Mattatuck Now Bigger & Better

The Mattatuck has always been one of the best reasons to go to Waterbury. Now, after a major renovation and expansion, it has become one of the most important and influential museums in Connecticut and entering the museum offers a whole new experience.

“We knocked down walls, replaced them and added light. We incorporated outdoor space to be used inside,” said Executive Director Robert Burns. “A café will open in July.”

Everything is state-of-the-art. Even the newly installed elevator rivals that of any slick city building. Space has been given over to a library and archive center in keeping with the museum’s desire to expand as a study center where historians and lay people can come to learn.

That, coupled with the 20 major exhibitions and numerous community programs, creates an extraordinary resource.

“I think all of this is going to be what draws strangers to Waterbury,” said Burns. “Not just people from outlying towns but people who live in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. They’re going to come because of the shows that we’re doing, because of the collections we have and because of the amazing location.

“Besides the art,” says Burns, “we offer so much more. You can join a Tai Chi or Mindfulness class held in the gallery space; your child can explore abstract painting in a summer program or you can gather with young professionals for live arts and music projects. We even offer a space to get married.”

And speaking of the art, the Mattatuck, which has long exhibited some of the region’s most influential artists, is currently highlighting African American art. A Face Like Mine, a collaborative project with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, celebrates 100 years of African American figurative art. The 75 works include paintings, sculpture, prints and photographs by 52 Black artists, such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Kerry James Marshall, Lorna Simpson and James Van Der Zee.

The lynchpin of the exhibit is a startlingly large painting by Kehinde Wiley called “Portrait of Pablillos de Valladolid, Jester of Phillip IV,” which greets viewers as they exit the second-floor elevator. The painting is owned by Raymond J. Learsy, who, with his late wife Melva Bucksbaum, has been a generous supporter of the Mattatuck. The exhibition runs through September 12th and is an example of progress the museum has made in diversifying its collections.

”A Face Like Mine is an extension of our effort to increase representation by bringing together a large group of works made by and depicting African Americans,” explains Burns.

The Mattatuck Museum began as the Mattatuck Historical Society in 1877 to preserve the legacy of that part of Connecticut originally known as Mattatuck, encompassing the 10-town region surrounding present-day Waterbury. It opened its collection to the public in 1912, centering its focus on the history of the Naugatuck Valley and Connecticut artists. In 1986 it moved across the street to the former Masonic Hall building on West Main Street where it has been ever since.

The museum has grown tremendously over the years, and has continued to collect and display some of Connecticut’s most influential artists from George Durrie, John Trumbull, Alexander Calder and Cleve Gray—to name but a few. It also has the largest collection of Kay Sage paintings in the world. Sage, a Woodbury resident, was an American Surrealist artist and poet, active between 1936 and 1963.

Since 2012 the museum has been in Burns hands. Prior to coming to Waterbury, he was vice-president for development at The Olana Partnership, the nonprofit support arm of Olana State Historic Site in Hudson NY. His administrative and fundraising experience, coupled with his passion for American art, have brought the Mattatuck to a whole new level—both physically and artistically.

It was Burns’ vision that brought excitement and renewed attention to both the Mattatuck and Waterbury. Since his arrival attendance has increased nearly 700 percent.

In June 2019, after an impressive fundraising campaign, construction began for the 12,000-square-foot addition. Designed by Steve Gerrard and Ashley Merchant of Ann Beha Architects in Boston, the $9 million project was supported by a $3 million bonding grant through the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and donations from hundreds of individuals, corporate and foundation donors.

Completed in 2021, the majestic, 21,000-square-feet of renovated and expanded space now rivals any regional art museum and is a vessel to fill with stories born out of the Museum’s ambitious dual mission: representing the region’s art from pre-colonial times to the present and telling tales of its historical significance.

The enlarged Mattatuck has even engendered renewed interest in downtown; much original architecture has been preserved and been turned into relevant spaces for both housing and commerce. The green, with its original sculpture by renowned sculptor Donald Gummer, has been transformed into an oasis of beauty, illustrating what can happen when a vision is married to reality.

The response thus far has been rewarding and Burns couldn’t be more pleased. He is the catalyst for the museum’s progress and loves welcoming people to explore its offerings.

“I think the most satisfying aspect of my job is when I hear someone else talk about how important the museum is to our community. This happens when I overhear visitors in the galleries; it happens when I’m at a public event and the Mayor or some other city leader mentions us; in a random conversation that I am fortunate enough to overhear. It’s really my favorite experience because it means that people are talking about us and we’ve succeeded in getting the community to take ownership of their museum.”