Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month
2020-09-27 14:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | 101 South Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month with a live story time, crafts, and a closer look at works by Latinx artists in the Ackland’s collection for our September Virtual Family & Friends Sunday!
Our friends at the Smithsonian have compiled a video discussing the importance of this month. Check it out here!
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more. Although the Museum’s doors are closed for our community’s safety, you can still explore the art virtually!
A mix of D.I.Y. and live interactive activities await you, all inspired by the Ackland’s collection.
Live Story Time: Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown
2:30 P.M. | Live Zoom story time with Carrie Young, Public Programs Intern
Register here!

Art-Making
Learn how make flower crowns inspired by Emilio Amero’s Fiesta.
YouTube Instructions
Close Looking Activity
Spend time as a family looking deeply at Queen on Board, a 2015 work by Nelson Morales.
Close Looking Activity PDF
Artist Spotlight: Nelson Morales
Photographs from Nelson Morales’ series “Muxes” are on loan to the Ackland. While the galleries are closed, you can visit the artist’s website to learn more about his photography.
Nelson Morales: Compassion
Watch a 2017 Creative Mornings Charlotte talk by Nelson Morales. His presentation begins at 13:08 (full video length is 38:59).
Ten Questions with Nelson Morales
This 2018 PhotoVoice article dives deep into Morales’ choice of photography as his medium.
Related Virtual Events around the Triangle:
Artist Conversation with Nelson Morales | October 9, 12:00 p.m.
A free public conversation with photographer Nelson Morales, who will have select photographs from his series Musas Muxe on view at the Ackland. The photographs explore the everyday life of muxes—people who identify as a third gender—of the Oaxaca state of Mexico.
Registration is required. Click here to register.

Carolina Latinx Center Homepage: Learn about upcoming Latinx Heritage Month events at UNC. With Zumba, cooking classes, and film screenings, there is something for all ages!

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: LGBTQ Art at the Ackland
2020-10-25 14:00 - 17:00 | Zoom (Link Provided with Ticket), United States
In conjunction with the NEA Big Read at the Ackland, enjoy a live story time, crafts, and a closer look at works by LGBTQ artists in the Ackland’s collection for our October Virtual Family & Friends Sunday!
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more. Although the Museum’s doors are closed for our community’s safety, you can still explore the art virtually!
A mix of D.I.Y. and live interactive activities await you, all inspired by the Ackland’s collection.
Drag Story Time Double Feature
2:30 PM | Virtual Story Time on Zoom
As part of the NEA Big Read at the Ackland, we are honored to host a special free story time with the Chapel Hill Public Library as part of our Virtual Family & Friends Sunday on October 25th! All ages are welcome.
Registration is required; please click here to register.
If you encounter registration issues, please email us at acklandRSVP@unc.edu. We apologize for any inconvenience.
About Dustin Reams and Stormie Daie
Both Dustin and Stormie are members of the prestigious House Of Coxx family.
Art Making: Make Your Mark
Join Public Programming intern Katie Brandao as she leads you through a video tutorial to make your own stamps! Made out of foam sheets and wood blocks, these DIY stamps will help you make your personalized mark, inspired by Stacey L. Kirby’s Bronze VALIDity (2019). Please reference the supply list below for materials you will need during this activity.
Make Your Mark Stamp Activity
VIDEO TUTORIAL (YouTube)
Artist Spotlight: Nelson Morales
Photographs from Nelson Morales’ series “Muxes” are on loan to the Ackland. While the galleries are closed, you can visit the Ackland’s Close Looks page to learn more about his works.
Using Your Photographic Eye
Inspired by Nelson Morales, Public Programs intern Katie Brandao adapted a UNC photography class assignment for Ackland families. All you need is a cardboard box, a camera or phone, and creativity!
Using Your Photographic Eye Activity

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday is supported in part by the Laughing Gull Foundation.

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: With Love and Thanksgiving
2020-11-22 14:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more. Although the Museum’s doors are closed for our community’s safety, you can still explore the art virtually!
A mix of D.I.Y. and live interactive activities await you, all inspired by the Ackland’s collection and the spirit of thankgiving.
Live Storytime
Join the Ackland’s Public Programs Coordinator on Zoom for a Thanksgiving storytime at 2:30 p.m.! We will be reading “Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks” by Margaret Sutherland.
Sign up here!
Close Looking: I Spy…
Activity created by Katie Brandao, Public Programs Intern
At the Ackland we enjoy the practice of “Close Looking.” We encourage our visitors, including online visitors, to look close and think far. We often start conversations about art and its meaning by asking, “What do you see?” In this activity, we want to give you the chance to practice your close looking skills with Doris Lee’s 1942 lithograph entitled Thanksgiving. You may be surprised by how many details you discover!
Thanksgiving iSpy
Family Art Activity: Thankful Pie
Activity created by Katie Brandao, Public Programs Intern
Not only is Thanksgiving a time to enjoy delicious food, but it also offers us a moment to pause and reflect on those things that mean the most to us. To celebrate both of these Thanksgiving traditions, we invite you to make a Thankful pie. This easy and relaxing activity will let you put your artist stamp on a Thanksgiving staple, pumpkin pie!
Thankful Pie Activity Instructions
Thankful Pie PDF
Artist Spotlight: Doris Lee

