George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum

The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum is a local Springfield, MA treasure that deserves more than local visitors. Part of the quadrangle of cultural institutions that includes the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, the Smith reflects the highly individualistic Victorian-​era tastes of the couple who founded it and collected many of the treasures it contains during their travels in the late nineteenth century. The two floors of galleries include Japanese arms and armor, Japanese and Chinese decorative arts, Islamic arts (including a notable number of fine carpets) and a salon of American paintings of the period in addition to a hall containing plaster casts of famous European sculptures displayed in a manner that was once considered a necessity for the study of art, but which aside from the great display in the Victoria and Albert Museum (London) is now rarely seen. The Smith also hosts approximately one special exhibition each year, usually connected to their collection. The distinctive and historic building in which is housed includes several windows executed by the firm of Tiffany. Ticketing is handled by a facility shared with the other cultural institutions; off-​street parking is available.

This is one of the museums on the quad that surrounds the Dr Seuss statues. Its a really interesting thing to visit this museum group. One price gets you into all of them. And the Library too.
Founded by Mr Smith, it represents what his interests were. He built it to be a museum. While it has modernized in a number of ways, it does retain his vision as its in the same building and showcases his collections.
This museum houses 150 examples of cloisonné, which make sit the largest collection outside of China. This collection includes examples from various dynasties and different ages. Its quite comprehensive.
The museum also has lots of rotating exhibits. I was here when the «Steampunk» exhibit was on. Its pretty interesting. Lots of «fantastical» things going on. Very interesting interpretation of wedding dresses using vintage and modern things.
Hasbro has a «hands on» area here for kids. Its not open all the time, so check the hours before coming, but its very cool when its open. Very creative and hands on.
I found this to be a nice stop while in Springfield, not to big to be overwhelmed and very easy to navigate through. I had no trouble parking, but that may have been luck as I found a street spot without issue. Not sure if its always that easy.