Thursday, March 28, 2024

WAM: SUMMER PUBLIC PROGRAMS

The Worcester Art Museum Announces a Full Slate of Summer Public Programming

A WAM WORCESTER USE visit-wam-renn-court

New programs this summer include “Drill Like a Medieval Soldier” and Art Garden at WAM
 Worcester, MA — The Worcester Art Museum (WAM) today announced a full slate of summer public programs, designed to engage visitors with art both in and outside the Museum. From themed guided tours to courtyard games and a new “Drill Like a Medieval Soldier” activity, there is something for all ages and interests. Stroller Tours introduce young children to the Museum with age-appropriate themes, such as “Shapes in Art” and “Painted Pets.”  Expanded docent-guided gallery tours explore a variety of topics, from gardens to fashion, while arms and armor demonstrations delve into the cultures and accoutrements of knights and soldiers from Vikings to New England militia.

 

New this summer is the Art Garden at WAM, a community project with the Southeast Asian Coalition of Massachusetts (SEACMA) and Regional Environmental Council (REC) which features an outdoor garden installation designed by Boston artist Andrew Mowbray. Planted with vegetables common to Southeast Asia, the garden harvest will be sold to local markets, with funds supporting SEACMA programs in immigrant and refugee communities throughout central Massachusetts. WAM visitors will be able to observe the garden as it grows and changes throughout the summer. Related programs, including story time in the garden and a family workshop, are also planned.

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Special exhibitions on view during the summer include: Radiance Rediscovered: Stained Glass by Tiffany and La Farge, which showcases the exquisite artistry and luminescent colors of recently conserved stained-glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge, as well as other works by the artists.  In addition, a Japanese gallery rotation, Archaic Avant-Garde: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, features works by contemporary Japan’s leading ceramic artists, who have incorporated ancient Japanese pottery techniques and forms in their own modern creations.

 

The full slate of summer programs and activities appears below. For more information, visit worcesterart.org.

WORCESTER ART MUSEUM HOURS AND ADMISSION

 

Galleries
Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Third Thursday, 10 a.m.– 8 p.m.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and holidays

 

Admission

$16 for adults, $6 for children 4-17, $14 for seniors 65+ and college students with ID.

Admission is free for children under age four and Museum members.

 

Café 
Wednesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.– 3 p.m. with outdoor dining

Sip (café cart in Lancaster Lobby)

Sunday, 10 a.m.– 3 p.m., featuring coffee, beverages, sandwiches, and snacks

 

Museum Shop
Open during gallery hours

 

Library 
Wednesday–Friday, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.

 

Extras
Free parking
Free Wi-Fi

 

SCHEDULE OF SUMMER PROGRAMS 

 

Free First Sundays

June 2, July 7, August 4

Admission is free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.  Enjoy Courtyard games, watch an Arms and Armor demonstration (June 2 & August 4), and take part in of Art Cart activities. 

 

Free Fun Friday

Friday, June 28

10am to 4pm

Admission to the Museum is free for everyone as part of the state-wide Free Fun Friday initiative, in partnership with theHighland Street Foundation.

 

Tours

 

Stroller Tours

First and Third Wednesdays and Last Saturdays

10:30-11:15 a.m.

It’s never too early to introduce your child to art! This tour—designed for children 0 – 3 years old and their siblings and parents/grandparents/guardians—includes a story in the galleries and a hands-on activity led by a Museum educator. Juice and snacks are available after the tour. Meets in Lancaster Welcome Center; stroller access is through the Tuckerman Street Entrance.  Free with Museum admission.

Wednesday, June 5 Families in Art-

How many people are in your family? Join us as we look at different generations represented in WAM’s collection.

Wednesday, June 19 Shapes in Art-

Discover the many shapes used to create grand works of art.

  • Saturday, June 29Sunlight-

What is light? Where does it come from? How do artists use light to make art?                

  • Wednesday, July 3Red, White & Blue-

Kick off the Fourth of July early by visiting WAM and making fun patriotic crafts.

  • Wednesday, July 17 Painted Pets-

Take a look at WAM’s works that include our four-legged, finned, and feathered friends! 

  • Saturday, July 27 Water Everywhere-

Dive into our collection and see how artists painted bodies of water.  
                       

  • Wednesday, August 7 Rhythm-

Learn how art and music come together through observation, sound, and movement.

  • Wednesday, August 21 The Art of Expression-

o   How many faces can you make? See how many expressions you can find at WAM.

  • Saturday, August 31Painted Picnic-

o   Use our community garden as inspiration to create your own representation of food in art!

