OPENING
Reconstructions, July 21 through Sept. 15, Kershner Gallery, Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. The exhibit displays paintings by Karen Neems, Cherril Kolesik and Philip Eras. Opening reception, July 28, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Info: call 203-256-3155.
ART CENTERS
Ridgefield Guild of Artists, 34 Halpin Ln., Ridgefield. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday – Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Info: www.rgoa.org or call 203-438-8863.
Carriage Barn Arts Center, home to New Canaan Society for the Arts, on grounds of former estate, now named Waveny Park, 681 South Ave.; hours: Wed.-Sat. 10-3 and Sundays 1-5 p.m.; carriagebarn.org, 203-972-1895.
Darien Arts Center, 2 Renshaw Rd., behind Town Hall in Darien. Info: darienarts.org or call 203-655-8683.
Rowayton Arts Center, 145 Rowayton Ave., Norwalk. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11-5 p.m. Info: rowaytonarts.org. Marine and Coastal through July 29.
Silvermine Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. Info: silvermineart.org.
Milford Center for the Arts, 40 Railroad Ave., Milford. Milford Arts Council at 203-878-6647, milfordarts.org; Tues.-Fri., noon-5 p.m., special Sat. hours, noon-2 p.m.
Selects 2018, through Aug. 24, Westport Arts Center, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport. Info: westportartscenter.org.
Loft Artists Association, 575 Pacific St., Stamford. Info: loftartists.org.
MUSEUMS
* The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, open Sun., Mon., Wed., Thurs., and Fri., 12-5; and Sat., 10-5; $10/adults and $5/srs.; free adm. for full-time teachers and students in grades K-12, and for active-service military families; free adm. third Saturdays; 258 Main St., Ridgefield, 203-438-4519, aldrichart.org. Contemporary Social Series will be highlighting Connecticut’s local food and spirits scene. Contemporary Socials, Nov. 2. The Domestic Plane: New Perspectives on Tabletop Art Objects, through Jan. 13, 2019. It is a meta-group exhibition in five chapters — organized by five curators, including more than seventy artists — that will feature tabletop art objects from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The experience could be likened to theatre, as viewers encounter objects that interact with each other, their audience, their setting, forging relationships to be examined and meanings to be discovered in their adventurous methods of display. The chapters include Objects Like Us, Kitchen Arrangement, On Edge, ALMOST EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE and Handheld.
*The Bruce Museum, One Museum Drive, Greenwich; brucemuseum.org or 203-869-0376: $7/adults, $6/students and seniors, free/under 5, free adm. for all on Tuesdays; every Tues., 1:30 p.m., and Fri., 12:30 p.m., Docent-led Exhibition Tour; Marine Tank Animal Feeding, every Tues. and Fri., 2:30-2:45 p.m. iCreate 2018, through Aug. 12. Wild Bees: Photographs by Paula Sharp and Ross Eatman, through Nov. 11. Info: email [email protected] National Geographic Photo Ark, through Sept. 2. The Language of Flavor in Honey: A Guided Sensory Honey Tasting Event, July 26, 7-8:30 p.m. A Continuous Thread: Navajo Weaving Tradition, Aug. 18 through Nov. 25.
* The Discovery Museum, 4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport; discouverymuseum.org or 203-372-3521; Tues.-Sun., 10-5; open Mon. for summer, most school holidays, plus school and homeschool groups with a reservation; museum and planetarium, $10 adults, $8 children, seniors, students, free under 2; Challenger Learning Center, simulated space missions for groups 15-30, res. required (schools, scouts, corporate team building, birthday parties); scout science badge classes; exhibits and daily Planetarium shows; weekend workshops. Summer STEM programs; reg. still open. Origami Interpretations, through November.
* Fairfield Museum and History Center, 370 Beach Rd., behind the old Town Hall; open daily, 10-4; research library open Tues.-Fri.,10-4; adults, $5, students w/ ID, $3, children 5 and under, free; info., fairfieldhistory.org or 203-259-1598.
