Whalers & Lancers

Opening reception 6:30-9 p.m. Friday

Hygienic Art Galleries, 79 Bank St., New London

Works from students in the art programs at New London and Waterford high schools. Through Jan. 23. Hours 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tue.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri. and Sat., noon-3 p.m. Sun.; (860) 443-8001.

Peter Madden

Opening reception 2:30-3 p.m. Saturday

East Lyme Library, 39 Society Road, Niantic

Collection of 26 watercolors and acrylic paintings. April Marie entertains at reception. Through Jan. 30. Hours 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Wed., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thurs., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., 1-4 p.m. Sun.; (860) 739-6926.

MUSEUMS

Holiday Train Show Exhibit — Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St., Essex; family-friendly annual exhibit by Steve Cryan showcasing more trains, new scenery, and other surprises in the fully operational 26-foot model train layout; through Feb. 20; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except Mon.; $9, $6 kids; (860) 767-8269.

225th Anniversary of the U.S. Customs Service — Custom House Maritime Museum, 150 Bank St., New London; traveling show by the National Retired Customs Officers Foundation augmented by local archival materials; through April 1; 1-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.; (860) 447-2501.

Ships, Clocks & Stars: The Quest for Longitude — Mystic Seaport, 17 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic; exhibition on loan from the National Maritime Museum in London explores the race to determine longitude at sea; through March 28; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; (860) 572-0711.

John Meyer of Norwich: An American Original — Slater Memorial Museum, Converse Gallery, Norwich Free Academy, 108 Crescent St., Norwich; show focuses on iconic garments from clothing designer Meyer’s most productive period; through Jan. 15; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Fri. 1-4 p.m. Sat. and Sun.; (860) 887-2506.

GALLERIES

A Mix of Eclectic Local and Regional Photographers — Above Elite Studios, 181 Main St., Westerly; through Jan. 28; 3-7 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat.; (860) 857-9773

Journey of Transformation — C.D. Mallory Building, Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic; works from Dalvero Academy artists focusing on the 38th voyage of the Charles W. Morgan as it relates to whaling; through Dec. 2016; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; mysticseaport.org.

Characters Works — Lyme Illustration Faculty — Chauncey Stillman Gallery, 84 Lyme St., Old Lyme; works by faculty members Jon Siederiadis, Dale Stephanos, and David Wenzel; through Jan. 23; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; gallery talk from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 21; (860) 434-3571.

All Paintings Great and Small — Cooley Gallery, 25 Lyme St., Old Lyme; through Sat.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. and noon-4 p.m. Sun.; (860) 434-8807.

Color Forms — Cooper & Smith Gallery, 10 Main St., Essex; works by Judith Pond Kudlow; through Jan. 31; noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. and Sun.; (860) 581-8526.

Photographs of the Arboretum — Right Path Organic Café, 140 State St., New London; series of the same sites throughout the seasons within the Connecticut College Arboretum, photographed sequentially by Mark Mathew Braunstein; through Feb. 29; (860) 437-9700.

Christa DeVega — Fiddleheads Natural Food Co-op, 13 Broad St., New London; nature and scenic photographs; through Feb. 29; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily; (860) 701-9123.

Celebrate the Sea — Gallery at Firehouse Square, 239 Bank St., New London; photographs capturing the 2015 Connecticut Maritime Festival by Joe Geraci; through Jan. 31; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; (860) 443-0344.

Maple and Main’s Sixth Annual Holiday Show — Maple and Main, One Maple St., Chester; New England landscapes, marine scenes, multi-media pieces, abstracts and more; through Jan. 24; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; (860) 526-6065.

Maritime Miniatures by Maritime Masters — Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Ave.; through April 3; (860) 572-5388.

Let There Be Light Holiday Show — Spectrum Gallery and Store, 61 Main St., Killingworth; mix of emerging and established painters, sculptors, photographers and mixed media artists; through Sat.; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. and 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun.; (860) 767-0742.

Holiday Gala — Studio 33 Art & Frame Gallery, 140 Bank St., New London; work in various mediums by local artists; through Jan. 16; hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Wed. and Fri., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.; studio33gallery.com.

Model of Coast Guard Cutter Courier — U.S. Coast Guard Academy, 15 Mohegan Ave., New London; display of a model of the Cold War-era Coast Guard cutter Courier, which served as a radio-relay station for the federal government’s “Voice of America” broadcast program; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first and third Saturday of each month.