Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum
The Smith Institute first opened to the public on 11 August 1874. It was an occasion for great celebration in Stirling, and the shops in the town closed at 12 noon to allow people to attend the opening. Nevertheless, there were some mixed feelings, for Thomas Stuart Smith, had died in 1869 and the location of the building was felt by many people to be too far away from the old town.
Jessica Nicoll
In 2005, Nicoll returned to her alma mater where she succeeded Suzannah Fabing as Director and Chief Curator of the Smith College Museum of Art. Fabing retired after a 13-year tenure, during which the museum underwent an extensive renovation and expansion.“The Smith College Museum of Art’s elegant new facility, outstanding collection and wonderful staff make the institution a powerful educational resource for its community and have made this an irresistible opportunity for me. As a graduate of Smith, I find this opportunity doubly exciting—a chance to do the work I love for the benefit of a community that I care about deeply.” (March 25, 2005)Widely regarded as one of the most distinguished college museums in the country, the Smith College Museum of Art is best known for its 19th- and 20th-century European and American collection. Among its permanent collection includes works by Manet, Monet, Picasso, Copley, Eakins, Stella, Motherwell, O’Keeffe and many other famous painters, along with noteworthy sculpture and classical antiquities, prints, drawings and photographs.