#UNLOAD: Guns in the Hands of Artists, through Oct. 13, Fairfield University Art Museum, 200 Barlow Rd., Fairfield. Mizusashi: Japanese Water Jars from the Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, through Dec. 14. Info: fairfield.edu/museum.
Housatonic Museum of Art, 900 Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport, www2.housatonic.edu/artmuseum, 203-332-5052.
*Stepping Stones Museum for Children, 303 West Ave., Norwalk; open Tues.-Sun., 10-5; $15/person (under 1, free), seniors (over 62), $10; steppingstonesmuseum.org or 203-899-0606: Energy Lab; Tot Town; Healthyville, learn about your body and how to keep it healthy; Build It!, learning about architectural design and construction; art studio and science lab; ColorCoaster; Light Gallery; My Sky, created by the Boston Children’s Museum and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; café and gift shop. Express Yourself, focusing on social-emotional learning. New Mega Making exhibit. Tickets $40 members, $45 non-members.
* EverWonder Children’s Museum, 31 Pecks Lane, Newtown; open Tues.-Sat., 10-5, and Sun., 11-5, everwondermuseum.org: hands-on exhibits and demonstrations; adm. $7 for ages one and older. Story Lab for Young Explorers Tues. and Thurs., 10:30-11 a.m. New Art Lab projects, Straw Logic Puzzles and Life Cycle Crowns.
* Danbury Railway Museum, 120 White St., Danbury; 203-778-8337; danburyrail.org: adm. $6 per person, age 3 and up; Train Rides $3 extra (weekends April-Nov.); call for special events adm. rates; winter hours: Wed.-Sat., 10-4, Sun., 12-4; (summer hours: Mon.-Sat., 10-4, Sun., 12-5); tour vintage equipment such as 1907 steam engine, 1910 Railway Post Office car, 1973 caboose, 1953 Rail Diesel Car; vintage diesels on display. Museum’s Pennsylvania Railroad circa-1910 Railway Post Office (RPO) car fully-restored. Railway Post Office Dog Day, July 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets $12.
*Katonah Museum of Art, open Tues.-Sat., 10-5, Sun. 12-5; adm. $10; srs. (60+) and students, $5; under 12/free; Rte. 22/134 Jay St., Katonah, N.Y., 914-232-9555, katonahmuseum.org.
Barnum Museum, 820 Main Street, Bridgeport; 203-331-1104 x100 or visit barnum-museum.org: Recovery in Action, Thur.-Fri., 11-3, free adm., enter through double doors at rear of historic building.
Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven; Tues.-Sat., 10-5, Sun., 12-5, britishart.yale.edu or 203-432-2800 or britishart.yale.edu.
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, new David Friend Hall, gem and mineral gallery; open Tues.-Sat., 10-5, Sun., 12-5; adults $13, seniors. $9, children 3-18, $6; 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven; peabody.yale.edu or 203-432-5050.
Yale Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven; free adm., Tues.-Fri., 10-5, Sat.-Sun., 11-5; artgallery.yale.edu or 203-432-0600.
The Glass House, 199 Elm St., New Canaan, open for tours Thurs., Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon., $25 one hour, $50 two hours weekdays, $60 weekends. Tickets and info: theglasshouse.org, 866-811-4111.
Hammond Museum, 28 Deveau Rd., North Salem, N.Y., hammondmuseum.org, 914-669-5033; hours: Wed.-Sat., 12-4 p.m.
Neuberger Museum of Art, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, N.Y. (Westchester); 914-251-6100; neuberger.org; hours: Tues., Thurs.-Sun., noon-5 p.m., Wed., noon-8 p.m. (Closed Mon. and Labor Day, Christmas and MLK Day to Memorial Day). Adm. $5, general public, $3 seniors 62+, $3 students, children 12/under free; group tours by appointment only on Tues.-Fri., 10-noon; guided tours.
