For Immediate Release
May 12, 2025
CLARK ART INSTITUTE JOINS IN
MASSACHUSETTS 250 COMMEMORATION
Williamstown, Massachusetts—The Clark Art Institute, along with other museums throughout Massachusetts, is remembering the Commonwealth’s revolutionary role in American history by joining the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA 250 commemoration.
In 2025 and 2026 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts observes the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War, which saw its first major military campaign on Massachusetts soil—the Battles of Lexington and Concord—fought on April 19, 1775. Massachusetts continued to play a vital role in the struggle for independence from Great Britain.
The Clark’s Henry Morris and Elizabeth H. Burrows Gallery of American Decorative Arts features art made and used from colonial times through the early years following the Revolution. Some objects on display have a direct connection to the Revolutionary War, such as Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of Commander of the Continental Army and first President of the United States George Washington; silver made by Boston-based patriot Paul Revere, Jr.; a tankard commemorating the first national celebration of Thanksgiving in 1782; a portrait by Christian Gullagher of Revolutionary War veteran Major Benjamin Shaw; and a coffee pot commemorating the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman and military officer who played a critical role in the American Revolution and later undertook a celebratory tour through Massachusetts and other U.S. states in 1824–25.
The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism has created a commemorative MA 250 logo as part of its year-long observance of the revolutionary events that are a part of Massachusetts history. Objects in the Clark’s collection that relate to the period are newly marked with the MA 250 logo to assist visitors in finding them. While many objects in the Burrows Gallery do not have a specific tie to the Revolutionary War, all of them reflect the concerns, interests, ideals, and complications of this time in American history.
For more information, visit massachusetts250.org.
ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of nearly 300,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday from September through June and daily in July and August. Admission is free to all from January through March and is $20 from March through December; admission is free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is also available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.
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