The New Britain Museum of American Art inspires, educates, and connects people through the power of American art. 

With our outstanding collection, dynamic exhibitions, and engaging programs, we create meaningful experiences that foster curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning. 

As a nationally recognized leader in American art, we are dedicated to expanding access and deepening engagement so that the dynamism and ingenuity of the American spirit continues to enrich lives for generations to come.

A LETTER FROM MUSEUM LEADERSHIP

Our Museum, with its world-class collection, is a cultural treasure that showcases the American spirit, capturing the stories, creativity, and aspirations of American lives past and present. It’s a place where children see their first masterpiece and adults find reflection and inspiration that transcend the digital age.

The Foundation for the Future Campaign marks a pivotal moment for America’s first museum singularly dedicated to collecting and celebrating American art. Through a comprehensive campus visioning process, the Museum has developed an inspiring plan to transform our 3.1-acre campus over the coming decades.

Picture the creative energy of the Museum’s galleries spilling outward into an art-filled, park-like setting, enveloping our campus and blending seamlessly with the neighboring Olmsted-designed park.

Imagine a public center featuring outdoor sculpture gardens, classrooms, enhanced dining, and performance spaces, advancing the economic vitality of our community through art and design.

While we aspire to this vibrant future, it cannot be undertaken without first fulfilling our most urgent needs through the Foundation for the Future Campaign. The Museum of America Art is facing critical challenges that threaten its mission. Aging infrastructure—especially our historic roofs and storm-vulnerable lower levels—places both our collection and our programming at risk. Every flood, every leak puts at stake not just art, but opportunity: for children to be inspired, for neighbors to gather, for stories to be shared across generations, and for national treasures to be preserved.

We must make critical investments in our existing infrastructure, operating support, and endowment today to remain a leader in American art and to responsibly approach our exciting long-range visions. To address these needs, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a near-term strategic plan and fundraising campaign to position us for the future we envision.

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, there’s no better time to stand up for its first American art museum. This campaign is about more than buildings; it’s about ensuring that centuries of American art remain accessible for generations to come. And it’s about serving our collective role as caretakers of something rare and essential: a space where people connect with the depth and dignity of human experience.

The Foundation for the Future empowers the Museum to continue its essential mission of preserving and celebrating the art that defines us as Americans. If you believe, as we do, that art is one of the most powerful, enduring expressions of the human spirit, then we invite you to stand with us. Please join us in supporting the power of American Art at this pivotal moment. Let’s make something lasting together.

 VISIONARY MOMENTS IN PHILANTHROPY

1853–1905

Beginning in 1853, Connecticut industrialists established the New Britain Institute with a belief that art could enrich the lives of hardworking immigrants and their families. That bold idea was advanced in 1903 with a generous gift from John Butler Talcott to establish the first permanent fund specifically for the acquisition of American art.

1937

The Museum campus as we know it today, started with the gift of a residence. The Landers House was bequeathed through a will to become the first home of the New Britain Museum of American Art.

2006

As the collection of American art rapidly expanded through gifts and purchases, that home needed a grand expansion. The Chase Family Building doubled the size of exhibition and storage space for national treasures.

2015

The Museum needed a larger center for public engagement with its national treasures. The Art & Education Expansion added more gallery space and three art studio classrooms.

2023–2025

The Museum conducts comprehensive assessments and in-depth planning to map its long-range future for continued growth and impact; Investments in the Museum’s infrastructure begin, with the original Landers House Spanish tile roof restored to its historic glory. Foundation for the Future Campaign launches to support reinvestment across the facility and its programs for the next generation.

AND BEYOND . . . 

In the decades ahead, the Campus Vision Plan will transform our grounds into welcoming and engaging spaces that flow seamlessly into historic Walnut Hill Park, while elevating the Museum’s role on the national stage through the creation of a dynamic new Collections Engagement Center.  

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE 1: SHORE UP THE MUSEUM’S FOUNDATION

$6 Million Facilities Investment

Working with a team of facility specialists, the Museum developed a detailed 10-year facilities care and maintenance assessment to identify the current condition and future needs for our buildings, from the mechanical and electrical systems to the roofs. The plan is clear: we must act now to protect our world-class collection. This includes replacing the Landers and Chase Building roofs and making crucial repairs to prevent water damage from extreme rain events.

