The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is renowned for its collection of American and European design and decorative arts, which include Renaissance and Baroque works from the legendary J. Pierpont Morgan Collection, early American works from the Wallace Nutting Collection, and a robust holding of Connecticut-made objects and furniture.

The Design and Decorative Arts Council sponsors events that further the appreciation and understanding of material culture in its many forms. Known for conviviality stimulated by good food and wine, these gatherings are an opportunity to meet and socialize with others sharing a similar passion for design.

Becoming a member of the Design and Decorative Arts Council is an opportunity to:

• Expose yourself to a wide variety of design environments and decorative arts objects—whether classic or contemporary, international or American.
• Experience great design across a range of media—from porcelain, glass, silver, and metalwork, to textiles, furniture, landscape, and architecture.
• Develop personal connoisseurship through exposure to objects’ historical and social context as well as the processes behind their craft and manufacture.
• Promote a deeper knowledge of the decorative arts at the Wadsworth as well as in other museums and private collections.

The benefits of membership in the Council are delivered through fascinating programs rarely available to the general public. They include:

• Informative, engaging speakers and tour guides.
• “Insider” trips to museums, historic houses, and private collections.
• Personal contact with the Wadsworth’s decorative arts curatorial staff, and opportunities for in-depth study of objects in the collection.

There are also opportunities to make a difference in the future of the Wadsworth’s design and decorative arts collections.

The Design and Decorative Arts Council has sponsored major exhibitions and contributed to the conservation of objects in the Wadsworth’s collections.

We invite you to become part of this lively, enthusiastic group of decorative arts and design lovers.

Membership in the Design and Decorative Arts Council is open to Premier Members of the Wadsworth Atheneum. Design and Decorative Arts Council membership dues are $250 per year per household.

For more information about DDAC membership please contact Douglas John at douglasjohn@cmawilton.com