I Spy: Walter Wick’s Hidden Wonders

June 7 through October 26, 2025

Explore the captivating world of Walter Wick, the acclaimed photographer and creator of the I Spy books, in this special exhibition. With a career spanning over 50 years, Wick’s work combines artistry, technical innovation, and mind-bending puzzles. The exhibition will showcase his iconic photographic illustrations, including miniature worlds, optical illusions, and more.

Walter Wick
Clouds from I SPY Fantasy, 2021
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick 2024.5.28

Krug

Walter Wick (b. 1953)
Treehouse from Hey, Seymour!, 2015
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick 2024.5.5

Titled after his recent book, I SPY: Walter Wick’s Hidden Wonders will span 50 years of innovation, wonder, and imagination. Tracing the span of Wick’s career, the exhibition is organized by themes that have long fascinated Wick, including Miniature Worlds; Floor Games; Craft-Built Worlds; Optical Illusions; I Spy Games; Puzzle Challenges, Wonders of Science; Connecticut Woods; and Curiosity Shop. This special exhibition is organized by the New Britain Museum of American Art.

The whimsical world of Walter Wick has fascinated people of all ages since 1991, when his first children’s book series I SPY found its way onto the bookshelves of millions of American households. The success of Wick’s books has established him as one of the most celebrated photographic illustrators of all time. A Hartford native, Wick began his artistic career as a landscape photographer before becoming enamored with the technical aspects of studio photography. Wick aspired to master studio techniques, but also to represent such concepts as the perception of space and time in photographs, and experimented with mirrors, time exposures, photo composites, and other tricks to do so. This manipulation of processes and perception has led to a prolific career that has now, over 30 years after the release of I SPY: A Book of Picture Riddles, resulted in the publication of more than 26 children’s books.

This exhibition is organized by the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut in partnership with the artist, Walter Wick. Walter Wick: Hidden Wonders! is made possible by The Saunders Foundation and the Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation.

About Walter Wick

Walter Wick is the photographic illustrator of the I SPY series, and the author/illustrator of the Can You See What I See? series. Together, they have more than forty-five million copies in print and are translated into more than 10 languages. He is also the author and photographer of the award winning A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder, and Walter Wick’s Optical Tricks, a book of photographic illusions.

After graduating from Paier College of Art, he furthered his technical skills as a commercial photographer in Hartford, Connecticut before starting his own studio in New York City. Clients included such magazines as Psychology Today, Discover, and Newsweek. During this period he also invented many photographic puzzles for Games Magazine.

You can see Mr. Wick’s work up close at numerous museums around the United States where he is often invited to exhibit his amazing photography and hand-built model sets for his search-and-find masterpieces. Mr. Wick lives in Miami Beach, Florida, with his wife, Linda. He continues his love for tinkering, photography, and creating picture books at his studio in the Wynwood arts district of Miami.

IMAGES

Walter Wick
Sky High from Can You See What I See? Dream Machine, 2003
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick. 2015.116.6LIC

Walter Wick
Puss in Boots from Can You See What I See? Once Upon a Time, 2006
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick. 2015.116.44LIC

Walter Wick
Yikes! from I SPY Fantasy, 1994
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick
2015.116.5LIC

Walter Wick
Flatland from Can You See What I See? Hidden Wonders, 2021
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick. 2024.5.3

Walter Wick
City Blocks from I SPY Fantasy, 1994
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick. 2015.116.9LIC

Walter Wick
The Marionettes from Can You See What I See? Hidden Wonders, 2021
Pigmented inkjet photograph
Gift of Walter Wick and Linda Cheverton Wick. 2024.5.18

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ROCKWELL’S STUDIO
Closed for the season.
Opens May 1, 2025

Special Holiday Hours: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: 10am-2pm.

Admissions

There are limited daily tickets for tours of Norman Rockwell’s Studio. It is recommended you purchase your museum admission and studio tour tickets online in advance of your visit.  Museum Visit admission is required for all tours.

