Established in 1898, the Worcester Museum is home to one of the largest art collections in New England. Highlights of its collection include works by Monet, Gauguin, and John Singer Sargent. The collection has been steadily growing for decades, and it has been a popular destination for art lovers for more than a century. It is currently running a deficit, as it currently has an annual budget of $9 million. Despite the difficulties the museum faces, its founder, Mary Waschek, is hopeful the announcement signals a new era for the Worcester Museum.
The new exhibitions include a 12th-century chapter house originally located on the site of the Benedictine Priory of St. John in Poitiers. The museum installed the building in 1932 and linked it to the museum. The Renaissance Court features a rich collection of antique furniture, paintings, and textiles. The museum's treasures date from the first through sixth centuries A.D. and are made of plaster and mosaics found in Antioch, Syria.
In 1927, the museum purchased a 12th-century French chapter house which was part of a Benedictine Priory near Poitiers. The new building was linked to the museum in 1933 and was installed in its current location. It was the first medieval building in the United States to be transported to the United States. The Renaissance Court is also home to a collection of antioch mosaics dating from the first through sixth centuries A.D. that was excavated at the ancient city of Antioch.
