Ogunquit Museum of American Art

The Ogunquit Museum of American Art in Maine offers a different way to appreciate art - but you'll have to leave the building to appreciate it fully.

Ogunquit means "beautiful place by the sea," and its museum puts that beauty on display.

Located on the rocky coast, you get a view of the ocean, and a view of the artwork the Ogunquit seascape has inspired.

Several of the artists are from Maine and have painted places like Perkins Cove.

A select few of the artists have a deep connection to the sea shore - they founded the art colony that would transform Ogunquit and make it the destination it is today.

"Charles Woodbury, out of Boston, who was maybe one of the premier painters of his time, taught 5,000 students over his summers here in a Ogunquit," said Chris Caraviello, the owner of the Van Ward Gallery.

You can view Woodbury's work in the gallery, but one of the most interesting aspects of the museum is what you can find just outside of its walls.

"It's unique as far as I know," said Caraviello.

Take a walk down Woodbury Lane and you'll stumble upon his studio.

Built in the early 1900s, this is where he taught thousands of art students.

"You'll see the same scenes we know have paintings of," said Caraviello.

It's the first stop on a self-guided art colony walking tour you can take through the museum. It takes you across the drawbridge and into Perkins Cove, where there are more historical sites.

The artists who flocked here in the early 1900s saw beauty in the quiet fishing town, with its rocky coast and dramatic light. They brought their students and formed a community. Soon, restaurants and hotels followed.

Seeing their art, then visiting their homes and learning about their role in reshaping the community can give museum guests a better appreciation for the art culture in Ogunquit.

Click here for more on the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and here to see what's on the walking tour.

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