Buy Admission

Members Adult Seniors /
Veterans & Military		 Children MA Teachers College
Students
Museum Visit: Free $25 $23 Free $22 $10
Curator Tour:
Original Sisters		 $10 + $20 + $20 Free + $20 + $20
Guided Tour:
Rockwell’s Life & Art
(40 minutes)		 Free +$10 +$10 Free +$10 +$10

There are limited daily tickets for tours of Norman Rockwell’s Studio. It is recommended you purchase your museum admission and studio tour tickets online in advance of your visit.  Museum Visit admission is required for all tours.

Buy Admission

Museum Visit:
Members, Children, & Active Military: FREE
Adults: $25
Seniors & Retired Military: $23
MA Teachers: $22
College Students: $10

Guided Tour:
Rockwell’s Life & Art
(40 minutes) – additional purchase
Members, Children, & Active Military: FREE
Ticket per person: $10

Curator Tour:
Original Sisters
Members: $10
Children: FREE
Adults: $20
Seniors & Active/Retired Military: $20
College Students: $20

Additional Discount Opportunities:

  • Front Line Medical Workers receive free admission.
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For Free and Reduced prices, you may be required to present a valid ID demonstrating your status for qualifying for discounted pricing.

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DIRECTIONS

Norman Rockwell Museum
9 Glendale Road Route 183
Stockbridge, MA 01262
413-931-2221

Download a Printable version of Driving Directions (acrobat PDF).

Important note: Many GPS and online maps do not accurately place Norman Rockwell Museum*. Please use the directions provided here and this map image for reference. Google Maps & Directions are correct! http://maps.google.com/

* Please help us inform the mapping service companies that incorrectly locate the Museum; let your GPS or online provider know and/or advise our Visitor Services office which source provided faulty directions.

Route 7 runs north to south through the Berkshires. Follow Route 7 South to Stockbridge. Turn right onto Route 102 West and follow through Main Street Stockbridge. Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

Route 7 runs north to south through the Berkshires. Follow Route 7 North into Stockbridge. Turn left onto Route 102 West at the stop sign next to The Red Lion Inn. Shortly after you make the left turn, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

Boston (two-and-a-half hours) or Springfield (one hour):
Take the Ma ssachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West, getting off at exit 10 (formerly exit 2) – Lee. At the light at the end of the ramp turn left onto Route 20 East and then immediately turn right onto Route 102 West. Follow Route 102 West into Stockbridge Center (about five miles). Continue going west on Route 102 (Main St.). Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

from Albany and west: (one hour) Take I-90 east to exit B3 – Route 22. Go south on New York Route 22 to Massachusetts Route 102 East. Stay on Route 102 East through West Stockbridge. Continue on Route 102 East approximately 5.5 miles until you come to a blinking light at the intersection of Route 183. Make a right at the blinking light onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

(two-and-a-half hours) Take either the New York State Thruway or the Taconic State Parkway to I-90 East. Follow I-90 East to exit B3 – Route 22. Go south on New York Route 22 to Massachusetts Route 102 East. Stay on Route 102 East through West Stockbridge. Continue on Route 102 East approximately 5.5 miles until you come to a blinking light at the intersection of Route 183. Make a right at the blinking light onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

(one-and-a-half hours) Take I-91 North to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Take the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West, getting off at exit 10 (formerly exit 2) – Lee. At the light at the end of the ramp turn left onto Route 20 East and then immediately turn right onto Route 102 West. Follow Route 102 West into Stockbridge Center (about five miles). Continue going west on Route 102 (Main St.). Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.

(five minutes)
Go west on Route 102 (Main St.). Shortly after going through town, you will veer to the right to stay on Route 102 West for approximately 1.8 miles. At the flashing light, make a left onto Route 183 South and the Museum entrance is 0.6 miles down on the left.