WILLIAMS COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART

One of the finest college art museums in the country, the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) houses 12,000 works that span the history of art. Within the broad range of time periods and cultures represented, the collection emphasizes modern and contemporary art, American art from the late 18th century to present, and the art of world cultures.

The museum was founded in 1926 to provide Williams College students with the opportunity for firsthand observation of fine works of art. In 1977, faced with inadequate exhibition, office, and storage space, the museum hired architect Charles Moore to design a substantial expansion. In 2001, on the occasion of its 75th anniversary, the museum commissioned Eyes, 2001 an outdoor sculpture by renowned artist Louise Bourgeois.  For the museum, the work symbolizes an ongoing dedication to the best of contemporary art and living artists while providing students and visitors a unique outdoor meeting place and guide to the museum’s front entrance.

WCMA's director and curators participate in the graduate program on a regular basis, including the supervision of internships and related special projects.