Painter Doris Lee became famous for her Depression-era murals and depictions of everyday life, most importantly Thanksgiving.
National Museum of Women in the Arts Artist Profile
Don’t miss viewing her Siesta in the NMWA’s collection (online), as you may need a nap after your Thanksgiving meal!
“It Isn’t Thanksgiving without an Argument”
Hop over to the Art Institute of Chicago’s website and read how Doris Lee’s Thanksgiving caused controversy while on view in 1935. The story is juicy, like a turkey leg!
Ackland Art Adventures: Gratitude Quilts
Art Adventures Spotlight: Gratitude Quilts
In May 2020, kids aged 6-9 learned about Gee’s Bend quilter Irene Williams and made Gratitude Quilts in our Virtual Art Adventures program. Watch this video to learn more about Gee’s Bend, Irene Williams, and how to make your own Gratitude Quilt!

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: Holidays Around the Ackland
2020-12-13 14:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more. Although the Museum’s doors are closed for our community’s safety, you can still explore the art virtually!
A mix of D.I.Y. and live interactive activities await you, all inspired by the Ackland’s collection.
This month’s theme will focus on the winter holidays of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas.
Live Storytime | 2:30 p.m.
Join the Ackland’s Public Program Coordinator as we read a holiday-themed story.
Register HERE!
Holiday Agamographs Activity
The Ackland is putting a holiday twist on our popular summertime Agamograph activity! Watch the video for craft supplies and instructions.
You will need to print two copies of the Ackland’s agamograph template to get you started!
December has three celebrations – Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas – pick two holidays to illustrate in your agamograph.
Need inspiration? Check out some holiday fun on Google Arts & Culture, courtesy of the National Postal Museum and the Strong National Museum of Play!
Kwanzaa Hanukkah Christmas
Virtual Conversation: Play and Childhood
Watch highlights from our November Odd Couples Tour! Facilitators Erin and Sarah show you two objects from the Ackland’s collection that emphasize play!
YouTube Link
Collection Connections
Menorah by Anthony Caro, 2000
Light is an element of Christmas (Star of Bethlehem), Kwanzaa (kinara), and Hanukkah (menorah). The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’.
Compare & Contrast: What are the similarities and differences between this menorah and the NCMA’s Standing Hanukkah Lamp?
Tip: Consider scale, material, function, and pattern when looking closely at both pieces!
UNC Connections – Rameses the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
Our friends at the General Alumni Association say, “Happy Heelidays!”
Check out their toilet paper roll Rameses activity on YouTube.
Want to create your perfect holiday Rameses?
UNC has a Rameses craft for your family to enjoy!
Festive Coloring Pages: Ramses and the Nutcracker
Caroling Performing Arts and Arts Everywhere teamed up with UNC alumna Dara Burg (Designed by Dara) to create these fun pictures! Downloadable until Jan. 1.

