We’ll visit the first museum dedicated exclusively to realism located in the historic town of New Salem, Massachusetts, about 40 miles northeast of Springfield. Enjoy a guided tour and permanent collection of the New Salem Museum which recently opened in the fall of 2023. The museum’s collection began in 2005 with Vincent and Laura Barletta’s first acquisition, the oil painting “Leaving Home” by Michael Klein. An award-winning and internationally-renown realist artist, Michael Klein is also the director of the new museum.
Since 2005, the collection has grown to include more than fifty contemporary masterworks including, John Singer Sargent, Andrew Wyeth, and Barbizon School paintings by 19th Century French plein air landscape painters, to name a few.
The settlement of New Salem dates to around 1735. At that time, it was a land grant given to proprietors coming from Salem, Massachusetts to build a new community on approximately 30,000 acres. The historic property of NSMA was originally used as a boarding home for New Salem Academy students from 1871 through 1928. It accommodated about 24 students on the premises and is located near to the original academy. Our lunch is included and will be catered by the New Salem General store at the New Salem Museum.
Guide: Jeanne Fontaine
Wednesday, March 6
Depart: 9 am; return: 4 pm
Includes tour, lunch, bus travel and driver tip.
Image courtesy of The New Salem Museum
