Posts Tagged 'family activities'

Make it a Cool Summer

Published June 4, 2019 Creativity , Dallas , Family Fun , Family Programs , Teens Closed
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I think we can all agree—Texas summers are one of a kind. Growing up, my family frequently piled into a car and braved the murky water of Galveston beach to escape from the heat. Little did I know, someday I would spend my summers in a temperature-controlled paradise called the Dallas Museum of Art. If you are looking for a way to make it a cool summer break, head to the DMA for some free family fun!

Whether you are in the mood for a group activity or craving some quiet time, we have a program for you! Starting on June 11 and running through August 9, our Summer Family Fun programs give you the chance to enjoy a new experience every day. Participate in story time, interactive tours, or visit the Pop-Up Art Spot to engage with the Museum’s collection through fun activities.

Leading the way for the majority of our summer family programs is a group of art-loving teenagers called the DMA Teen Ambassadors. The Teen Ambassadors dedicate part of their summer to learning AND leading at the Museum. These enthusiastic teens learn the ins and outs of museum teaching and then spend the rest of the summer putting their skills to work through engaging story times, interactive tours and more. Keep an eye out for this enthusiastic and talented group of teens!

I know crowds aren’t for everyone—if you’re looking for some quiet time and want help exploring the galleries at your own pace, Family Gallery Guides are available anytime the Museum is open. These paper guides are designed to send you on your own adventure through the galleries! If you’re looking for another way to explore on your own, make your way to the Center for Creative Connections (C3), a space designed for visitors of all ages to wander and interact with art in new and innovative ways.

Denise Gonzalez is the Manager of Family and Early Learning Programs at the DMA.

Make!

Published March 27, 2019 Community Connection , Creativity , Dallas , Family Fun , Family Programs , Special Events Closed
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Pancakes, music, Lego towers, clothing, art . . . what do all these things have in common? They are things you can MAKE! Whether you sew, bake, build, invent, tinker, or play, it’s hard to deny the thrill that comes when you can exclaim, “I made that!” Here at the DMA, we whole-heartedly believe in the beauty of creativity, from the visions of the artists whose works fill our galleries to the imagination of the visitors who make the museum come to life. So why not throw a party to make merry over the joy of creativity?

On Sunday, April 7th, we’ll be celebrating the power and delight of making in all its many forms at our FREE Family Festival: MAKE! with an exciting lineup of activities for the entire family. Drop in throughout the day to:

  • Climb inside the Artscream Truck’s mobile art gallery
  • Enjoy a performance by the L.V. Stockard Middle School Mariachi Pantera de Oro
  • Meet award-winning author and illustrator Yuyi Morales
  • Giggle and wiggle as ventriloquist Nancy Worcester performs with her furry friends Waco the Weasel and Larry the Crocodile
  • Watch artist Natalia Padilla transform the ABCs into extraordinary animal art
  • Work with your family and friends to create a community art piece
  • And so much more!

Activities are offered in both English and Spanish. Ver el calendario completo en español.

We hope you’ll make it a date and come celebrate with us!

Leah Hanson is the Director of Family, Youth, and School Programs at the DMA.

An Unbe-leaf-able Spring Break!

Published March 7, 2019 Creativity , Dallas , Family Fun , Family Programs Closed
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You are cordially invited to our Spring Break Garden Party – just be sure to bring the whole family! Free family fun at the DMA will be in full bloom from March 12 to 15. Join the floral festivities during this week of garden-inspired story times, interactive tours, art making, and more! Our Museum mascot, Arturo, was eager to venture outside of his nest to test out some of our activities.

“Meet me in the courtyard!” Arturo couldn’t wait to try sketching outside.

It’s been a chilly winter and we’re crossing our fingers for great weather during Spring Break! Drop by the Fleischner Courtyard for a chance to sketch like never before. French Impressionist artists sketched outside, or, as they would say, en plein air, to accurately capture natural light in their works. Grab some paper and a pencil to find out if the elements are your friend or foe.

The competition heats up as Arturo plays wildflower bingo!

In the studio, create your own floral collage using paper, glue, and markers, and then stick around to add your own touch to the growing garden on the studio’s back wall. Already a garden guru? Drop by the Tech Lab to test your nose at our scent matching station or challenge your family to a game of wildflower bingo. Need some help navigating four floors of art? Be sure to catch our Girl Power (Half) Hour tour celebrating women in the art world.