Capital Priorities: 

• Refurbish Museum air handlers 
• Install a cascading surge protection system 
• Replace stormwater pump and leak detection panel 
• Improve fire and life safety systems 
• Reroof the historic Landers House 
• Replace the Chase Building roofs 
• Repair and enhance Landers and Chase exterior wall systems to prevent water infiltration 
• Replace humidification system to protect the collection and traveling exhibitions

“The art within these walls defines who we are as a nation, and it is our non-negotiable duty to protect and pass on that incredible cultural heritage through a critical reinvestment in our aging infrastructure.” - Scott Celella, CSI, CCA, LEED, AP President, JCJ Architecture Trustee; Facilities Committee Chair

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE 2:  BRIDGING THE GAP WITH FLEXIBLE SUPPORT FOR A THRIVING FUTURE

$4 Million Investment in Operating Support

Operation support is the essential funding that covers day-to-day needs— from the lights, vibrant colors, and programs in the galleries, to the critical climate control that protects our priceless collection, to the staff who greet you and keep the Museum beautiful and secure. Put simply, unrestricted funding activates our Museum with what matters most for the public. It allows us to be flexible and agile, able to respond to unexpected challenges and seize new opportunities. The Campaign bridges the structural gap in our annual operating budget, giving us time to grow our endowment and build a sustainable financial future.

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE 3: FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE FUTURE

$10 Million Endowment Investment

Endowments are the bedrock of institutions that endure—universities, hospitals, or museums. They provide stability and allow organizations to weather uncertainties.

At $23 million, the Museum’s endowment is positioned below industry standards. By adding at least $10 million over the next five years, we will build a nest egg that better sustains our operations. This strategic recalibration, coupled with the growth of our carefully managed investments, will position a museum of our size, ambition, and national significance to thrive well into the future. 

JOIN US: MAKE AN EVERLASTING IMPACT

The Foundation for the Future Campaign builds on a bold past of philanthropy to ignite new possibilities. We're bridging our rich artistic heritage with an even brighter future where American art continues to inspire, educate, and unite.

Every Gift Becomes Part of Something Magnificent:

• Champion Our Mission: Your gift provides flexibility to seize opportunities and ensure excellence—from exhibiting masterpieces to creating unforgettable experiences. 
• Leave Your Mark: Endow a director or curatorial position and see your investments come alive through passionate professionals. 
• Create Your Legacy: Establish a named fund that reflects what moves you most or contribute to existing funds that align with your passions. 
• Give Forever: Include the Museum in your will and transform your lifelong love of art into an enduring force for good.

Expand Your Impact: Smart Ways to Give More

You May Have More Giving Power Than You Realize:

• Appreciated Stock: Turn your investment success into philanthropic impact while enjoying significant tax advantages—often allowing you to give more than you thought possible.
• Retirement Funds: Your IRA's required minimum distribution can support the Museum tax-free, reducing your taxable income while maximizing your gift's impact.
• Donor-Advised Funds: Direct dollars you've already set aside for philanthropy toward a cause that will multiply their impact.
• Planned Gifts: Create a lasting legacy without affecting your current wallet—your future gift can transform countless lives while preserving your financial security today.
• Beneficiary Designations: Simply naming the Museum as a beneficiary of your IRA, bank account, or other assets costs nothing today but can create profound change for tomorrow.

Your Support Fuels a Movement Where American Art Transforms Lives

Will you take this bold step with us?

Contact:
Debra Holcomb, CFRE
Director of Development 
(860) 515-3363
[email protected]  

CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICAN ART

PLEASE JOIN ME

I am indebted to this precious Museum which means so much to me and so many.

Personally, it gave me a very satisfying 31-year career in museum development— 25 years here at the NBMAA alone. Having started working in the bowels of the Landers House in the 1990s, and then serving in a leadership role through two major campaigns, I have experienced the transformation of the Museum firsthand, like the blossoming of a flower. It has been quite the ride.

And here we are again, on the cusp of another transformation. I am again, this time as a trustee, fully engaged. I have seen the Campus Vision Plan for the future of the buildings and grounds, with its economic development, quality of life, and environmental impacts—Wow!

I endorse the Museum’s commitment to addressing our critical infrastructure, operating support, and endowment needs first—Responsible!

And with my fellow trustees, I endorse the well-researched goals and plans whole heartedly—We are united, we have a plan!

It is not lost on me that this Campaign is on my watch, our watch. Foundation for the Future represents a strategic investment in the spaces, systems, and support that will keep the Museum human, relevant, and resilient today and in the future, thus furthering our mission and enabling our vision as a gift for the next generation.

I personally stretched and made a multi-year Campaign gift and, also indicated my bequest intentions to benefit the Museum in the future. Please consider joining me at this pivotal time for this very special Museum of American Art—Enjoy the next ride with me!