MATTATUCK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
144 WEST MAIN STREET, WATERBURY, CT 06702 www.mattmuseum.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MATTATUCK MUSEUM IS A CENTER OF ART AND HISTORY, A GATHERING PLACE THAT NURTURES CREATIVITY AND LEARNING THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES TO ENCOURAGE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES AND OUR HERITAGE.

EDUCATION IS AT THE HEART OF THE MUSEUM'S MISSION AND ALLOWS THE MATTATUCK MUSEUM TO DEVELOP LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS OF ITS COMMUNITY. THE MUSEUM REACHES AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES, INCLUDING YOUTH AND FAMILIES, SCHOOL CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, AND ADULTS. ONE OF THE MUSEUM'S PRIMARY CONSTITUENCIES IS THE RESIDENTS OF THE GREATER WATERBURY AREA, BUT IT STRIVES TO REACH AUDIENCE THROUGHOUT THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY AND BEYOND. THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, THE MUSEUM STRIVES TO BE AN ENGAGING AND EFFICIENT CENTER FOR LEARNING THROUGH ART AND HISTORY-BASED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. AS THE PREMIERE CULTURAL INSTITUTION IN THE GREATER WATERBURY AREA, THE MUSEUM RECOGNIZES THAT IT IS NOT ONLY A REPOSITORY FOR ART AND HISTORY BUT ALSO A VIBRANT COMMUNITY CENTER WHICH PROVIDES LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MANY DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND LEARNING STYLES VISITORS BRING TO THE MUSEUM.THE MATTATUCK CONTINUALLY STRIVES TO BE A SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND ENJOYABLE OPTION FOR FAMILIES WISHING TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER IN AN ENRICHING SETTING. FAR TOO MANY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE LITTLE TO NO ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR EXPOSURE TO THE FINE ARTS. REGULARLY OFFERED PROGRAMS INCLUDE K-12 SCHOOL TOURS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SUMMER YOUTH ART, PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL VACATION DAYS AND HOLIDAYS, ART AND HISTORY FOR HOMESCHOOLERS, CHILDREN'S AND COMMUNITY ART EXHIBITIONS, ACCESS PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, COMMUNITY FREE DAYS, AND HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS. SINCE THE ONSET OF COVID-19, THE MUSEUM HAS TRANSITIONED MANY OF ITS RICH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INTO VIRTUAL OFFERINGS TO CONTINUE REACHING ITS VARIOUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS. PROGRAMS INCLUDE A DIGITAL OFFERING OF ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL SOURCES CALLED THE MATT @ HOME, A TEACHER RESOURCE LIBRARY CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED, VIRTUAL K-12 SCHOOL TOURS AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND FAMILY ACTIVITY PACKS. THE MATTATUCK PRIDES ITSELF FOR ITS LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WATERBURY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NAUGATUCK, ANSONIA AND DERBY. THIS YEAR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS EXPANDING TO OFFER VIRTUAL TOURS TO THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THIS YEAR THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN HOUSED IN A TEMPORARY HOME WHILE THE BUILDING UNDERGOES AN IMPORTANT RENOVATION. REDUCED SPACE PERMITTED ONLY PART OF THE COLLECTION TO BE DISPLAYED. AS WELL, THE COVID PANDEMIC HAD A SEVERE IMPACT RESULTING IN A PERIOD OF CLOSURE FOLLOWED BY A CURRENT PERIOD OF REDUCED VISITATION AS WE FOLLOW STATE REGULATIONS. DURING THIS TIME THE MATTATUCK HAS DEVELOPED AND PRESENTED EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT REACHED OUT TO ITS PUBLIC VIA THE INTERNET. ONLINE EXHIBITIONS, ARTIST STUDIO VISITS VIA ZOOM AS WELL AS SPECIAL EVENT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING LECTURES, BOOK READINGS AND ART-MAKING DEMONSTRATIONS KEPT OUR AUDIENCE ENGAGED AND OCCUPIED. ONLINE EXHIBITIONS THAT SHOWCASED COLLECTION ITEMS NOT TYPICALLY ON VIEW INCLUDED:EDWARD BALTHAZAR: URBAN ARTIST/SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTION FEATURING WATERBURY SCENES PRODUCED DURING THE 1930S AND 1940S, BALTHAZAR'S PAINTINGS AND MANY ETCHINGS CELEBRATE HIS HOMETOWN IN VIEWS OF CITY AND COUNTRY.WOMEN'S SPHERE/SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTION DEMONSTRATING A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS, STYLES AND TECHNIQUES IN ALL MEDIA, REFLECTING THE GROWTH OF THE COLLECTION THROUGH PURCHASES GUIDED BY THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE AND BY GIFTS FROM GENEROUS DONORS.AS STATE REGULATIONS SHIFTED IN LATE SUMMER TO ALLOW (RESTRICTED) VISITATION TO THE MUSEUM, WE MOUNTED THREE EXHIBITIONS FOR BOTH ONLINE AND AT MUSEUM VIEWING. THESE EXHIBITS ADDRESSED BOTH SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUESSTAFF PICKS EXHIBITION/FAVORITES FROM THE COLLECTION - SOME SELDOM SEEN WORKS MIXED WITH MORE WIDELY SEEN PIECES AS EACH STAFF MEMBER'S CHOICE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A DESCRIPTION AND REASON FOR ITS SELECTION. MERRILL FRENCH: SERIES 7S/MIXMASTER 2020 WINNER - THESE PRECISE DEPICTIONS OF URBAN LANDSCAPES TAKE THE VIEWER ON A TOUR OF NEW YORK CITY STREETS. SEVERAL PAINTINGS WERE INSTALLED IN DOWNTOWN BUILDING WINDOWS AS AN OUTREACH TOOL.MOISES SURIEL: WATERBURY GREATS - NEW OPPORTUNITIES DIRECTOR DR. JAMES H. GATLING CREATED A BIOGRAPHICAL COLLECTION HONORING BLACK WATERBURIANS WHO HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. HIS VISION WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE THROUGH FORTY-EIGHT PORTRAITS BY WATERBURY ARTIST MOISES SURIEL.AS A PARTICIPANT IN THE ART BRIDGES PROGRAM, THE MATTATUCK CONTINUES ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH BOSTON'S MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS AND IS PLANNING AN EXHIBITION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART FOR SPRING 2021. ART BRIDGES ALSO OFFERS SINGLE-OBJECT LOANS FROM ITS OWN COLLECTION. TWO WORKS ARE ON EXTENDED LOAN: T.C. CANON'S GRANDMOTHER GESTATING FATHER REFLECTS THE ACTIVISM, CULTURAL TRANSITION AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION OF THIS NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST. MATTATUCK ITEMS FROM ITS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES COLLECTION ACCOMPANY THE SHOW. GEORGE L.K. MORRIS USED FRACTURED CUBIST ELEMENTS TO INDICATE UPHEAVAL AND UNCERTAINTY IN THIS PAINTING ABOUT WWII. COLLECTION ITEMS ABOUT WATERBURY'S INDUSTRIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR EFFORT ACCOMPANY THE PIECE. WE CONTINUE TO ADD TO OUR COLLECTIONS, INVESTING AND EXPANDING IN ORDER TO 1) FILL GAPS IN BOTH THE HISTORICAL AND ART COLLECTIONS AND 2 )TO KEEP UP WITH THE WAY CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS HAVE DIVERSIFIED THEIR PRACTICES AND INTERESTS. DURING THE PAST YEAR WE ADDED EIGHTY-FIVE WORKS THROUGH GIFTS AND ACQUISITIONS TO OUR COLLECTIONS, FILLING GAPS IN THE CONNECTICUT COLLECTION AND INCREASING DIVERSITY THROUGH GENDER, RACE AND IDENTITY.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - THE MUSEUM HAS A VARIETY OF ADULT FOCUSED PROGRAMS AND TOURS SUCH AS SKETCHING IN THE GALLERIES, LECTURES, ART WORKSHOPS, PAINT NIGHTS, VIRTUAL STUDIO VISITS, MUSIC AND MORE. PRIOR TO COVID-19, THE MUSEUM OFFERED A VARIETY OF OFFSITE PROGRAMMING, SUCH AS BUS TRIP EXCURSIONS AND A TRAVELLING PROGRAM CALLED MATT ON THE GO, WHICH NOW CONTINUES VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER WEEK. MEMORIES @ THE MATT. IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION OF CT WHICH FEATURES ENGAGING GALLERY TOURS DEVELOPED FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA AND EARLY STAGES OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THE MUSEUM ALSO OFFERED WELLNESS PROGRAMS INCLUDING WEEKLY YOGA AND TAI CHI WHILE ALSO INTRODUCING A NEW VIRTUAL OFFERING, MINDFULNESS. THE MUSEUM REACHES AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES AND INTERESTS THROUGH ITS CREATIVE, AGE-APPROPRIATE, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 APPROXIMATELY 8,000 STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND ADULTS WERE SERVED BY THESE PROGRAMS.

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