The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

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Important Update

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.

Funders

Generous support for Education and Public Programs is provided by Bank of America; Cohen and Wolf; Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts; Connecticut Humanities; Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation; David T. Langrock Foundation; Anita and Nick Donofrio; Fairfield County Bank; Gage Fund; Gary and Susie Singer Arts & Culture Foundation; Goldstone Family Foundation; The Goodnow Fund; Robert M. Lofberg and Nicole J. Nigh; Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation; Pamela F. and Robert J. Morganti Charitable Foundation; Ridgefield Rotary Club; Ridgefield Thrift Shop; The Ruth Krauss Foundation; Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation; and Wadsworth Russell Lewis Trust Fund.

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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.

The Studio

The Studio is a dedicated space for learning and making for visitors of all ages to explore ideas, questions, and materials that relate to our current exhibitions.

Children and Family Programs

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

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 The Aldrich Teen Fellows and Internships.

School Programs

The Aldrich partners with preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools, universities, community groups, and home-schooled individuals to collaborate on guided tours, professional development workshops, and additional programs.

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 Tours

We offer guided tours of current exhibitions by an Aldrich Educator for groups of five or more.

Camp Aldrich

Camp Aldrich runs each summer for three week-long, full-day sessions led by Museum Educators and practicing artists. Campers explore the Museum’s three-acre campus and incorporate ideas from current exhibitions and relevant themes into their art, culminating in a celebratory exhibition in The Studio at the end of each session.

Selected Upcoming Events

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June 29, 2025 at 1:00 pm | Public Programs, Group Tours

Garden & Art Tour in the Sculpture Garden

Join us in the newly renovated Sculpture Garden this summer for a guided garden and art tour. Participants will explore the beauty of the Sculpture Garden’s plantings while also discovering the outdoor artworks on display. This collaborative program features a special tour led by representatives of the Caudatowa Garden Club and Ridgefield Garden Club, who will provide insight into the plantings and landscaping of the Sculpture Garden.

June 29, 2025 at 2:00 pm | Group Tours

Sunday Afternoon Tour

Are you curious about the world of contemporary art but unsure where to begin? When you view works of art in a gallery, do you question what you see or feel the need to go into deeper insight? If you answered yes, join Education Assistant Antonio Paone for a tour of the exhibitions designed to activate your curiosity and engage your attention.

July 7 at 9:30 am to July 11, 2025 at 4:00 pm | Children and Family Programs

Camp Aldrich: Week 1 (Grade 1-3)

Join us at The Aldrich for a full-day, week-long arts experience with a practicing teaching artist. Campers explore the Museum’s three-acre campus, learn in the galleries, and incorporate the world around them into their art.

July 14 at 9:30 am to July 18, 2025 at 4:00 pm | Children and Family Programs

Camp Aldrich: Week 2 (Grades 1-3)

Join us at The Aldrich for a full-day, week-long arts experience with a practicing teaching artist. Campers explore the Museum’s three-acre campus, learn in the galleries, and incorporate the world around them into their art.

July 19, 2025 at 10:30 am | Third Saturdays, Free Admission, Children and Family Programs

Story Time for Kids: Looking for a Jumbie by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Amber Ren

Bring your budding artists to The Aldrich for Story Time in collaboration with the Ridgefield Library! Together, we will explore the exciting work of artist Nickola Pottinger, who creates wondrous sculptures of the spiritual realm! We will read the story Looking for a Jumbie by Tracey Baptiste and illustrated by Amber Ren. Then we will head to The Studio to sculpt our own mystical creatures!

July 19, 2025 at 1:00 pm | Third Saturdays, Free Admission, Children and Family Programs, Group Tours

All Ages Discovery Tour

Have you ever looked at contemporary art and wished you knew what it meant? Have you ever entered a museum not knowing where to start? If you answered yes, this free, interactive, and judgment-free tour of our current exhibitions guided by a Museum Educator is perfect for you!

July 19, 2025 at 3:00 pm | Artist Program, Public Programs

Artist Conversation: Martin Beck and Elle Pérez

Join us for an outdoor conversation between artists Martin Beck and Elle Pérez, moderated by The Aldrich’s Associate Curator, Eduardo Andrés Alfonso.

July 21 at 9:30 am to July 25, 2025 at 4:00 pm | Children and Family Programs

Camp Aldrich: Week 3 (Grades 4-6)

Join us at The Aldrich for a full-day, week-long arts experience with a practicing teaching artist. Campers explore the Museum’s three-acre campus, learn in the galleries, and incorporate the world around them into their art.

July 27, 2025 at 2:00 pm | Group Tours

Sunday Afternoon Tour

Are you curious about the world of contemporary art but unsure where to begin? When you view works of art in a gallery, do you question what you see or feel the need to go into deeper insight? If you answered yes, join one of our expert Museum Educators for a tour of the exhibitions designed to activate your curiosity and engage your attention.

August 9, 2025 at 10:30 am | Public Programs

Care and Connection

Join us for Care and Connection, an access program designed to provide a welcoming and engaging museum experience for visitors living with memory loss, and their care partners.

August 16, 2025 at 10:30 am | Third Saturdays, Free Admission, Children and Family Programs

Story Time for Kids: I Worked Hard on That! by Robyn Wall, illustrated by A.N. Kang

Bring your budding artists to The Aldrich for Story Time in collaboration with the Ridgefield Library! Together, we will explore the work of artist Julia Bland, who makes intricate textile creations! We will read the story I Worked Hard on That! by Robyn Wall, illustrated by A.N. Kang. Then, we will head to The Studio to make our own wax sticks, textile-inspired designs!

August 16, 2025 at 1:00 pm | Third Saturdays, Free Admission, Group Tours

All Ages Discovery Tour

Have you ever looked at contemporary art and wished you knew what it meant? Have you ever entered a museum not knowing where to start? If you answered yes, this free, interactive, and judgment-free tour of our current exhibitions guided by a Museum Educator is perfect for you!

August 23, 2025 at 10:30 am | Public Programs, Children and Family Programs

Sensory Saturday

Sensory Saturday is a program designed for children (ages 4-12) with developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, those on the autism spectrum and their family members.

August 31, 2025 at 2:00 pm | Group Tours

Sunday Afternoon Tour

Are you curious about the world of contemporary art but unsure where to begin? When you view works of art in a gallery, do you question what you see or feel the need to go into deeper insight? If you answered yes, join one of our expert Museum Educators for a tour of the exhibitions designed to activate your curiosity and engage your attention.