2025 Impact Report

A man bends down to look closely at a painting

Exhibitions

Two individuals look at a figurative painting in a gold frame hung on a dark green wall. It depicts an single man in a red coat and black hat seated in the woods.

Collections

A dark, classical oil still life painting by Raphaelle Peale, dated 1813. The composition features four triangular slices of a light-colored cake dotted with dark spices or currants, resting on a round, shallow, metallic dish. The cake slices are partially covered with white frosting. Behind the cake, a tall, clear stemmed glass holds a dark amber liquid. A dark green sprig with large, waxy leaves hangs down to the right. The background is a solid, dark brown or black, highlighting the subjects.

Gifts of art were gratefully received from Peter Lunder ’56, D.F.A. ’98, and Life Trustee Paula Lunder, D.F.A. ’98, who continue to build the Lunder Collection at the Colby Museum. Some of the latest acquisitions include prints such as Winslow Homer’s A Voice from the Cliffs, Maurice Prendergast’s Evening on the Pier No. 3, and James McNeill Whistler’s Chelsea Embankment, all of which add to the museum’s robust collection of nineteenth-century works on paper.

Another new acquisition on view in the galleries is Jared French’s Prose, which will soon be joined by Emil Bisttram’s Spectre. These two exceptional paintings further bolster the Colby Museum’s significant holdings in American modernism.

Learning and Engagement

Two women wearing glasses lean in close to examine a piece of white fabric held in a wooden embroidery hoop.

Strong partnerships with K–12 teachers and administrators made it possible for 3,415 students from 30 public schools around the state to experience the museum. Our most popular K–12 tours were Maine Experience: Materials & Inspiration (3rd–4th grade) and Wabanaki: Lineage and Legacy (5th grade).

Public Programs & Community Engagement team offered 5,971 participants access to 104 programs and events—all for free, reflecting our unwavering commitment to access, connection, and education.

Lunder Institute for American Art

In a spacious art gallery, two performers sit at a small round table on the left, while a third performer in all-white clothing sits alone on the right holding a sketchbook. A small audience of museum-goers stands against the back wall, framed by large-scale geometric paintings in green, black, and white.

During the Summer Think Tank, the Lunder Institute brought 64 individuals to Waterville to participate in and create public programs focused on the theme of Centering Performance in American Art.

The Lunder Institute for American Art continued its work of supporting scholarly and creative production by hosting six fellows whose work aligns with its goal of expanding the contours of American art.

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