 

Family Tours

Saturdays, June 1, July 6, August 3
10:30-11:30 a.m. 
Explore the Museum galleries with your family on a docent-guided discovery tour. Learn fun facts, listen to stories, and enjoy sharing observations and time together. Tour begins in the Lancaster Welcome Center.  Free with Museum admission.

 

Summer Gallery Tours
With docents as your guides, tour the Museum’s collection through a creative lens. These one-hour tours meet in the Lancaster Welcome Center and are free with Museum admission.

  • Saturdays, June 1 and June 15, 2 p.m.:  Dionysus: More than Just a Party God

View different presentations of Dionysus and discover the many attributes of this ancient deity.                          

  • Wednesday, June 12, 10:30 a.m.: Galleries in Bloom

Take a stroll through time and cultures and enjoy floral images in a selection of art works throughout the Museum.

  • Saturdays, July 6 & July 20, 2 p.m.: Early American Portraiture

Join this tour of early American portraits with the important 17th-century portraits of John and Elizabeth Freake and Baby Mary, as well as works by John Singleton Copley, Gilbert Stuart, and others.

  • Wednesday, July 10, 10:30 a.m.:  American Vision

Learn about the American artists represented in the WAM collection and what their works can teach us about our nation’s cultural history.

  • Saturdays, August 3 & August 17, 2 p.m.: The Art of Fashion

Look beyond the surfaces of historical clothing styles that reveal much more than beauty or elegance, but also social status and personality. 

  • Wednesday, August 14, 10:30 a.m.: Fashions through the Ages

Explore the evolution of fashion from Egyptian to contemporary times in works of art throughout the collection, and discover insights about the lifestyles of diverse cultures.

 

Programs for all ages

 

New!  Art Garden at WAM

This community project with the Southeast Asian Coalition of Massachusetts (SEACMA) and Regional Environmental Council (REC) features a garden installation designed by artist Boston artist Andrew Mowbray. Comprised of brightly colored milk crates in a multi-level configuration in the Stoddard Courtyard, the garden will be planted with a variety of vegetables common to Southeast Asia.  Harvest from the garden will be sold to local markets to help support SEACMA programs in immigrant and refugee communities throughout central Massachusetts. WAM visitors are invited to observe the garden as it grows and changes throughout the summer.

 

Cultivated by the volunteer corps of gardeners at SEACMA, grown in soil provided by REC, the Art Garden at WAM represents the intersection of art, food justice movement, and global migration in Worcester. To learn more about SEACMA visit http://www.seacma.org and REC visit hts://www.recworcester.orgtp.

 

Story Hour in the Art Garden
Fridays, August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
11 a.m.
Bring your littlest gardeners to see how the Art Garden at WAM grows!  Weekly stories told by a Museum educator explore the magic of how food is grown.  Outdoors in the Stoddard Courtyard. Free with Museum admission.

Family Workshop: From Seed to Flower

Saturday, August 17

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Learn about the life cycle of plants and work together to paint your own pot for your garden at home! Cost is $8 for Museum members; $10 for nonmembers.  Pre-registration required; register online at portal.worcesterart.org or call 508.793.4333.

 

NEW! Drill as a Medieval Soldier

Thursdays & Fridays, July 11 – 26 and August 8 – 23

10:30 a.m.

A part of every soldier’s routine is drilling. Much like every modern athlete practices, soldiers train for the very same reason, learning to be a part of a team. Under the direction of a Museum educator, experience a sliver of a medieval soldier’s life by drilling with a spear outdoors in the Stoddard Courtyard (weather permitting).  Recommended for ages 9 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Art Carts

Staffed by Museum educators, art carts allow visitors to explore a variety of art themes, such as mosaics, Greek pottery, early America, and armor, with touchable materials and hands-on activities. Visit worcesterart.org/events for weekly art cart location and schedule.  All ages.

 

Scavenger Hunts

Pick up one of several themed scavenger hunts at the admission desks for a fun discovery exploration of the Museum galleries.  Ages 4 and up.

 

Courtyard Games

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, June 19 – August 25, and Sundays, July 7 and August 4

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Get some fresh air and burn off energy during your WAM visit with our courtyard Corn Hole toss and oversized chess set outdoors in the Stoddard Courtyard (weather permitting).

 

Arms and Armor Presentations

Saturdays, June, July and August, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Wednesdays, July and August, 11:00 a.m.; Sundays, June 2 and August 4, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

(No presentations on 6/1, 6/8, 7/3, 7/6, 7/31, 8/3 & 8/31)

 

These interactive programs about different kinds of arms and armor used by knights and soldiers, including Roman soldiers, medieval knights and beyond! Visit worcesterart.org/events for the weekly schedule. Free with Museum admission.

