Had our wedding at this museum over the weekend, and although the venue is beautiful, the staff was extremely unprofessional, antagonistic, and inappropriate. All of our vendors were treated extremely poorly by the staff, they were very unwelcoming to myself and my groom and were disinterested in actually helping us with any requests, even something as simple as dimming the lights during the reception. Staff was rude to our caterers, our DJ, our coordinators, and had no interest in problem solving. The removed art from the reception area (even though we literally picked the venue for the art). Overall it was horrific experience. Museum is beautiful and would likely be a wonderful location for a wedding if there was a staffing update. Would not recommend hosting an event here. read more

I give two stars not because there was anything wrong with the museum, but because of the poor value. I went here on one of those "Free Fun Fridays" hosted by the Highland Street Foundation. Ordinarily, it costs $7 for adult admission. I am accounting for this fact in the review because the other 364 days of the year are not free. I have no problem paying to get into a museum, but again, it is not a question of costs, but rather one of value. The museum is one small room, the hall with the main desk (with a few photos around), and a larger, much more open hall about the size of a large chapel, or really small church. Suffice it to say, unless you wish to carefully examine all the works, the museum can be viewed in under 45 minutes (and even that is pushing it) I am a fan of photography, and I would love to see the always changing displays in this museum. However, my concern returns to the fact that for a tiny room, a large room, and a few paintings in the area with ticket desk costs $7. However, if you are a die-hard photography fan, they have some books, and some really old camera equipment you can look at and purchase (I don't know if old cameras are for sale). read more

As a museum, I would give it 5 stars. As a wedding reception venue, I give it 3. To clarify, the drop in stars has nothing to do with the Museum itself, but rather with some of the policies and procedures involved with renting the Griffin Photography Museum for a private event. We picked this place for several reasons: - My husband (it sounds so strange calling him that) is a photography buff. - We spend a lot of time at the Middlesex Fells in Winchester and actually got engaged there. - The building and the grounds are beautiful. - It's only about 10 miles from Boston. - It is a unique wedding reception venue. When you rent the Museum you are told you have it from 4pm until 11pm. That sounds like a tremendous amount of time. That is, until you are told (well after you've signed the agreement) that your vendors cannot arrive and start setting up until after 4pm. The Museum is actually open to the public until 4pm. Although every time I have been there as a Museum guest, I have been the ONLY person in the place, they refuse to budge on anyone arriving earlier. They won't even let anyone in the kitchen before 4pm, which is nowhere near the gallery. That means all deliveries, table set up, bar set up, music set up, and food prep cannot begin until after 4pm. That also means your party likely can't start until at least 6pm. On top of the fact that you lose at least a couple of hours up front, you also lose an hour on the back end. The 11pm cut-off means everything has to be cleaned up by the caterer, and everyone has to be out of the building by 11. The take this seriously. Very seriously. So seriously in fact, that someone from the Museum staff abruptly turned the lights on at 10pm sharp putting a distinct end to the party. So, that stuff wasn't ideal but we had a great time. The venue is gorgeous. It's very unique, with a high ceiling great for sound, terrific photography on the walls, and on beautiful grounds on a picturesque lake. We had a terrific wedding reception there and we do not regret having chosen this spot. read more

This photo museum/gallery was commissioned by the slightly eccentric Arthur Griffin in 1992. Dedicated to the promotion and appreciation of Modern Photography, you would never know this building was constructed top to bottom less than 20 years ago. It's got this huge red water wheel on the back which I love, and overlooks a nice little pond. It's a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon. The art is usually created by local artist, and they do a great deal of collaboration with art focused youth programs. Hells yeah... read more

I actually did not explore this museum; but rather took a couple photography workshops. My instructor, Steve, was thorough, maybe too thorough! Both classes I attended ran over time. My schedule is pretty hectic so I can only afford ones that only ran a few hours and not weeks on going. As much as I am not a morning person, I managed to get up wicked early for these morning workshops. Seriously, who likes to wake up around 6 in the morning on a weekend and drive an hr to class?? The prices are very reasonable as well. As a hobby, this suits well within budget. After the classes, I still ain't a pro but I gained an understanding of how use my camera off of P/Auto modes. Practice is certainly the key to getting used to adjusting the settings to be picture perfect! read more

