The Gold Coast of Long Island is home to beautiful estates and mansions of a grand past. Many of these properties are now the home to wonderful museums. The Nassau County Museum of Art can be found on the glorious grounds of the former Frick Estate off of Northern Boulevard in Roslyn Harbor.
The original Gold Coast mansion on the Frick Estate is the main museum building. There is an additional museum building that houses the Art Space for Children, as well as a building that houses an Art School where an assortment of beginner to advanced classes are held for children and adults.
A day can be spent visiting the grounds
- Viewing the Sculpture Park of over 50 piecesby renowned artists including Fernando Botero, Tom Otterness, George Rickey and Mark DiSuvero among others
- The museum’s 145 acres include many marked nature trails through the woods, perfect for family hikes or independent exploration
- Formal Garden of historic importance
- The Pinetum, an architecturally-significant restored trellis, and rare specimen trees
- The lawns provide excellent spots for picnicking or just relaxing and watching the clouds drift by
See Washington Crossing the Delaware as it Really Happened!
Popular Viewing at Nassau County Museum of Art Extended Through March 18th
- Washington Crossing the Delaware as it Really Happened!; “In its first public Long Island showing, Mort Künstler’s new, historically accurate rendition of Washington crossing the Delaware will be on view at the museum throughout Presidents Week, from Saturday, February 18 to Sunday, February 26. The work was commissioned by former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi. It is hung in a second floor gallery adjacent to the Museum Store.”
Check out the March Madness of Exhibitions and Events
Exhibitions
- MAIN GALLERIES through March 18, 2012 (opened December 10, 2011) The Paintings of Louis Comfort Tiffany: Works from a Long Island Collection
“Drawn from an important Long Island collection, this major exhibition showcases approximately 125 oils and works on paper by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933), an American artist most closely associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements. Centered on Tiffany’s paintings, which he created for himself to memorialize his travels and surroundings, The Paintings of Louis Comfort Tiffany offers an uncommon glimpse into the artist’s personal world. It is the first New York exhibit to focus on Tiffany’s paintings in more than 30 years. The exhibition also includes examples of Tiffany’s decorative arts, especially stained glass lamps and windows.”
- CONTEMPORARY GALLERY through March 18, 2012 (opened December 10, 2011) Nathan Sawaya: Recent Works
“No longer just for child’s play, plastic toy building bricks have become material for fine art. The New York sculptor, Nathan Sawaya, is among the most prominent of contemporary artists working with LEGO® blocks. Sawaya’s work, exploring themes of identity, elevates brick art to a new phase of artistic expression through large-scale sculptures that portray complexities of the human condition. Nathan Sawaya: Recent Works is organized by Elaine Berger for the museum’s Contemporary Collectors Circle in cooperation with the Agora Gallery in New York”
Events
- Louis Comfort Tiffany Remembered FILM; Screening daily at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. & 3 p.m. through March 18, 2012 (not available during special programs)
See this rare 58-minute video hosted by Hugh F. McKean, director of the Morse Museum in Winter Park, Florida which is devoted to Tiffany’s works. McKean studied with Tiffany during the 1930s. Free with museum admission. No reservations. First come, first seated.
- Brown Bag LUNCHTIME LECTURE; Thursday, March 1, 1-2 p.m.
"Bring a sandwich and enjoy lunch with friends as a museum docent presents an informative talk on the exhibition of paintings and other works by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Join the public exhibition tour at 2 p.m." Free with museum admission. No reservations. First come, first seated.
- Louis C. Tiffany’s Career as a ColoristLECTURE ; Saturday, March 3 at 3 p.m.
"Lindsy Parrott, curator of the Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass
Tiffany’s daring use of color was celebrated during his lifetime and continues to be highly regarded today. In an illustrated lecture, Lindsy Parrott, a renowned scholar of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s glass art, explores Tiffany’s love of color throughout his half-century career. Prior to joining the Neustadt Collection, she was with the Morse Museum in Florida, which boasts the world’s most comprehensive collection of Tiffany works."
Admission is $5 for members (nonmembers, $15) and includes museum admission. Weekend parking fee is $2 (members free).
- Family Sundays at the Museum; Sundays from 1 p.m. March 4, 11 & 18
"Now there's even more reason for families to plan the weekend around a visit to Nassau County Museum of Art. Each Sunday the museum offers a 1 p.m. docent-led family walk-through of the exhibition and supervised art activities for the whole family beginning at 1:30 p.m. Special family guides of the main exhibition are available in the galleries. Family Sundays at the Museum are free with museum admission and are held in the museum’s main building, the Arnold & Joan Saltzman Fine Art Building. Weekend parking fee is $2 (members free)."
The museum will be closed March 19th to 30th for show change.
Do not visit the exhibits without stopping by the gift shop, located on the second floor.
- The Museum Store is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Items to purchase include jewelry, children’s books and activities, and pieces from local artists.
Admission is very reasonable (free passes are available to check out from some neighborhood libraries)
$10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $4 for children ages 4-12; the one cost includes same day admission to exhibits at The Art Space for Children. Many local Long Island Libraries have family passes that can be checked out for free admission, providing the opportunity for all to enjoy.
Hours for the main building are 11 am to 4:45 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Hours for the Art Space for Children are 12-4:30 pm Tuesday through Sunday. On weekends only there is a $2 parking fee (members free).
Docent Led Tours of the Main Galleries Exhibition, Tuesday-Sunday at 2 p.m., Docent Led Family Tours, Sundays at 1 p.m. Tours are free with museum admission
Wear your walking shoes and enjoy a lovely day out. Take in the beautiful surroundings and never be afraid to dance!
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