUR CHANGING EXHIBITIONS.