Yale Center for British Art

The Yale Center for British Art, founded in 1977 through the generosity of Yale alumnus and philanthropist Paul Mellon, is home to the most extensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. Located in the heart of the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut, the museum invites the public to explore over five centuries of British artistic achievement in a building designed by acclaimed architect Louis I. Kahn. Free and open to all, the Center provides a space for contemplation, learning, and engagement with a wide range of artistic expressions.

The Center’s mission is to care for and share its exceptional collections and architectural setting while encouraging conversations around British art’s global histories and its significance in today’s world. It fosters a welcoming atmosphere for research, reflection, and creative discovery, offering dynamic exhibitions, scholarly programs, and educational initiatives that are accessible to everyone.

The museum's holdings include over 2,000 paintings, 250 sculptures, 20,000 drawings and watercolors, and approximately 40,000 prints, alongside an impressive archive of rare books and manuscripts. Visitors can encounter iconic works by artists such as J.M.W. Turner, Thomas Gainsborough, George Stubbs, and Joshua Reynolds, while also discovering modern and contemporary voices including Francis Bacon, Barbara Hepworth, Yinka Shonibare, and Sonia Boyce.

A research library of over 40,000 volumes supports in-depth academic study and public interest in British art and its intersections with literature, politics, and cultural history.

Through its thoughtful curation and dedication to openness, the Yale Center for British Art continues to serve as an essential resource for students, scholars, and art lovers, offering insight into Britain’s artistic legacy and its evolving relevance in a global context.