Free Day + Celebration: Gatherings

Join us for a free day celebrating gatherings in all their forms: from quiet times for reflection to upbeat festivities. Bring along your family and friends to gather and connect through art, music, movement, and more.

Event Lineup

Art Making | 10 AM–6:30 PM
Ignite your imaginative side in two different art-making zones. In the Kohl’s Art Studio, make a weathervane sculpture inspired by artworks in the self-taught collection galleries. In the Milwaukee Room, create corn husk flowers with guest facilitator Eliza Skenandore (Oneida Nation, Wolf Clan), while exploring the rich heritage of Oneida craftsmanship and the importance of preserving cultural knowledge for future generations (activity ends at 4 p.m.).

Film Screening: PBS Wisconsin Spotlight: Native Voices | 10:30 AM–4:30 PM
Enjoy a series of animated and live-action stories that highlight Wisconsin individuals who have focused on teaching, gathering, and uplifting those around them. Learn about Electa Quinney, a Mohican educator and mentor who is known to many as Wisconsin’s first public school teacher; Chief Oshkosh, a leader who worked tirelessly to ensure the Menominee people could stay and gather on their homelands; and the Native Wellness Garden, an urban garden in Milwaukee run by the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center.

Community Engagement Fair | 10 AM–4 PM
Meet several Milwaukee organizations working to fight hunger, promote health and well-being, and support a strong and connected community.

Philippine Center Strummers Performance | 11 AM–NOON
Enjoy a performance by the Philippine Center Strummers, a group of multigenerational musicians who gather to play at events across our community.

Sound Bowl Healing | NOON–1 PM
Pause for a meditative and liberating experience with singing bowls led by Melissa Blue Muhammad.

Drop-In Tour* | NOON–1 PM; 3–4 PM
Discover a sense of belonging on this collection tour, which celebrates the theme of community and togetherness.

Live DJ | 1–6 PM
Groove to the music of DJ A-Biz (1–3 p.m.) and DJ Gemini Gilly (3–6 p.m.) in Windhover Hall.

Expert Series: Who Owns History? Issues of Provenance and Restitution* | 6:15–7:15 PM
Go behind the headlines and find out how the ownership history of objects affects art museum policy and practice today. This discussion is moderated by Tanya Paul, Isabel and Alfred Bader Curator of European Art, and features Victoria Reed, Senior Curator for Provenance at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Eden Burgess, a lawyer who specializes in restitution cases.

Yoga | 7–7:45 PM
Join Tom Chappelle, a yoga facilitator who weaves his Ojibwe ancestry with yogic traditions, to explore the essence of gathering together as a community.

*Includes ASL interpretation.

Visiting for the first time? Please follow these Museum guidelines.

• Stay an arm’s length away from the art
• Large objects are not permitted in the galleries. Store umbrellas, backpacks, and water bottles in a locker.
• Finish food and drinks, including water, before entering the galleries.
• Strollers are welcome in the galleries. Wagons must be stored in the coatroom.
• Take photos without flash, stabilizers, or tripods.

Free Day + Celebration events welcome large crowds and feature lively activities, creating an atmosphere that some visitors may find overstimulating. Quieter seating areas are available throughout the Museum, including in the East End and the Haitian Gallery. Our friendly Museum staff are here to assist you throughout your visit.

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