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: Dance into Kusama's World
2021-01-24 14:00 - 17:00 | Zoom (Link Provided with Ticket), United States
Explore the world of Yayoi Kusama with a storytime video, polka-dot dance, and a closer look at her works on display at the Ackland for our first Virtual Family & Friends Sunday of 2021!
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more. Although the museum’s doors are closed for our community’s safety, you can still explore the art virtually!
A mix of D.I.Y. and live interactive activities await you, all inspired by the Ackland’s current exhibition, Yayoi Kusama: Open the Shape Called Love.
Activities include:
Kusama Movement Workshop
Join choreographer Killian Manning as she leads two virtual movement workshops inspired by Yayoi Kusama! Dancers of all ages will explore Kusama’s artwork through self-expression in motion. No dance experience necessary.
Sessions will be limited and will be 30 minutes in length. Registration is now open!
2:30 PM | Workshop for Kids and Families
3:30 PM | Workshop for Adults
Storytime
*Pre-recorded Story time with Carrie Young, Public Programs Intern
Yayoi Kusama Covered Everything in Dots and Wasn’t Sorry, authored by Fausto Gilbreti (Age Range: 4-7)
Art-Making
D.I.Y. Polka Dot Kaleidoscope Craft
Kaleidoscope Instructions (PDF)
Kaleidoscope Tutorial (video)
D.I.Y. Mini Paper Infinity Box Craft, created by former Ackland intern Anabelle Quarles
Mini Paper Infinity Box Template (printable)
Want to learn more about Yayoi Kusama and other women artists? Look closely at the piece by Yayoi Kusama: Self-Portrait, 2008 in the NMWA collection.
Slow Art Activity from the National Museum of Women in the Arts
Artist Spotlight Videos
Yayoi Kusama: Open the Shape Called Love video with Ackland Curatorial Assistant, Amy Swartz (3 mins)
Yayoi Kusama- Obsessed with Polka Dots from the Tate, London (7 mins 23 sec)
ZERO IS INFINITY　ZERO and Yayoi Kusama Exhibition Video, from the Yayoi Kusama Museum, Toyoko (5 mins)*
Yayoi Kusama’s LIGHT OF LIFE 2018 from the NCMA (32 sec)
Kusama: Infinity, free with Hulu subscription (1 hr, 20 min)
*Scroll down to black box near center of page. Allow time for the video to fully load.

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: Year of the Ox
2021-02-28 14:00 - 17:00 | Zoom (Link Provided with Ticket), United States
Celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year (celebrated on February 12, 2021) with a storytime, UNC-Chapel Hill’s very own Flying Silk dance troupe, and a closer look at works on display at the Ackland!
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more virtually!
Ackland Storytime
LIVE Storytime: Chinese Lunar New Year
2:30 P.M. EST | Zoom
Join intern Katie Brandao on Zoom as we learn more about the Chinese Zodiac. Sign up here
The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac,
authored by Christopher Corr (Age Range: 3-6)
YouTube: Flying Silk Dance Video
YouTube
We welcome you to view a unique performance from UNC’s only classical Chinese dance group, Flying Silk. The group participates in cultural showcases across the state with the aim of introducing and educating surrounding communities on the beauty of traditional Chinese dance culture.
Collection Connections:
Dish, Unidentified Chinese Artist, 1426-1435
Vase, Thomas Bezanson, 1959-69
The ox harkens imagery of strength and steadfastness, but it also lends its likeness to the richly colored red of the two glazed ceramics featured above. ‘Sang de bouef’ glaze, or oxblood, gained prevalence in the Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is characterized by its monochrome red. The striking coloring of ‘sang de bouef’ is achieved using copper oxide, whose chemical composition allows for the pottery to mimic the depth of its namesake animal’s blood.
The Ackland holds both an original dish from an unidentified Chinese artist of the 15th century and a mid-20th century vase from Canadian artist Thomas Bezanson in its collection, both of which utilize the sang de bouef glaze.
To learn more about the history of ‘sang de bouef,’ we encourage you to explore these resources:
‘Sang de Bouef’ Vase, The Cleveland Museum of Art
Vase, called “The Flame”, National Gallery of Art
Metal Ox Origami Activity
D.I.Y. Origami Metal Ox Envelope and Bookmark
Envelope and Bookmark Instructions (PDF)
To celebrate the Year of the Metal Ox, make an ox-inspired envelope or bookmark! Activity kits are available at the Front Desk from Wednesday, February 24 to Saturday, February 27 for pick-up. Kits are limited to first come, first served. Step by step directions available above!
Want to create more Metal Ox inspired art? Explore activities created by The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s for their Virtual Lunar New Year Festival.
We suggest the D.I.Y. Confetti Poppers and the Dazzling Dragon Puppet.