 

  • Medieval Armor -Saturdays, June 29, July 27, and August 10 (at 2:00 p.m.), 17; Wednesdays July 10, 17, 24, and August 7, 14, 21: The knight in shining armor conjures a myriad of images and captures the imagination. While the Middle Ages lasted roughly one thousand years (500-1500 AD/CE), the steel plate armor associated with the knight was only in use from 1350 AD/CE onwards. What were the strengths of armor? What were its weaknesses? Learn about the arms and armor used by knights and soldiers of the past in this interactive program. (Recommended for school age children and older)
  • The Basics –Sundays, June 2 and August 4: Confused about the differences between mail, field, ceremonial, and tournament armors? In this 30 minute interactive presentation, discover how knightly armors were developed and used, along with some of the weapons of the period. (Recommended for all ages)

Medieval Armor – Saturdays, June 29, July 27, and August 10 (at 2:00 p.m.), 17; Wednesdays July 10, 17, 24, and August 7, 14, 21: The knight in shining armor conjures a myriad of images and captures the imagination. While the Middle Ages lasted roughly one thousand years (500-1500 AD/CE), the steel plate armor associated with the knight was only in use from 1350 AD/CE onwards. What were the strengths of armor? What were its weaknesses? Learn about the arms and armor used by knights and soldiers of the past in this interactive program. (Recommended for school age children and older)

  • The Basics –Sundays, June 2 and August 4: Confused about the differences between mail, field, ceremonial, and tournament armors? In this 30 minute interactive presentation, discover how knightly armors were developed and used, along with some of the weapons of the period. (Recommended for all ages)

Roman Legion – Saturday, July 13: Legio III Cyrenaica is a Roman living history group that strives to accurately portray the famous Legion based in Alexandria, Egypt during the Flavian period (60-100 AD/CE). You will meet Legionary and Auxiliary soldiers and learn about the Legion’s history, weapons, tactics, and daily  life in this engaging presentation. (Recommended for school age children and older)

  • 17th Century Colonial Militia -Saturday, June 15 and August 10 (at 11:30 a.m.): The Salem Trayned Band is a re-enacting group that accurately recreates a 17th-century English colonial militia unit from Salem, Massachusetts.  The militia organization in Salem dates back to 1628 AD/CE and was a continuation of typical European military practices of the day. Dressed in period clothing and equipped with historically correct arms and armor, the Salem Trayned Band will show you how our colonial ancestors defended themselves. (Recommended for Middle School age children and older)
  • Medieval Men-at-Arms– Saturday, June 22: The Company of the Wolfe Argent represents a company of Burgundian men-at-arms of the 15th century. Employing period clothing and weaponry, they offer a lively glimpse of arms and armor, society, and daily life in the late Middle Ages. (Recommended for school age children and older)
  • Live Demonstration of Medieval Combat!- Saturday, July 20: The subtle skills of attack, parry, and grapple are brought alive by the Cambridge Historical European Martial Arts Studies Group as they demonstrate the knightly arts in a recreation of a medieval combat school. (Recommended for school age children and older)

The Viking Age – Saturday, August 24: Barbarians! Pirates! Traders! Explorers! These are terms used to describe the Norse people who, without warning, exploded out of Northern Europe into the consciousness of Christian Europe and beyond. Unifying the royal authority of England on the one hand while weakening that of France, the consequences of this period set the stage for much of the Middle Ages. Explore the world of the Viking Age through their weapons, armor and more. (Recommended for Middle School age children and older)

About the Worcester Art Museum

The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists.

 

Since its founding in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum has assembled a collection of 38,000 objects: from the ancient Near East and Asia, to European and American paintings and sculptures, and continuing with works by contemporary artists from around the world. W A.M. has a history of making large scale acquisitions, such as its Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, its 15th-century Spanish ceiling, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. In 2013, the Museum acquired the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, comprising two thousand arms and armor objects. It continues to commission and present new works, such as 2017’s installation of the interactive Reusable Universes and Organic Concept works by Shih Chieh Huang.

 

The Worcester Art Museum, located at 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10  a.m. to 4  p.m.; and the third Thursday of every month from 10  a.m. to 8  p.m. Admission is $16 for adults, $6 for children 4-17, $14 for seniors 65+ and for college students with ID. Admission is free for Museum Members and children under age four. On the first Sunday of each month, admission is free for everyone. Museum parking is free. For more information, visit worcesterart.org.