LIBRARIES
Garden Menagerie, through Aug. 25, Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Ave., Southport. The exhibit features a variety of works by Alex Sax and a selection of 19th-century books and poetry in Pequot Library’s Special Collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives. Info: prequotlibrary.org.
Kershner Gallery, Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. Info: call 203-256-3155.
WW1: Ridgefield Answers the Call Exhibit, through July 30, Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. The exhibit will display posters created by local graphic artist Bill Mikulewicz, which commemorate the end of WWI. Info: ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org.
Organic Explorations, Aug. 9 through Sept. 23, Curtis Gallery, New Canaan Library, 151 Main St., New Canaan. Featuring art by Heide Follin and Ellen Schiffman. Opening reception Aug. 9, 6-8 p.m. Info: newcanaanlibrary.org.
Karen Spencer exhibit, Aug. 12 through Sept. 30, Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Opening reception, Aug. 12, 3-5 p.m. Info: norwalkpl.org.
Annual Wilton Artists’ Summer Show Exhibition, through Aug. 28, Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. The exhibition celebrates more than 50 Wilton artists displaying diverse styles, media, and subjects. Info: wiltonlibrary.org.
Surf and Turf, July 27 through Sept. 4, Stratford Library, 2203 Main St., Stratford. Stratford’s FranCesca Winfield’s art will be displayed. Info: stratfordlibrary.org.
HISTORICAL
Westport Historical Society, 25 Avery Pl. Westport. Info: westporthistory.org. The History of Westport in 100 Objects, through April 2019, a year-long exhibit showcasing the history of the town over a few hundred years from first settlement to the present.
The New Canaan Historical Society, 13 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan.Open Tues-Friday 9:30-4:30, Sat. 9:30-12:30. Info: nchistory.org. Justin West of the Silvermine Art Center displays his paintings through Aug. 11. All art is for sale and a portion of the proceeds benefits the Historical Society. Elements of Design, examines line, color, texture and perspective and features the work of four high school seniors. On exhibit at the Gores Pavilion in Irwin Park, Friday-Sunday 11 am – 3 pm, through Aug. 15.
Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Ave., Norwalk, lockwoodmathewsmansion.org, 203-838-9799. Museum open Wed. through Sun. from early April to early January, noon-4 p.m. Tours Wed.-Sun., at noon, 1, 2, 3 p.m. Adm. adults $10 (45 min.), $20 (90 min.); seniors (62+) $8 (45 min.), $18 (90 min.); students (8-18) $6 (45 min.), $16 (90 min.); free for under 8 and members. Collecting in Victorian America: The Great Divide of the Gilded Age, July 11.
* Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road (Route 7), 203-762-7257: period rooms in the Betts-Sturges-Blackmar House; Betts Store, offering American-made items, from fine art to jewelry, books to redware, toys and more; gift shop; Wed.-Sat., 10-4. Ongoing exhibit: Dr. Seuss, Political Cartoons & the Battle over Isolationism; a gallery “Walk and Talk” with guest curator Dr. Matthew Warshauer, no charge, refreshments served. Historical society has added 1880’s horse cart to its collection that was owned by Gregory family, who have lived in Wilton for over 150 years.
* Keeler Tavern Museum, 132 Main St., Ridgefield; 203-438-5485 or keelertavernmuseum.org; open 1-4 p.m., Sat., Sun., & Wed., last tour at 3:30; museum closed in January; 31; $8/adults, $5/srs., youth under 18 and students w/ID; 300 years of Ridgefield history. Natural Surroundings, July 29 through Aug. 10.
Norwalk Historical Society Museum, 141 East Ave., Norwalk, norwalkhistoricalsociety.org, 203-846-0525. Wed.-Sat., noon-4 p.m.; adm $5 adults, $3 seniors and students (ages 6-22), 5/under free. Exhibits: New Deal, New Day: WPA Artists at Work and Play and Destination Norwalk: African-American Migration from South, 1940-1970. Preserving and Observing: Two Centuries of Norwalk Art Exhibit at Mill Hill Historic Park, 2 East Wall St., Norwalk.