The space is beautiful--a house with weathered wood in a quiet place in a beautiful town. Wilmington has a sweet Main Street with lots of greenery and a small creek and lots of ponds; it really is a great spot for strolling after checking out the museum. The museum is small, and there are no permanent exhibits. The quality of photography depends on what's showing when you visit, so check ahead to get a sense. Like the other reviewers, I found my girlfriend and I to be the only ones there when we visited at 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon. There are three fairly small rooms, and an hour was plenty of time to take in all the photos on display. The museum is a short drive from Cambridge--about 20 minutes from Harvard Square--but it's definitely outside Boston and if feels like a destination. If Wilmington wasn't charming, I might have felt like the museum wasn't quite special enough. But the museum, and afterwards some time exploring the town, was a really sweet Sunday afternoon date and I'd recommend it to anyone. read more

Griffin museum has great photo exhibits. Arthur Griffin was a famous photographer..(look him up if you don't believe me). He also had some famous photos of Ted Williams. Griffin Museum features displays of artwork and also hosts several lectures, events throughout the year., a recent event included the Dune shacks of Provincetown lecture and photo show. There are also private functions as well at the Griffin Museum. The Museum grounds itself are beautiful, any time of year, but esp spring and fall. Situated right on Judkins Pond ...Check out the cool Water Wheel in the back of the building. its a neat museum. One of the coolest in Boston. read more

attended a wedding at this venue it's a small museum that's located in a house. there is a pretty pond in the back, with an old water mill. You can see swans swimming the pond. based on my experience, if you're looking to book a wedding here, it's perfect for around 70 people tops. Enough room for a bar setup and tables and a dance floor. Staff was super nice and attentive, everything was done as requested and any issues were addressed right away. It was nice to have the gallery photographs on the walls, even in the bathrooms! read more

Arthur went all-out when he built this place. Arthur Griffin - local photographer - always had a dream of creating his very own gallery. He would always have his camera ready - especially when golfing at the Winchester Cuntry Club. When this place was being built - Arthur was there to oversee it's construction. He had a strong vision of what he wanted and fought tooth-and-nail for them to keep the building built as it was originally designed. Today, we have this gem - the Arthur Griffin Photography museum. Used to showcase art, public or private functions, or other local meetings, this place is simply gorgeous. A little awkward to get to, as it's set on a one-way street off a rotary, but at least parking is free! Check it out. read more

Small house that displays photo art in 3 rooms. Checked it out recently on a Free Friday summer event. Nothing unique about the art or design of the galleries. It appears simply put together without much expertise. Finished viewing the whole collection in 15 minutes. I would not pay full admission to this museum. read more

The Griffin Museum is a darling space great for a small wedding (I would say 75 our under). We had 50 people and it was perfect for our guests in terms of the size. The cost was reasonable as well $980 for the evening. There are two HUGE downsides that are worth mentioning and resulted in the two stars. 1. While the person working with us prior to the wedding was very responsive and sweet, the on-site person who worked our event was extremely rude. We had agreed with the staff that the wedding would end at 11pm and clean up would follow. However the on-site person turned on all the lights about 10:30 and told the DJ to play the last song. Boo hiss. So we all cleared out. Meanwhile, he told one of the guests that the commuter rail was still running when in fact it was not. She was stranded at the wedding venue (as all the other guests with cars had left). In his favor, the on-site person did drive her to the nearest subway station which made up for the fact he gave her incorrect information. I had confirmed two days prior to the event that our arrangement was to end the wedding at 11pm, but he was incredulous about the matter. 2. Depending on how you look at it, issue#2 was more problematic for us. The museum is a photo gallery. Before we signed a contract we asked what photos would be on display. We were told it would be calligraphy and given the name of the artist. Indeed the photography of the calligraphy was there, but only in the gift shop. In the actual wedding venue itself, there were pictures of Auschwitz (as in concentration camps). Thankfully there were no pictures of actual people, but instead of (and I am not kidding) the luggage of Holocaust victims, the chimneys of Auschwitz, and the beds. It was so awful particularly as we had a semi-Jewish wedding here. It was so unfortunate and we definitely felt like we were misled. My friends and family made jokes about it to make us feel better about the ceremony. Honestly, it didn't ruin our day, but no one in our family is very religious and all of our friends thought it was going to make for a great story one day. Live and learn. read more

