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Back in 1913, the Brooklyn Museum opened an education department, becoming one of the first American museums to do so. Now, more than a century later, the museum is once again showing its leadership in arts education with the debut of a freshly revamped education center complete with programming for all ages.
The Toby Devan Lewis Education Center, named for the late Brooklyn-born philanthropist and collector, will open on January 27. The newly updated 9,5000 square-foot space includes three studios with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems and LED lighting, a gallery for rotating exhibitions, and additional space for staff offices.
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Every year, the museum serves 50,000 people through education programs, including early childhood learners, school groups, teen audiences, college graduates, older visitors, and visitors with disabilities. The new education center will allow to museum to better connect with all of those guests, officials said in a press release.
New weekend drop-in programs will encourage families to explore the collections with interactive activities. Additional educational offerings include guided gallery visits for school groups, intergenerational art-making workshops, and camps. The longtime Gallery/Studio Program will now be called the Studio Art Program; it offers semester-long studio art classes for ages 6 to 96.
While the additional exhibition gallery will feature renowned artists, of course, it will also serve as a space for installations by students and the community. The first exhibition is called "Artland: An Installation by Do Ho Suh and Children" and promises to introduce museum-goers to "an imaginative world filled with enchanting characters and landscapes" during its run from January 27 through May 5. With the help of his two young daughters, South Korean artist artist Do Ho Suh created this fantastical ecosystem out of colorful clay. Brooklyn Museum visitors can even get in on the fun by adding to Artland's diverse species of plants and creatures while imagining the possibilities of an alternate world.
"The Brooklyn Museum has a long tradition of providing arts education for diverse audiences across the borough and beyond," Adjoa Jones de Almeida, the museum's deputy director for learning and social impact, said in a statement. "This renovation has been many years in the making. We’re so excited to offer Brooklynites and visitors from all walks of life beautiful spaces where they can connect and nurture their creative potential—where everyone is an artist."
Opening events
The museum's hosting a series of free events for the center's reopening weekend. Here's what's on tap:
- Saturday, January 27 at noon: A special celebration will welcome visitors into the new center to enjoy art-making, music, and giveaways.
- Saturday, January 27 at 3pm: An artist talk featuring Nona Faustine and her daughter, Queen Ming, will discuss intergenerational collaboration.
- Sunday, January 28, 2-4pm: An edition of the popular Sunday Art series in honor of Lunar New Year will include art-making with teaching artists and a lion dance performance by the Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club.