Friday, July 11 | 4 to 7 pm
Free with Museum admission; Add two alcoholic beverage tickets for $10 for members or $12 for non-members ages 21+
Join us for a special Happy Hour Friday and meet exhibiting artist Moko Fukuyama.
At 6 pm, join us for a conversation with Caitlin Monachino, the Museum’s Curatorial and Publication Manager and Moko Fukuyama discussing her Main Street Sculpture, Menagerie.
Unleash your creativity with fun, hands-on activities and games in The Studio and unwind in our newly renovated Sculpture Garden, where you can mingle with friends and enjoy the outdoors. $6 drinks including seasonal beers from Nod Hill Brewery and specialty nuts from Ross Artisanal Bakery & Café will be on sale.
Main Street Sculpture | Moko Fukuyama: Menagerie is on view through October 19, 2025 and is organized by Caitlin Monachino, Curatorial and Publications Manager.
Free to Members!
Sunday, June 29 | 1 to 2 pm
$30 General Admission; $20 Students/Seniors | Price includes Museum admission
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.
Throughout the tour, Aldrich Educators will be on hand to provide additional context and commentary on the work included in the exhibition, A Garden of Promise and Dissent. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, learn about the Sculpture Garden’s design, and engage with contemporary art!
A Garden of Promise and Dissent is on view through April 12, 2026 and is curated by Amy Smith-Stewart, Diana Bowes Chief Curator.
Free with Museum admission; Add two alcoholic beverage tickets for $10 for Members or $12 for Non-Members ages 21+
Kick off your weekend with an art-filled escape at The Aldrich! Every Friday this summer, we’re keeping the Museum open late until 7 pm for a lively and relaxing happy hour experience. Enjoy tours featuring hand-selected works from our current exhibitions led by Aldrich Educators and unleash your creativity with fun, hands-on activities and games in The Studio. Or simply unwind in our newly renovated Sculpture Garden, where you can mingle with friends and enjoy the outdoors. Sip on $6 wine and seasonal beers from Nod Hill Brewery while you take in the art and atmosphere.
Ease into your weekend before heading into town for dinner. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, Happy Hour Fridays at The Aldrich offer a delightful jumpstart to your weekend!
The Choice-Based Classroom
Reimagine Your Art Room with TAB
Empower your students to think like artists, not just create art, with the Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) approach. Join the first TAB Professional Development Workshop in Connecticut for K–12 art educators—and make your classroom a truly choice-based classroom.
Teaching Art for the Future
Foster student agency and creativity.
Transform your art room into a vibrant, student-centered studio that mirrors real-world artistic practices. TAB empowers students to take ownership of their learning—exploring, ideating, and innovating along the way.
Build lifelong skills.
With TAB, students engage in artistic thinking, fostering critical skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and reflection.
Create inclusive and innovative art programs.
Integrate contemporary practices, such as Social-Emotional Learning (SEL); Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM); and culturally responsive teaching to develop art education that celebrates diversity and innovation.
Workshop Highlights
Innovative Teaching Strategies
Learn how to turn your classroom into a choice-based, student-centered studio where process takes precedence over product.
Hands-On Studio Experience
Participate in practical, classroom-ready TAB lessons and leave inspired to implement them immediately.
Curriculum Development Support
Collaborate with peers to develop resources that align with standards and meet the needs of your students.
Expert Guidance
Work with renowned TAB educator Jennifer Ferrari to explore best practices, assessment tools, and techniques that cultivate lifelong creativity.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is perfect for both new and experienced K–12 visual art educators looking to integrate TAB or who want to enhance their current practice by making art education more dynamic and student-driven.
The TAB Workshop at AMP
This workshop is a chance to reimagine the way you teach, inspire your students, and invigorate your classroom. Be part of the first TAB workshop in Connecticut and leave ready to empower your students as artists in a truly dynamic learning environment.
This month, our member museums offer unique opportunities for “Summer Reflections” – whether it’s contemplating the interplay of light in an Impressionist landscape, finding harmony in an outdoor musical performance, or connecting with nature through hands-on art experiences.
Read our latest newsletter to see how you can support CT museums at any of our 30 member museums and cultural sites, and to get the latest news and events from the Connecticut Art Trail, including:
- Lyman Allyn Art Museum reveals its new brand identity for Lyman Allyn Park.
- The Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury is branding itself as “The Monday Museum.” This new identity reflects their commitment to being accessible and engaging throughout the week, as they have extended their operating hours to now include Mondays, a day when many museums are closed.
- This summer, family fun just got a major upgrade at the Bruce Museum! From July 5th to August 31st, on Saturdays and Sundays, children under 18 receive FREE admission, with up to four kids admitted free with each paying adult.
- Head to the Art Museum at the University of Saint Joseph! Capital Classics’ Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival is performing King Lear and Twelfth Night this year running July 9th through August 3rd, 2025.
- For those seeking the joy of live music under the summer sky, Art Trail members are offer a fantastic selection of outdoor concert experiences this July.
- From July 19th to August 21st, the Silvermine Arts Center invites you to experience their highly anticipated annual “Guild Summer Salon.”
- Get ready to create at the New Britain Museum of American Art‘s first-ever Chalk Art Festival during their “Access for All Community Day” on Saturday, July 19th, 2025, starting at 11:00 AM!
Hello, June! The Connecticut Art Trail member museums are officially kicking off summer with an incredible array of events and exhibition openings! June is packed with opportunities to explore art through outdoor concerts under the summer sky, extended hours for evening strolls through galleries, happy hours to mingle with fellow art enthusiasts, and so much more!
