Some American stories is a thematic presentation of works from the Colby collection in the museum’s Lunder Wing that leads visitors on a journey from before the founding of the United States to the present day. Each gallery represents a different topic within the broader narrative of American art and history, reflecting a great diversity of experiences. The subjects addressed are revolutions, the art of Maine, trade, the Civil War, nineteenth-century landscape painting, the American West, the role of women in the Gilded Age, neoclassical sculpture, religion, and the influence of folk art on American modernism. More than thirty contributors have written texts for the galleries. They include curators, museum educators, Colby faculty and students, scholars, community members, and artists, each of whom brings their unique perspectives to the objects on view. The installation presents paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and works on paper, which are prominently featured in a dedicated gallery that will showcase new displays every six months.

Some American Stories is curated by Sarah Humphreville, Lunder Curator of American Art, with Augusta Weiss, Anne Lunder Leland Curatorial Fellow. The Gourley Gallery works on paper installation is curated by Elisa Germán, Lunder Curator of Works on Paper and Whistler Studies.

This project is made possible through Colby Museum endowment funds provided by the Lunder Foundation, as well as the generous support of Alice Kang P’21 P’26 and OhSang Kwon P’21 P’26 and the Terra Foundation for American Art.