The Clark Art Institute

Situated about three hours outside of New York City in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the Clark Art Institute, named after founders Sterling and Francine Clark, is an architectural gem of pre-twentieth century art. The museum’s original white marble building was designed by architect Daniel Perry and first opened to the public in 1955. Praised for its focused collection of old masters, impressionists and 19th century academic paintings as well as an extensive offering of porcelain and silver, The Clark Institute prides itself on being as much a museum as an outlet for research and higher education.

Although the namesake founders passed away a few years after its completion, the Clark has continued to innovate through turbulent times, thanks primarily to its focus on investing in infrastructure. In 2001, The Clark underwent an institute-wide renovation lead by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Ando has since built two structures on the 140-acre grounds, while architect Annabelle Sellforf was added to the team in 2007 to refurbish two existing buildings and their respective galleries. Though a trip to The Clark is worth anyone’s while to see masterworks in the permanent collection by the likes of John Singer Sargent, Renoir, Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, as well as Èdouard Manet and Claude Monet, this Saturday the museum will open a drawing exhibit highlighting 150 exceptional works on paper assembled over fifty years by collector Eugene V. Thaw. ‘Drawn to Greatness’ will include a choice group of Rembrandt drawings, while the remainder of the show spans pivotal artistic movements of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, concluding with large-scale twentieth century works by Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock. A day trip to The Clark is the perfect cocktail of art, culture, architecture and the outdoors for any crisp weekend afternoon.