“She loves me, she loves me not.” Arturo does some flower dissection of his own!

Wait—there’s more! On Friday, special guests from the Dallas Arboretum will be in the Fleischner Courtyard with a flower dissection activity. There is plenty to see and do this Spring Break at the Dallas Museum of Art. Stay for a little while or plant yourself down all day! Either way, we’re all excited to see(d) you here.

Denise Gonzalez is the Manager of Family and Early Learning Programs at the DMA.

Studio Doors Are Open—Come On In!

Published January 2, 2019 Art & Teaching , Creativity , Education , Family Fun , Family Programs , Uncategorized Closed
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Calling all weekend crafters, makers, tinkerers, and artists! The DMA’s Art Studio is opening its doors to one and all starting in January 2019. On the first and third weekend of every month, drop by and give your creativity a workout with a hands-on art-making project for the entire family. Whether you prefer to wield a paintbrush or squish some clay, we’ll have something to inspire your inner artist. Materials and projects will switch up every month, and DMA staff will be on hand to demonstrate techniques and share fun facts about art and artists in the DMA’s collection.

Photos from various 2018 DMA Summer Art Camps
Photos from the June 2016 DMA Late Night and Summer Block Party

In January we’re kicking off Open Studio by making landscape monotypes inspired by the exhibition Ida O’Keeffe: Escaping Georgia’s Shadow. We’ll supply the paint and paper—you bring the fun!

Open Studio 1

Open Studio is available for FREE on the first and third Saturday and Sunday of the month from noon to 4:00 p.m. All supplies are provided, and no registration or ticket is required.

Leah Hanson is the Director of Family, Youth, and School Programs at the DMA.

Take a Spin on the Color Wheel!

Published July 2, 2018 Center for Creative Connections Closed
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Red, orange, blue, and green, how many colors can you see? It won’t be too hard to find every color of the rainbow in the newly updated Young Learners Gallery! This much-loved spot in the Museum is a favorite with the 5–8 year old crowd, and we’re excited to unveil a fresh, colorful space for our younger visitors.

For the past two years, this interactive space has focused on exploring the concept of LINE. Now we’re all about COLOR. Just like line, color is a building block of the visual arts and one of the first elements of art that young children notice.

 

 

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In the revamped gallery, you can explore the ways colors play off one another by creating colorful structures with blocks . . .

Make patterns with our “unplugged” version of a Lite Brite . . .

Design a wacky picture using window clings on the mirror . . .

Read a book or two about color . . .

And learn a little color theory while you play!

We’ve planned for dynamic changes throughout the year, so every few months a new activity will debut in the space. Coming soon—a matching game to test your nose and imagine what smell a color could have, and a light table where you can mix colors the same way artists do.

We hope you’ll drop by for a spin!

Leah Hanson is the Director of Family, Youth, and School Programs at the DMA.

Beat the Heat

Published June 1, 2018 Education , Family Programs Closed
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School’s out, the temps are rising, and we’ve got long, lazy 100-degree days ahead. Are you ready? Whether you’ve got art-seeking explorers, I’d-rather-be-reading library kids, or pass-me-the-glue crafters, the DMA has something fun for everyone.

You can cool off from the heat while taking a closer look at art from around the world . . .

Listen to tall tales and daring adventures during story time . . .

Get a creative workout making a sculpture or sketch in the Center for Creative Connections . . . and so much more!

Summer fun begins Tuesday, June 12, and it’s easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy to join in. No tickets needed, no reservations—just stop by for FREE family fun every day (except Monday—we’re closed!) and check off your summer fun to-do list. You can see the complete schedule here.

Leah Hanson is the Director of Family, Youth, and School Programs at the DMA.

The Game is Afoot!

Published February 5, 2018 Education , Family Programs 1 Comment
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Calling All Junior Detectives! There’s a mystery afoot, and we need every Sherlock min-fan and Nancy Drew-in-training on the case! After years of hosting the popular Museum Murder Mystery Game here at the DMA, we’ve decided it’s finally time to give the kids a chance to step into the role of detective. Our kid-friendly version is the perfect mash-up of Night at the Museum and the game of Clue, featuring plenty of fun and games . . . without the murder.

