Bates College Museum of Art, Art museum at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine.
The Bates College Museum of Art in Lewiston displays modern artworks spanning multiple traditions and periods, including contemporary Chinese pieces, pre-Columbian artifacts, Japanese woodblock prints, and African art. The collection occupies three gallery spaces with rotating exhibitions.
The museum was established in 1955 as the Treat Gallery within Pettigrew Hall and received its founding collection from Norma Berger, who was related to painter Marsden Hartley. This initial gift shaped its direction toward regional and international art.
The museum holds the largest collection of drawings by Marsden Hartley, a painter from Maine, making it a key place to understand this artist's work and legacy. Visitors can trace how his influence shaped regional art appreciation.
The museum sits on the Bates College campus and is easy to reach on foot; admission is free. Visitors should plan to spend about an hour or two to comfortably view all three gallery spaces.
The museum runs the Thousand Words Project, a program offering educational videos for students since 2015 that weaves art appreciation together with reading and writing skills. This approach lets young people explore art through language and storytelling.
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