HARVARD, Mass. – A new exhibition opening this April at The Trustees of Reservations’ Fruitlands Museum in Harvard highlights the unusual and unexpected objects within the collection of Fruitlands’ founder Clara Endicott Sears. Eye of the Beholder opens April 30 and will remain on view through Nov. 7, 2027.

The exhibition pairs objects once owned by scholars, artists and communities with furniture, cherished portraits, and landscapes from the Sears family collection. Together, these works reveal both the breadth of Sears’s collecting interests and the personal histories embedded in the objects she preserved.

“Clara Endicott Sears collected with a deeply personal sense of curiosity,” said curator Tess Lukey. “Eye of the Beholder brings together objects that might not always align with today’s definitions of beauty, but each one reflects a story—about the people who made or owned it, the time it came from, and why Sears believed it was worth preserving.”

Featured objects include folk portraits of local community members, a striking ship portrait, and even a painting by May Alcott. Visitor will also encounter whimsical items such as a bowl of plaster fruit alongside everyday objects from 19^th century life – a dipper, spatula, scoop, and even a doll – each offering a glimpse into the material culture and personal stories that fascinated Clara Endicott Sears.

Lukey notes that the exhibition raises questions about the nature of collecting and display: What makes an object worth preserving? Who decides what is worthy of display? And how do we define beauty across time?

“The value of art isn’t in pleasing the eye; it’s in stirring thought, provoking emotion, and challenging assumptions” says Lukey.

Eye of the Beholder continues Tess Lukey’s exploration of the Sears collection, which came to The Trustees with their acquisition of Fruitlands in 2016. The exhibition complements the ongoing Across Boundaries Across Barriers show, which highlights Native American objects collected by Sears in the early 20^th century.

Admission to both exhibitions is included in the price of admission to Fruitlands. The museum campus also features the country’s first-ever Shaker museum and an 1820s farmhouse that was briefly home to the family of novelist Louisa May Alcott while they participated in an experimental Transcendentalist community. Visitors can further explore the 210-acre property via several miles of scenic walking trails.

About The Trustees

The Trustees is Massachusetts’ largest—and the nation’s first—land conservation and preservation nonprofit. Today, through the support of Members, donors, and partners, The Trustees helps conserve nearly 52,000 acres and welcomes the public to more than 120 inspiring locations across the state to experience landscapes where nature, wildlife, and people all thrive.

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