Housatonic Museum of Art

Bert Chernow Galleries
900 Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport, CT
203-332-5052
housatonicmuseum.org

Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:30am – 7pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Closed all state and federal holidays.

The Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA) is home to one of the premier college art collections in the United States. Its collection offers students and the community alike the opportunity to view works that span the history of art from the ancient to the contemporary. Unique to the Housatonic Community College campus, this permanent collection is on continuous display throughout the 300,000 square foot facility, offering a rare opportunity for both art enthusiasts and casual observers to view and interact with the art on a daily basis.

The Museum, founded by Burt Chernow, Professor Emeritus (1933-1997), is dedicated to the presentation, preservation and interpretation of objects of artistic or historic value. The collection provides a basis for exhibitions and educational programs for faculty, students and the public; for research and study by scholars, historians and curators, for special lectures and symposia, and for cultural and educational enrichment of the academic community and public-at-large. Under the direction of Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye, the Museum also presents lectures, programs and changing exhibitions in the Burt Chernow Galleries, and continues to be recognized as a major cultural resource for the Greater Bridgeport area and the region.

Bridgeport Art Trail 2026 Schedule

Thursday, November 5

8:30 AM - 7:00 PM | On Display:  Making His Mark - The Creative Process of F. Luis Mora

(Reception 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM) To commemorate the U.S. Semiquincentennial, the HMA presents the exhibition “Making his Mark in Connecticut: The Creative Process of F. Luis Mora.” The show explores the themes of the America 250 CT Commission through the lens of an Uruguayan-born artist who settled in Gaylordsville, CT. Featuring never-before-seen preparatory drawings alongside finished paintings, this exhibition tells the origin story of the first Hispanic member of the National Academy of Design and his legacy in his adopted state.

.8:30 AM - 7:00 PM | On Display: “Poli’s Palace & Majestic Theaters Memories Project”

Sylvester Poli’s Palace and Majestic theatres both opened in 1922. Long the center of downtown Bridgeport’s social life, the theatres closed in the 1970s. Jay Misencik and Geralene Valentine have been tracing this history beginning in 1991 through documentary photographs and recorded stories. See the photos and listen to some stories of a time past in this display near the Performing Arts Center at CT State Housatonic.

Complementing the photos are audio recordings of stories from people with a past connection to the theatres. Listen to the usherette, the “candy girl”, the last manager, the runner-up in a “best gams” contest, and a woman who had her first date at the Palace Theatre with the boy she would eventually marry. Something to think about, “Why Do Old Places Matter?”

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Art Party & Curator-Led Tours
Burt Chernow Galleries and Lafayette Hall Atrium

As a kick-off to the Bridgeport Art Trail, visit the Housatonic Museum of Art for an inspiring evening full of art, food, and drinks! Enjoy curator-led tours highlighting F. Luis Mora’s artistic practice through never-before-seen preparatory drawings coupled with their finished compositions. Free & open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP today: https://bit.ly/hma-art-party-2026

Friday, November 6

8:30 AM - 7:00 PM | On Display:  Making His Mark - The Creative Process of F. Luis Mora

To commemorate the U.S. Semiquincentennial, the HMA presents the exhibition “Making his Mark in Connecticut: The Creative Process of F. Luis Mora.” The show explores the themes of the America 250 CT Commission through the lens of an Uruguayan-born artist who settled in Gaylordsville, CT. Featuring never-before-seen preparatory drawings alongside finished paintings, this exhibition tells the origin story of the first Hispanic member of the National Academy of Design and his legacy in his adopted state.

.8:30 AM - 7:00 PM | On Display: “Poli’s Palace & Majestic Theaters Memories Project”

See the photos and listen to some stories of a time past in this display near the Performing Arts Center at CT State Housatonic.