The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

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Important Update

Timed-entry tickets or reservations recommended

A group of students in the Museum's Sculpture Garden by a green lawn chair.

Learn

As an artist-centered institution, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is guided by the belief that artists are innovative thinkers, who offer unique perspectives on our world. Learning at The Aldrich engages visitors of all ages with artworks and ideas from these artists, fostering a public space for critical discourse.

Our programs take place in person at the Museum when possible but currently most stream remotely through our website during the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These include:

  • Public Programs—talks, tours, performances, workshops, community events, and more that invite new interpretations of the art on view, exchanging perspectives of our complex society and world
  • Family Programs—intergenerational virtual tours, at-home activities, and birthday parties give children and families new ways to learn together through contemporary art
  • Teen Programs—individual internships, group fellowships, and other opportunities to access the world of contemporary art by working directly with artists and Museum staff
  • Educational Programs—virtual tours and learning opportunities that provide direct access to exhibitions through unique and unexpected experiences for schools, universities, clubs, homeschool groups, cultural institutions, learning pods, and more by bridging art with multidisciplinary subjects to meet various learning goals

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Two dancers in colorful dresses dancing in the gallery

Public Programs

Participate in a broad range of programs designed to deepen understanding and engagement with the works of art on view, focused on interactive experiences around contemporary culture.

ILLSA Ballot 2020

The Studio

The Studio is a dedicated space for learning and making for visitors of all ages to explore ideas, questions, and develop meaning around contemporary art and culture. The Studio is currently closed for art-making and public programs due to COVID-19. The space has been transformed into a temporary video screening room.

Young student creates a work of art in The Aldrich's Studio

Children and Family Programs

The Aldrich offers a variety of virtual engagement opportunities for families, inviting peer-to-peer learning and intergenerational exchange.

A group of Aldrich Teen Fellows pose with artist Zoë Sheehan Saldaña

Teen Programs

We are invested in the artists, leaders, and thinkers of tomorrow by providing opportunities for teens to engage with contemporary art and museum careers through our Aldrich Teen Fellows, Internships, and annual Portfolio Day.

Four students look at Sara Cwynar's work

Educational Programs

The Aldrich partners with preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools, universities, community groups, and home-schooled individuals to collaborate on virtual programs and offer digital resources.

Young visitors engage with a work of art on view

Accessibility Programs
The Aldrich supports access to our exhibitions for individuals with a range of abilities through multiple partnerships with regional organizations, reciprocal Museum memberships, scholarship opportunities, and free admission for SNAP/EBT card holders and veterans.
Group of people standing around a large scale sculpture of a white tailed deer in the Sculpture Garden.

Group Tours

On-site group tours are currently suspended in order to promote social distancing and a safe experience within the Museum. Learn more about our reopening guidelines on our Visit page including the curator-led audio tours to enhance your visit.

Selected Upcoming Events

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Class attendees gather around the gallery with clipboards
October 20 at 11:00 am to November 17, 2021 at 12:30 pm | Public Programs

“Getting” Contemporary Art: Art History Class Series

This five-session class series, which includes a visit with exhibiting artist Karla Knight and an off-site excursion, provides a roadmap to central themes and ideas that have influenced artistic practice since the 1960s.