Founded by Larry Aldrich in 1964, The Aldrich is dedicated to fostering innovative artists whose ideas and interpretations of the world around us serve as a platform to encourage creative thinking. The Aldrich, which served an audience of over 37,700 in 2011, is one of the few independent, non-collecting contemporary art museums in the United States, and the only museum in Connecticut devoted to contemporary art. It is one of only twenty museums in Connecticut and only 318 art museums in the country to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. In 2011, The Aldrich implemented a new programming strategy of semester-long solo and group exhibitions united under overarching themes that link their content; the acclaimed gallery-based education programs use the work on view to help adults, families, and over 7,000 students annually to connect to our world through contemporary art.