The Newark Museum of Art is reopening its reimagined Learning & Engagement Center on Saturday, November 22. Community members of all ages are invited to explore the redesigned space and participate in day-long activities at the museum.
The celebration of the center—a hub for events and education—will start at noon with a ribbon-cutting and remarks. At 1 pm, a special jazz concert, presented by WBGO Kids Jazz and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, will follow. This free, family-friendly event is an opportunity to introduce children and adults alike to jazz through an afternoon of music, learning and fun. Headlining the concert is Calvin Johnson and Native Son, bringing the vibrant sound and soul of New Orleans to Newark.
“Completing the renovation of the Learning & Engagement Center is a major move for us,” says Shirley Thomas Ward, the museum’s deputy director of Learning & Engagement. “It’s a game-changer in making the museum a truly welcoming and accessible space for the whole community. Our museum has always been a champion of powerful art and stories, and now we’ve added a bold, vibrant space where our visitors can come together, whether to experience the art, learn something new, or just connect with one another.”
The day will also include tours of the renovated space and Junior Museum exhibits, light refreshments, and a hands-on art activity called Gesture & Ink.
Visitors can also take in the museum’s newest special exhibition, “Aminah Robinson: Journeys Home, A Visual Memoir,” which showcases Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson’s historical research, personal narratives and folklore-based work as both a visual memoir of the artist’s life and a compelling portrayal of the African American experience.
Click here to RSVP to the day’s events, which run from noon to 5 pm.
