The Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut, is set to reopen on March 29, 2025, after a two-year renovation project. The museum, designed by renowned architect Louis Kahn in the 1970s, has undergone updates to its skylights, roof, and lighting systems while preserving Kahn’s original vision. Martina Droth, the Paul Mellon Director of the Yale Center for British Art, emphasized the importance of natural light in the museum’s aesthetic experience.
“The play of light is integral to the aesthetic experience of the building, and this is what makes it such a special place for seeing art,” Droth explained. The reopening will be celebrated with a ceremony featuring Yale President Maurie McInnis and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. Visitors can explore newly curated exhibitions spanning five centuries of British art, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to contemporary critiques of Britain’s imperial past.
On the fourth floor, “In a New Light: Five Centuries of British Art” showcases the museum’s permanent collection, which is the most comprehensive assemblage of British art outside the United Kingdom.
Yale Center’s grand reveal
The Long Gallery now features a mix of historical and contemporary works, including a recently acquired 17th-century portrait by Mary Beale, a successful woman artist of her time.
The third floor hosts “J.M.W. Turner: Romance and Reality,” an exhibition celebrating Turner’s 250th birthday and covering all phases of his 60-year career. The show features Turner’s celebrated 1818 oil painting, “Dort, or Dordrecht: The Dort Packet-Boat from Rotterdam Becalmed.”
On the second floor, “Tracey Emin: I Loved You Until The Morning” marks the first North American museum presentation of Emin’s work as a painter. Emin, an icon of the 1990s art scene, created a neon installation for the show that greets visitors in the museum’s Entrance Court.
The museum’s renovation allowed for a thoughtful rehang of the permanent collection, aiming to present British art with a deeper narrative of its historical and cultural contexts. The collection juxtaposes traditional state portraits and landscapes with contemporary works, addressing themes such as Britain’s changing environment during the Industrial Revolution and the historical triangular trade. As visitors explore the carefully curated exhibitions, they will find themselves immersed in a rich tapestry of British art, reflecting both the past and evolving present.
The Yale Center for British Art invites the public to rediscover its extraordinary collections in a beautifully renovated space, starting March 29, 2025.