On Friday, March 9th our first ever Family Mystery Night will make its debut, and we’re looking for the brightest junior detectives to help solve the case. Actors will bring the art to life, and kid detectives can interview the suspects, search for clues in the galleries, sniff out the crime scene, and hopefully solve the mystery by the end of the evening.

We polled a few prospective detectives on what the mystery could be and got some very devious ideas (maybe we should watch our backs?!).

From Caleb, age 7:

“I think maybe one of the paintings is a map to the emperor’s treasure, I don’t know where, maybe in a dojo!”

From Lucia, age 14:

“If I had to guess, there are a bunch of art pieces who aren’t happy because they don’t get enough attention, so they decide to steal/kidnap another work of art who is very popular. This art was supposed to travel somewhere, but because they stole it, everything got delayed, so now we have to find the missing painting so it can get to its destination.”

From Naomi, age 9:

“Somebody’s head got chopped off! A kidnapping! A painting is rogue!”

To get the dirt on the real story, find all the details here and purchase your tickets today. Happy sleuthing!

Leah Hanson is the Manager of Family and Early Learning Programs at the DMA

Spring into a Break with the DMA

Published March 11, 2016 Collections , Education Closed
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It’s as if we blinked and spring is suddenly upon us! No more winter for Dallas; the sun is shining and the bluebonnets are beginning to awake from their slumber.

Do you know what that means? Not only are the pigeons at Klyde Warren Park chirping a cheerier tune but the art is buzzing, and there is an unmistakable anticipation swirling in the air (and I’m not just talking about the cottonwood that is itching our little noses!).

That’s right, Spring Break is here! For you parents this can be both an exciting and overwhelming realization. We understand that the mere thought of having to plan an entertaining and educational week is a lot of pressure. That’s why we have planned an amazing week chock full of FREE activities.

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This Spring Break at the DMA you can travel through the world and time hop through centuries without even leaving Dallas, burning a hole in your wallet, or investing in a DeLorean!

The artworks have been chatting, and this year they think you deserve to have a stress-free Spring Break that will be an unforgettable experience (and for all the right reasons). Join them in creating masterpieces out of household items, using flashlights and laser pointers to draw in the air (that’s where I’ll be), and wiggling and giggling through the galleries. The sky is the limit!

The week gears up for a smashing finale with the Dallas Arts District Block Party and DMA Late Night, which will celebrate the run of Jackson Pollock: Blind Spots. I’m certain it will be the talk of the town! (I mean, it’s all we’re chatting about here.) You can stay up past bedtime and experience the exhibition with extended weekend hours (until 8:00 p.m.) as well.

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Mark those calendars . . . wait, who am I kidding?; get out those smartphones and set your reminders! Festivities will be held DAILY Tuesday through Friday, March 15-18, so there are plenty of opportunities to have the coolest Spring Break in DFW.

Images: Anne Whitney, Lady Godiva, c. 1861-64, marble, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Dr. Alessandra Comini in memory of Dr. Eleanor Tufts, who discovered the Massachusetts-backyard whereabouts of this long-forgotten statue and brought it to Dallas, 2011.8; Andrew Dasburg, Judson Smith, 1923, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. A. Ronnebeck, 1957.21; Portrait of an Arhat, 17th century, lacquered wood, pigment, and gold, Dallas Museum of Art, the Roberta Coke Camp Fund, and Lillian B. Clark, 1991.381; Robert Henri, Dutch Girl Laughing, 1907, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, 1909.2

Julie Henley is the Communications and Marketing Coordinator at the DMA.

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O'Keeffe may be her name, but this artist's work has been long eclipsed by that of her famous sister. Now #IdaOKeeffe's distinct creative identity is getting the spotlight it deserves in "Ida O'Keeffe: Escaping Georgia's Shadow". Opening TODAY, discover uA remarkable performance by @dallasblackdance in our American Art Gallery with choreography inspired by artist Dorothy Austin’s “Slow Shuffle”. See more #DMANights highlights in our story! . . #MyDMA #DallasMuseumofArt #AmericanArt #Dance #DancePerformanc
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