Best Gallery Or Museum In Connecticut: The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM)/ 2024 AMERICAN ART AWARDS

Thom Bierdz
5 min readMar 27, 2024

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The American Art Awards has announced the 20 Best Art Galleries/Museums In USA for the year 2024, with The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM) receiving the award for the Best Gallery or Museum in Connecticut. Selections are based on years established, industry reputation, location, size, aesthetics, socially relevant exhibits, motivational and educational programs, online presence, represented artists — and references from artists, clients, and visitors.

American Art Awards: “This year we awarded a couple prestigious university museums, one with roots going back to 1892 with incomparable art collections: Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, ancient Egypt, Byzantium, Asian, African, Ancient Americas, and Oceanic cultures. We also selected the largest gallery in the Southwest and a Florida gallery with four locations amassing the largest exhibition space in South Florida, with close proximity to Art Basel & Art Miami. A Midwest facility specializing in original contemporary African art is included as well as a couple art centers providing year-round visual art exhibitions and innovative arts education programs available to all including disadvantaged rural communities. Our diversified roster this year also includes high-rated contemporary galleries in Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, Santa Fe, Salt Lake City and Seattle. These revered landmarks with influential international presences are popular urban hotspots, fulfilling both artistic and high-energy community needs. We also chose heralded private galleries in Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina and South Carolina, focusing on exhibiting regional artists, both young and established.”

American Art Awards: “The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM) inspires curiosity, creativity, reflection, and dialogue through its exhibitions, programs, and the collections in its care. As an essential component of the scholarly community at Fairfield University, FUAM advances knowledge for students from all disciplines, and offers communities of learners across Connecticut and beyond the opportunity to connect to art and ideas.”

The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM):

One museum, two spaces. In the Bellarmine Hall Galleries, the Fairfield University Art Museum displays its permanent collection alongside rotating special exhibitions. In the Walsh Gallery, located in the Quick Center for the Arts, the museum presents larger special exhibitions.

The permanent collection features European and American paintings — including a core group of 10 Renaissance and Baroque paintings from the Samuel H. Kress Collection — drawings, prints, photographs, and historic plaster casts as well as artwork from Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Also on view are works of art on long-term loan from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Yale University Art Gallery, the Worcester Art Museum, the American Numismatic Society, Columbia University, and private collections.

Hours:

Bellarmine Hall Galleries: Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. — 4 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays until 8 p.m.
Walsh Gallery: Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. — 4 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays until 8 p.m.

We are closed for all University holidays, and during inclement weather.

Admission:

Admission is always free and reservations are not necessary to visit our galleries. Faculty who are interested in visiting the gallery with students please contact Michelle DiMarzo (mdimarzo@fairfield.edu).

Museum Contact Information:

https://www.fairfield.edu/museum/

museum@fairfield.edu

Fairfield University Art Museum
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, CT 06824
Phone: (203) 254–4046
Fax: (203) 254–5529

American Art Awards 20 Best Galleries & Museums for 2024 (in alphabetical order by state):

BEST IN ARIZONA: Exposures International Gallery Of Fine Art

BEST IN COLORADO: Mirada Fine Art

BEST IN CONNECTICUT: Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM)

BEST IN FLORIDA: MAC Art Galleries

BEST IN IDAHO: Capitol Contemporary Gallery

BEST IN ILLINOIS: Jackson Junge Gallery

BEST IN INDIANA: Kuaba Gallery

BEST IN KANSAS: 2010 Gallery

BEST IN LOUISIANA: GRYDER

BEST IN MINNESOTA: Kolman & Reeb Gallery

BEST IN MISSOURI: The Museum of Art and Archaeology

BEST IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: Candita Clayton Gallery

BEST IN NEW JERSEY: Evalyn Dunn Gallery

BEST IN NEW MEXICO: Thornwood Gallery

BEST IN NORTH CAROLINA: Ambleside Gallery

BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA: Mary Martin Galleries Of Fine Art

BEST IN UTAH: Modern West

BEST IN VERMONT: The Current

BEST IN WASHINGTON: ArtX Contemporary

American Art Awards annually awards 20 museums and/or galleries and with their critique months later, awards 300+ deserving contemporary artists from 60+ countries: painters, photographers, sculptors and digital artists.

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Thom Bierdz

One of Medium’s TOP ART CONTRIBUTORS, award-winning author, actor, film-maker, painter. 12 books: 6 on art. President of WAA & AAA & ACCA.