Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British Art
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
As a COVID-19 precaution, the Yale Center for British Art is closed until further notice. We are committed to the health, safety, and well-being of our visitors and staff. Note that all March and April tours are canceled, and many upcoming programs are canceled or postponed. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your support and understanding. Please continue to check britishart.yale.edu for updates. Posted: March 13, 2020
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles367 reviews
Excellent
266
Very good
83
Average
14
Poor
3
Terrible
1

Tim W
Youngstown, OH73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
From the outside, the building looks like a generic retail outlet. The inside, however, is a marvel of design and layout. The collection is rather static, but appealing. I especially appreciated the manner in which the "long gallery" clustered the artwork. This is not a very large museum, so it is easily visited if time is limited. I highly recommend it. Sorry I'll miss the Henri .Moore exhibit, which opened shortly after my visit. It should be exceptional.
Written November 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anita G
Reading, MA147 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Couples
There are some real gems of British art here; the descriptions could be more informative. Electronic guides would have been super helpful. Our favorites were The history paintings by Marc Quinn, on view until October 16, 2022, especially Emma Gonzalez speaks at a rally for gun control. Staff were uniformly friendly and helpful.
Written July 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

christopherbO9687MP
Acton, MA748 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
The Yale Center for British Art has an outstanding collection of British art covering the years ~1550 - present plus several special exhibits. The galleries are arranged in mostly chronological order, with the (mostly) paintings reflecting various British and world events affecting society. The museum building is also outstanding, with several multi-story galleries suitable for displaying the more grandiose painting intended for some castle's main hall.

The current special exhibits covered the role of female British artists in several periods. The museum is located on Yale's campus; just a few steps for the main New Haven Green. Definitely worth a visit if in the New Haven area.
Written August 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MidwestKathM
Detroit, MI1,127 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
Our first visit to the Yale campus, we were disappointed that the Yale Center for British Art is closed for exterior renovations, which are sorely needed. Thankfully they put together an exhibit of British art featuring JMW Turner and John Constable and installed it in the Yale U Gallery of Art, so we didn't go away disappointed. Thank you for that!! Slated to reopen in 2024.
Written June 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

twomartinilunch
Middlebury, VT539 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Enjoy the art while you move through a marvelous Louis Kahn-designed building. And be sure to stop at Atticus on the ground floor for a bite to eat and coffee before or after your time there. And of course, visit the museum gift shop! Thank you, Paul Mellon and a special thank you to Louis Kahn. The gift of art and architecture is amazing.
Written January 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

James3086
London, UK14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
Worth the trip to New Haven even if you aren't going to visit Yale.
The collection is phenomenal. I particularly enjoyed the Constables.
Also, the gift shop has a great collection of British items.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark
21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
First off, the building is a fantastic architectural masterpiece by Louis Kahn--for some, that is sufficient reason to visit in and of itself. The galleries are spacious and built around a large open center--which is itself a gorgeous, wood-paneled gallery. Natural light is masterfully directed, especially to a large, beautiful Turner piece--it's worth a visit just to check it out: whoever curated that particular piece deserves a hearty handshake. Featuring exclusively British art (as the name might suggest) it is packed with art that will delight both the novice and pro. Their relatively new "big gallery" is a long room with art from floor to ceiling that mixes art from all eras and genres and is divided into topics (military, equestrian, nautical, etc)--it is jaw-dropping and in my estimation the way art should always be displayed. You could just visit the "big gallery" and go away satisfied. Of course, like the Yale Art Gallery across the street, there's never an admission charge--which makes it one of the great amenities of living in or visiting New Haven. Also, conveniently, there is reasonably priced pay parking behind the museum which is handy, since downtown is often packed and parking can be difficult. Easy access to restaurants, the Yale Center for British Art is a mandatory stop if you're in New Haven. Walk a block West to Book Trader for a tasty sandwich and the best bookstore in town.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

silverpyro
Chicago, IL18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014 • Friends
**Currently closed for renovation until July 2016!!**

The YCBA is an amazing (and free!) piece of New Haven treasure. Designed by Louis Kahn (who also designed the Art Gallery across the street), the building itself is unassuming from the outside but a piece of art itself on the inside -- there is a glorious amount of natural light. Like the Art Gallery, whether you have an hour or a day, you'll enjoy this beautiful museum.
Written June 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Len M
North Haven, CT77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2014 • Family
This is definitely the best British art collection outside of England. Each floor is crammed with some of the finest works of British art by all the big name painters and artisans from every period. Rooms are big, spacious and airy. There are several spots to sit to ponder and admire the displays and exhibits. Right across the street from the famous Yale University Art Gallery. Parking is a nightmare as are the one way streets all around so use the parking garages. Take advantage of the parking and visit both galleries. There are great little cafes all over the area and a terrific bookstore. Walk across the street and go under the walk overpass with the large brass Roman Numeral clock on it. Once out from under look left at the famous SKULL and BONES fraternity house. A few steps further is the world famous Harkness Tower and the courtyard on the right has the patriot Nathan Hales statue and classroom. What a great and interesting area all within a couple of hundred feet of each other. Bring a camara.
Written January 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

IndiaDaSilva
Monroe, CT203 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
The museum is free. It has a collection of British paints and some artifacts. The building itself is a piece of art. Louis Kahn is the architect.
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Yale Center for British Art - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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