New Canaan Library’s H. Pelham Curtis Gallery has a rich and intriguing history. Alive with culture in the 1950’s, New Canaan was best known for its modernist houses by the renowned Harvard Five architects, whose experimental designs co-exist beautifully with the town’s traditional New England backdrop. Three friends of New Canaan Library then brought the excitement of the modern art scene to town with a show of 30 pieces loaned by local collectors. The exhibition opened in 1955 and included work by Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Any Warhol, Helen Frankenthaler, Roy Lichtenstein, and Alexander Calder, to name just a few.

Twenty-five years and many shows later, a gallery was dedicated to commemorate the life of H. Pelham Curtis, a financier and philanthropist with a passion for the arts. Curtis’s vision for the library included a dedicated space of art exhibitions that would educate and delight the community.
The Curtis Gallery contributes uniquely to the cultural life of New Canaan by combining high standards with an eye for the unexpected. Regional artists working in a variety of media make an impact, from photographs of the homeless by Pulitzer prize -winning New York Times photographer Edward Keating to the paintings of Perry Obee, an early-career artist of immense talent.
In Spring 2011 the newly renovated gallery was opened by the Portuguese artist Luis de Miranda. The gallery is awash in natural light, with flexible seating and low shelving that allows visitors to browse the Library’s robust collection of art books while viewing one of the juried exhibitions that rotate every six weeks
With a eye to the future and a dedication to presenting exceptional visual art, under the thoughtful curation and organization by the Art Committee of New Canaan Library, the Curtis Gallery continues to honor its founder’s quest to enrich the community’s cultural perspective.