Inside some of New England’s smallest art museums are treasures from the world’s great masters, and proof that great art isn’t found only in large cities. Connecticut writer Henry Traverso grew up in a family of painters and spent his career as an educator before making art history his post-retirement vocation. He’s spent the last 10 years writing his latest book, The Art Lover’s Pocket Guide (iUniverse, 2013), a complete guide to the world’s masterpieces and where to find them. We asked him to share his choices for the 5 best small museums in New England.

The magnificent dining room of the 1864 John Griswold House, home of the Newport Art Museum, is now the Drury Gallery, named for the late Newport painter William H. Drury, head of the art faculty at St. George’s School.
*Photo Credit : courtesy of Newport Art Museum (Drury Gallery)*

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Public Library & Art Gallery

With its elaborate mansard woodwork and spiral staircases, this Vermont institution is in itself a stunning period piece. Here you’ll find works from the Hudson River School, classical European and contemporary American collections, and The Domes of Yosemite, a breathtaking 10-by-15-foot view by Albert Bierstadt.

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1171 Main St., St. Johnsbury, VT. 802-748-8291; stjathenaeum.org

Addison Gallery of American Art

Located on the campus of Phillips Academy, the Addison boasts a collection that would be the envy of many city museums. With 17,000 works in all media in its permanent collection, including pieces by Winslow Homer, Jackson Pollock, Edward Hopper, and Frank Stella, the museum also mounts exhibitions of major artists such as James McNeill Whistler and Alfred Maurer. Don’t miss Wave, Night, a nocturnal seascape that Georgia O’Keeffe painted in 1928 while vacationing at York Beach, Maine.

180 Main St., Andover, MA. 978-749-4015; andover.edu/museums/addison

Florence Griswold Museum

Centered in the home of the late Miss Florence Griswold, who took in boarders to offset the cost of maintaining her family manse, the Lyme Art Colony became host to a group of artists in the vanguard of the Tonalist and Impressionist movements. Childe Hassam and Frederic Church lived there for a time, and many artists left their mark on the house by painting on panels, doors, and walls. In time, the museum expanded its collection to include the work of contemporary masters such as Sol LeWitt and Chuck Close.

96 Lyme St., Old Lyme, CT. 860-434-5542; florencegriswoldmuseum.org

Newport Art Museum

Home to one of the country’s oldest continuously operating art associations, the museum emerged out of the art-colony and Impressionist movements and was supported in its early days by Newport elites, including Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, founder of the Whitney Museum in New York. Newport’s collection features the works of American artists from the late 19th century through today, including John Frederick Kensett, Fitz Henry Lane, and George Bellows, as well as Dale Chihuly and other artists who trained or worked in the Ocean State.

76 Bellevue Ave., Newport, RI. 401-848-8200; newportartmuseum.org

Farnsworth Art Museum

Celebrating Maine’s role in American art, the Farnsworth maintains a vast collection, including the works of famed Maine-affiliated artists such as Fitz Henry Lane, Marsden Hartley, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, and Louise Nevelson. Its partner organization, the Wyeth Center, presents the works of the three Wyeths: N. C., Andrew, and James.

16 Museum St., Rockland, ME. 207-596-6457; farnsworthmuseum.org

Henry Traverso

The 5 Best Small Museums in New England