Read our latest newsletter to see how you can support CT museums at any of our 30 member museums and cultural sites, and to get the latest news and events from the Connecticut Art Trail, including:
- Blue Star Museums on the CT Art Trail – This summer, many member museums are participating in the Blue Star Museums program, offering free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day. See newsletter for the list!
- Celebrate CT Arts Culture and Tourism with CT Open House Day on June 14th, 2025!
- Cheers to Art! Catch happy hours at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, The Glass House, or Yale University Art Gallery.
- Events at Five Points Art Gallery, American Mural Project, and Yale Center for British Art.
- A look at the permanent collection at Mystic Museum of Art.
- A fun gift idea for Father’s Day – Pints and Paintings: get mom the ultimate adventure with a CT Art Trail passport AND CT Field Trip Passport with 2-for-1 beers at 43 breweries.
Creative explorations of nature, science, and art
Ages: 7–11
Dates: Monday, July 28 – Friday, August 1
Time: 8:30am–3pm
Fee: $350
Partnership: Arcari Floral
Teaching artist: Meredith Arcari Luciano
Eco-STEAM invites curious minds to engage with the natural world around them through hands-on creative projects. They’ll discover how the sun powers our planet, experiment with art and science, and investigate nature—using all their senses.
Over five discovery-filled days, young creators will:
Explore texture, build with natural materials, and create tactile art.
Play with sound mapping—and turn the sounds of nature into artwork.
Make plant-based crafts using herbs.
Design kinetic sculptures powered by the wind.
Craft musical instruments from natural materials and compose music.
Experiment and cook delicious, nature-based recipes.
Share their discoveries in an interactive exhibit—where science, nature, and art meet.
Through creative play and collaboration, kids will forge lasting friendships. Along the way, they’ll discover new passions and gain essential life skills. No experience needed—just a love for exploring. Watch their world expand!
This is a small group program. Space is limited.
AMP’s summer programs are made possible in part by Thomaston Savings Bank.
Scholarships may be available. Learn more: https://www.americanmuralproject.org/summer-faq#summerscholarships
Explore more Summer @AMP programs: https://www.americanmuralproject.org/summer
On Friday, May 2, several member museums of the Connecticut (CT) Art Trail were informed that current grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will be terminated on May 31, 2025. This action follows the significant reductions to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—a key federal agency supporting museums—as well as the cessation of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Together, the NEA, IMLS, and NEH provide essential support to Connecticut museums and other cultural nonprofits. The termination of this federal funding is a severe blow to museum operations and undermines the ability of our local museums to serve the communities they represent.
The CT Art Trail member institutions are significant economic contributors to the state and are collectively proud of the role we play in the lives of our diverse communities. Equally important is the support that leaders at the local, state, and federal levels show for organizations dedicated to preserving and expressing culture and fostering the creativity that enriches our country. We ask that you join us in writing to Congress to urge the restoration of IMLS and the reinstatement of terminated federal grants. We also invite you to visit any of the CT Art Trail museums and organizations, and consider becoming a member if you are able.
We urge you to use your voice and influence to help restore federal support for Connecticut’s museums.
Make music, jam with friends, and feel the thrill of being in a band
Ages: 10+
Dates: Monday, July 28 – Friday, August 1 (final concert at 2pm on Friday)
Time: 9am–3pm
Fee: $350
Teaching artist: Sam Guglielmino
Partnership: Mad River Music
Fee: $350
In this fun, five-day program, young musicians will play, sing, and create music together. With the guidance of teaching artist Sam Guglielmino of Mad River Music, they’ll explore diverse music styles, rehearse as a band, and prepare for a live performance in AMP’s main gallery on Friday, August 1, at 2pm. Musicians can bring their own instruments or try new ones—no experience needed! No audition is required.
In this five-day music program, your young musician will:
Play and sing in a real band.
Learn favorite songs—pop, rock, and R&B.
Be mentored by a pro musician.
Strike a balance between creative freedom and structure—to find their musical stride.
Rehearse, refine their techniques, and build confidence.
Learn how to jam with other musicians.
Try new instruments and rhythms.
Discover what they really can do!
This is a small group program. Space is limited.
Registration is now open for Band Lab!
AMP’s summer programs are made possible in part by Thomaston Savings Bank.
Scholarships available. Learn more:https://www.americanmuralproject.org/summer-faq#summerscholarships
Explore more Summer @AMP programs:https://www.americanmuralproject.org/summer
Join us on Thursday, May 22 at 6 p.m. for a docent-led tour of the exhibition Famous & Family: Through the Lens of Trude Fleischmann.
About the Exhibition: Austrian-born Trude Fleischmann (1895-1990) was one of the most accomplished female photographers of the 20th century. After great success in Vienna in the 20s photographing artists, models, and performers, she fled the Anschluss in 1938, first to Paris and then New York. She opened a studio on Fifth Avenue in 1940 and photographed many of the artists and intellectuals of the day, including Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein. This exhibition will include loans from the Wien Museum in Vienna, Austria, the New York Public Library, private collections, and as well as never-before-exhibited works from family collections.
Image: Trude Fleischmann, Peter Altenberg (1859-1919), Writer and Adolf Loos (1870-1933), Architect, Vienna, 1918, printed 1988, gelatin silver print. Lent by the Wien Museum, Vienna, Austria. © Trude Fleischmann