Betsy James Wyeth (1921–2020) was a fascinating and largely overlooked maker of complex designed environments whose lasting legacy in visual art and landscape will be explored for the first time in this exhibition. Her practice extended to the restoration and adaptive reuse of dozens of historical buildings; the architectural design of new structures; and an eclectic collecting practice that shaped highly original interior spaces.

As a simultaneous, multi-sited exhibition, By Design: The Worlds of Betsy James Wyeth tells the story of these astonishing created worlds across hundreds of acres in Pennsylvania and Maine. This exhibition is co-organized by Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine; Brandywine Museum of Art, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania; and Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine; in association with the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. It will be presented simultaneously at the three museums in summer 2026 and will be accompanied by a catalog published by Rizzoli Electa. The exhibition will run from May 2 to October 16, 2026.