There’s nothing like hearing the word free to grab my attention so I’m excited to share with you information about 2013 International Museum Day and Art Museum Day. Participating museums across North America and the globe are either offering free admission or free activities on Saturday, May 18, 2103. Take advantage of this opportunity to discover a new museum or revisit and see what’s new at your favorite gallery.
It looks as though there are TONS of participating museums so I won’t list them all (you can check this link to the Association of Art Museum Directors) but I am sharing what some of my favorite museums are offering:
Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, Pa. – Free admission. I’m a product of the ’80s and was highly influenced by the second British invasion. I hung on every word band members of the group Duran Duran and Princess Diana said. Nick Rhodes of D2 was a Warhol fan, as was Princess Di, so I learned who he was. Finally being able to visit the King of Pop Culture’s museum back in the early ’00s was a trip! Not sure if it’s still part of museum, but one gallery was filled with those metallic-looking helium balloons and you walked through them. What a trip! (Twitter: @TheWarholMuseum; www.warhol.org)
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio – Free admission. I didn’t realize how sophisticated Columbus is. Last fall I visited as part of an experiential training workshop and learned how the museum creates experiences for individual and group visitors. My afternoon visit included a brief study in art and exercises in drawing different pieces. Thankfully, we didn’t have to share our pieces with each other. (Twitter: @ColumbusMuseum; www.columbusmuseum.org)
The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, N.Y. – Free admission into the opening of the exhibit, “Life on a String: 35 Centuries of the Glass Bead” plus free flameworking demonstrations showing how glass beads are made. My first and only visit to this fascinating museum was last Labor Day Weekend when I visited my family. My brother and sister-in-law work as engineers for Corning (no, they don’t blow glass). The museum is full of glass artwork representing several centuries. I could have spent half a day in the gift shop, too. Don’t miss the glass blowing demos, pretty nifty. (Twitter: @corningmuseum; www.cmog.org)
The Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, Fla. – Free admission into the “Contemporary Magic: A Tarot Deck Art Project.” I don’t think I’ve been back since I was scolded by museum security but it’s definitely worth the visit. Be sure to stand at the top of the stairs (out of the way) and look up. Keep your eyes wide and take in the funky exterior glass sculpture, it’s part of the larger “Enigma.” (Twitter: @TheDali; thedali.org)
Related post on Yahoo!: Florida Travel: 8 Tips for Visiting the New Dali Museum in Downtown St. Petersburg
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Calif. – Free admission. To date, there’s only been one museum to take my breath away (and I’ve visited the Louvre in Paris and Tate Britain in London) and the Getty is it. Inside and out, it’s absolutely stunning. I do hope you have a chance to visit it someday. (Twitter: @gettymuseum : www.getty.edu/museum)
The Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Fla. – Free admission into the art galleries and view the Herb Ritts: L.A. Style special exhibition before it ends on May 19. Take a (free, everyday) amble through the Bayfront Gardens on the Ringling grounds, 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily. You’ll see why the lawn crew were recently honored by Visit Sarasota County, the destination’s official tourism office, for their meticulous attention to detail. (Twitter: @TheRingling; www.ringling.org
Nuts & Bolts About Art Museum Day and International Museum Day
Art Museum Day is a way to celebrate members of the Association of Art Museum Directors and is typically held on the same day as International Council of Museums’ International Museum Day. ICOM’s purpose in establishing International Museum Day in 1977 was to raise awareness of museums and the role they play in the development of society. This year’s theme is “museums (memory + creativity) = social change.”
Tweet! Tweet!
The official Twitter hashtag for Art Museum Day is #artmuseumday.
Which museum will you be visiting May 18? Do you have a favorite art museum?
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