As a Caterer at the Griffin Museum, I have catered over 50 weddings and special events there. I have worked the Paula and Frances for years and they do a wonderful job bending over backwards to make sure the space is in its best for any affair. They are also very flexible and organized. However, the nature of the Museum is the art and the art comes first. As a vendor, I completely respect this rule and work with my clients to address this. Paula and Frances take all constructive criticism very seriously and work progressively towards satisfying all of their wedding clients needs. Last year was a tremendous year for the Griffin Museum and they really do a great job! read more

A gem of a small museum. The director and curator, Paula Tognarelli, knows her stuff. The work is typically diverse and of high quality. Everything from street and documentary to fine art and inventive portraiture. I know some have complained about the price of admission for a day. Really? Your $7 supports the art of photography and the only local museum dedicated entirely to the craft. And membership is cheap as well. The Griffin also runs multiple galleries around Boston where openings are always free. Even main show openings at the Griffin are free! They have satellites in SoWA. Lafayette Square. Stoneham. But perhaps more importantly, the Griffin is a vital and vibrant community. There are numerous workshops and classes. Portfolio reviews. Lots of artist talks. And an active social media presence that helps photographers stay connected to the community. No organization. Does more to support photography and photographers locally. Full disclosure; I have studied there and exhibited at the museum and at its satellite gallery in SoWA. But regardless, if you are a photography lover it's worth checking out. Go online first to make sure the current exhibit interests you. If you are a photographer it is a must. On every level. It will make you better. read more

I had my wedding at the Griffin Museum in July of 2010. It was absolutely amazing. I stumbled upon the museum randomly on a message board while trying to find unique, but inexpensive, locations for a wedding. It was perfect--the outdoor areas are great for a small ceremony, the staff is incredibly friendly, and the building itself is beautiful. Our ceremony had about 40 guests, but I could have seen it holding up to about 20 more easily, with room for dancing--we had a buffet, so that took up a little space. If you are looking for an affordable, unique place to have a fantastic wedding, this is it. I have to contend with the GR D review, however. While I am sorry that their wedding was not as perfect as they had hoped, I don't see much of it being the museum's fault. 1) I actually was at the museum two days before their wedding (randomly) to view it and make my reservation. I was well-aware that you take a chance with a museum like this in, perhaps, not getting the exhibit you desire scheduled during your wedding weekend. But they know the schedule well-ahead of time. I find it hard to believe that they randomly had these photos up, without anyone knowing beforehand. The schedule is posted on the website. The museum was even trying to cover some of the photos for that wedding. Again, I know it was a little bothersome to have those photos up, but really, a wedding requires planning and questions--and sometimes a venue might not be the right fit. 2) The museum's policies (that the wedding party, be it bride, groom, parents, etc) must read and sign CLEARLY state that the museum closes at 11:00pm and that all cleanup, disassembly, etc must be completed by that time. It was your responsibility, along with the caterer, to know the rules. 3) if the man did tell you that the commuter rail was running, that is poor. He should have known better. But did you not think to look at the transit schedule ahead of time to inform your guests??? I don't want to sound antagonistic, but posting reviews like that give a poor light to a place that, in my mind, does not deserve it at ALL. True, the Griffin does make it tight with setup not starting until 4pm. However, we started the ceremony at 5:30 and still had over 4 hours for drinks and a great reception (the last song wrapped up around 10:30--as we scheduled). It's all about choosing the right caterer, and if you are going to the Griffin, go with Green Olive. They know the place inside and out and do everything for you...they are affordable and have amazing food. read more