* Darien Historical Society, 45 Old Kings Highway North; 203-655-9233 or darienhistorical.org: Tues.-Thur., noon to 5, and Sun., noon to 3. Tickets exhibit non-members $5, lectures $5 for members, $20 non-members. Treasures of the Costume Collection, through September.
Greenwich Historical Society, Bush-Holley Historic Site, 39 Strickland Rd., Cos Cob; open Wed.-Sun., 12-4 (docent led tours at 1, 2 and 3); 203-869-6899, ext. 10 or www.greenwichhistory.org; adm. to gallery, visitor ctr. & house museum, $10/adults, $8/srs. and students, members and under 6 free ; group tours at $7/person avail. on public and non-public days; library and archives open Wed., 10-4 and by appt., adm. offices open Mon.-Fri., 9-5; gallery hours Wed.-Sun., 12-4.
* Weir Farm National Historic Site, 735 Nod Hill Rd., Wilton, 203-834-1896 or www.nps.gov/wefa: grounds open daily dawn to dusk; art programs, Junior Ranger activities, visitor center, museum store, historic house and studios; open Wed.-Sun. 10-4 (through Oct. 31); Weir House Tours, offered Wed.-Sun. at 11 a.m., 1, 2, and 3 p.m. (through Oct. 31), reg. required; group tours and field trips offered, reg. required.
Danbury Museum & Historical Society, 43 Main St., Danbury; Wed.-Fri., 9-4 Sat., 10-4, guided tours on Sat. only; research visits by appt. only; 203-743-5200 or danburymuseum.org.
Ridgefield Historical Society, 4 Sunset Lane, in 275-year-old David Scott House, ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org, 203-438-5821, hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 1-5 p.m.
* John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, Rte. 22, Katonah, N.Y.; 914-232-5651 or www.johnjayhomestead.org: guided tours offered Tues.-Sat., 10-4; Sun., 11-4; $7/adults, $5/srs., students, free up to age 12.
Historic Hudson Valley’s National Historic Landmarks, Washington Irving’s Sunnyside and Phillipsburg Manor open for public tours; Kykuit, home to four generations of Rockefellers, open; Union Church of Pocantico Hills open; and Van Cortlandt Manor open; tour deals, times, ticket info: hudsonvalley.org/historic sites.
NATURE/SCIENCE
*The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, 10 North Water St., Norwalk; 203-852-0700 or maritimeaquarium.org; open daily, 10-5 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas); sharks, seals, river otters, sea turtles, jellies and more than 100 other species; Marine Lab, Ocean Playspace for toddlers, seal feedings at 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 and 3:45 p.m. daily. Fish Tales for preschoolers, Fri., 10:15-11 a.m. One exhibit and daytime IMAX included with paid aquarium adm: $22.95 for adults; $20.95 for youths (13-17) and seniors (65+); and $15.95 for children (3-12); free for kids under 3 and members. Reservations: maritimeaquarium.org.
* Stamford Museum & Nature Center, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Mon.-Sat., holidays, 9-5, Sun., 11-5; non-res. adults $10, srs. $8, students (18+ w/ID) $6, children 4-17, $5, age 3 and younger, free; 203-977-6521 or stamfordmuseum.org.
* Darien Nature Center, 120 Brookside Rd.; free adm. Mon.-Thur., 9-4; Fri.-Sat., 9-1; 203-655-7459: ongoing exhibits.
* New Pond Farm Education Center, 101 Marchant Rd., West Redding; info: 203-938-2117 or [email protected].
* Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, 151 Brookdale Rd., Stamford; Mon.-Fri., 9-5, Sat., 10-5; info., 203-322-6971 or bartlettarboretum.org.
* Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center, 10 Woodside Lane, Westport; open Mon.-Sat., 9-5, Sun., 1-4 (closed major holidays); adm. $7/adults, $5/ages 1-12 & srs.; free adm. to trails and property, daily 7 a.m.-dusk; interactive nature museum, live wildlife, family program on Sat.; 203-227-7253; earthplace.org.
* Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Rd.; adm. $5/adults, $3/children, srs.; greenwich.audubon.org or 203-869-5272: Kiernan Hall Nature Arts Gallery, in the Kimberlin Nature Education Center, open daily, 10-5; trails and grounds open daily sunrise to sunset (occasionally closed until 9 a.m., Sept. into Jan. for land management); Oppenheimer Gallery: Masterpieces of Botanical Art and Audubon’s Birds of Prey.
* New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge (Rte. 124); 203-966-9577 (for New York Botanical Garden program reg., call 1-800-322-6924): Saturday Videos, family program every Sat. at 2; Saturday Live Animal Demonstrations, every Sat. at 3. Center open Mon.-Sat., 9-4, Sun., 9-1; grounds open dawn to dusk daily.
* Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield, 2325 Burr St., Fairfield; adm. $2/adults, $1/children; 203-259-6305 x109 or ctaudubon.org: 155-acre wildlife sanctuary, 7 miles of trails through woodlands, streams, meadows, marshes, ponds, open daily dawn to dusk; Birds of Prey compound; nature center w/exhibits and Nature Store, open Mon.-Sat., 10-3.
Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Avenue, Derby; open Tues.-Sat., 9-4:30 p.m. at no charge. Info: ct.gov/deep/kellogg
Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, Mon.-Sat., 10-5, Sun., 12-5; adm. $9, $8/srs., $5/children 3-18; 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven; info., 203-432-5050 or peabody.yale.edu.
GALLERIES, ETC.
Yesterday and Today, through Sept. 7, Mayor’s Gallery, 888 Washington Blvd., Stamford. The gallery is on the 10th floor. The exhibit features pieces by Ken Delmar.
Cuttings & Coastlines, through July 31, Gilded Lily Gallery, 101 River St., Milford. Features works by Kimberly Ryan. Info: gildedlilygallery.com.
CITY PAPER, through July 29, City Gallery, 994 State St., New Haven. Pieces by William Frucht, Mary Lesser, and Michael Zack will be displayed. Info: city-gallery.org.
Flinn Gallery, Greenwich Library, 101 West Putnam Ave., Greenwich. Info: email [email protected]
Summer Works, through Aug. 11, Art/Place Gallery, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Opening reception, July 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. Info: artplacegallery.org.
My Vicious Throbbing Heart: Animating Desire in Abstract Painting, through Sept. 9, Franklin Street Works, 41 Franklin St., Stamford.
A Reverence For Nature, through Sept. 28, City of Norwalk Parking Authority’s Maritime Garage Gallery, 11 North Water St., Norwalk. Info: norwalkpark.org/public-art.
Expression in Color, through Sept. 1,151 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. The exhibit will run in celebration of Mental Health Awareness month, featuring works by Kathryn Fitzgerald.
Faces, through July 27, @287 Gallery, 287 Main St., Danbury. The solo exhibition by Larry Morse challenges complacency through the unique portraits of others. Info: artswesternct.org.
Art Place Gallery, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Info: artplacegallery.org.
Schelfhaudt Gallery, University of Bridgeport, Shintaro Akatsu School of Design, Arnold Bernhard Center, 84 Iranistan Avenue, Bridgeport. Info: schelfhaudtgallery.com or call 203-578-4034. Gallery hours Mon.-Friday, 11- 4, and Sat., 12-4.
Franklin Street Works Exhibition, Franklin Street Works, Franklin St., Stamford. Info: call 203-595-5211.
Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, Accessible Art Series at various locations; info., artswesternct.org or 203-798-0760.