Virtual Family & Friends Sunday: Pottery and Postcards
2021-03-28 14:00 - 17:00 | Zoom (Link Provided with Ticket), United States
Explore the Tar Heel State through pottery and postcards! Get a closer look at works from the Ackland and Wilson Library’s Special Collections. Both pottery and postcards can be functional, aesthetically pleasing, and fun to make! Each can also inform us about the past- what North Carolina used to look like or how objects have changed over time.
Each month, the Ackland hosts a free D.I.Y program for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live performances, tours, and more.
A mix of D.I.Y. and live interactive activities await you, inspired by central North Carolina!
North Carolina’s First Peoples and Pottery
We start off with North Carolina’s First Peoples, many who were potters and makers. Explore this page for information about early pottery in our area, and thank you to the Research Laboratories of Archaeology at UNC-Chapel Hill for this research!
Art-Making Activity: Coil Pots
Watch a quick YouTube video to learn how to make a Salt Dough Coil Pot!
Make a Coil Pot with Salt Dough Clay PDF (Accessible)
“The Woodland people at Doerschuk who made Badin ware used manufacturing techniques similar to those in neighboring regions. They strengthened vessels for firing by adding sand and sometimes pebbles to the wet clay. Also, like people throughout the ancient Southeast, they used the method called coiling to make their pots.
Basically, coiling involves making long ropes or “coils” of clay. Starting at the base, potters build the vessel’s walls by placing coils on top of each other. They then blend the coils together and thin the walls by hitting the sides with a wooden paddle. After the walls are built and paddled, the pot is then fired to harden the clay.
Often people wrapped the paddle with string, or covered it with fabric, or carved it with a design. Every time the paddle hit the pot (while the clay was still wet, of course), it left a reverse impression of the string or design on the pot’s surface. Archaeologists call this technique paddle stamping.” – Research Laboratories of Archaeology at UNC
Virtual Mini Field Trip -Seagrove, N.C.
The town of Seagrove is a destination for pottery enthusiasts and makers alike! It is home to the NC Pottery Center.
Watch these short clips to learn more.
Video #1
Video #2
Read this article about Seagrove in Artsy.
Postcard Exploration
North Carolina Postcards is a project of the North Carolina Collection, located in historic Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives holds more than 12,000 North Carolina postcards contained primarily in two collections: the North Carolina Postcard Collection and the Durwood Barbour Collection of North Carolina Postcards.
This digital project contains a selection of materials from the North Carolina Collection’s postcard collections, including at least one image for each of North Carolina’s one hundred counties. Several counties have a close tie to pottery historically or culturally, which we have listed below (this list is by no means complete!)
Badin, North Carolina
Buncombe County, North Carolina
Haywood County, North Carolina
Moore County, North Carolina
Collection Connection
Currently, a variety of North Carolina ceramics is on view in Object Lessons through May 14, 2021. Explore the full exhibition virtually on Kuula. This portion of Object Lessons was curated with Professor Patricia Sawin, who is utilizing the Ackland’s collection in her “Introduction to Folklore” class.
You will see several examples from Jugtown Pottery, which is located in Seagrove, North Carolina.
Artist Spotlight: Mark Hewitt
Learn more about the local artist Mark Hewitt, whose work is featured in Object Lessons!
Artist Website
Works in the Ackland’s Collection

Family & Friends Sunday: Day of Drawing
2021-06-27 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Visit us virtually or find art activity kits to enjoy with your friends or family group in the galleries.
This month, enjoy art-inspired activities exploring the wide-ranging themes and works in Drawing Attention including word art, watercolors, and landscapes.
Zoom Storytime | 2:30 P.M. EDT
Join the Ackland’s Public Programs Coordinator as she reads “Cat Says Meow: And Other Animalopoeia” by Michael Arndt!
Register on Zoom here.
Free Family Art Kit | Museum Lobby
Pick up our Drawing Attention Family Activity Art Kit and get inspired by “Untitled (Filling up Time)” by Chris Johanson. Quantities are limited; one per person.
At Home Art Making
Blow Painting with Straws by the Artful Parent
Inspired by the American Abstraction of the 1960s section of Drawing Attention, try out this simple yet exciting activity! Supplies needed: paper, watercolor paints, straws, and lots of air!
Inspiration: Paul Jenkins and Damien Hirst – for a more advanced activity, visit the Tate UK website!
Textured Landscapes by the Children’s Museum of San Jose
Create a drawing inspired by a landscape that recreates texture through the use of lines! Get inspiration from two works in the Ackland: Jean Metzinger’s “Landscape” and Max Liebermann’s “Village Scene”.
If you’re in the galleries, don’t miss Pierre Bonnard’s “Landscape” as an example of creating texture with lines!

Family & Friends Sunday: Whistler's World
2021-07-25 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Visit us virtually or find art activity kits to enjoy with your friends or family group in the galleries.
This month, enjoy art-inspired activities inspired by James McNeill Whistler’s etchings in Visions of Venice including:
FREE FAMILY ACTIVITY KIT | MUSEUM LOBBY

Pick up our Visions of Venice Family Activity Art Kit and try your hand at scratchboard art! Quantities are limited; one per person.
ART MAKING ACTIVITIES | EXPLORE AT HOME
D.I.Y. Scratch Art (ages 4 and up)
Foil Engraving
CURATOR’S CONVERSATION: “Visions of Venice” with Dana E. Cowen
Watch the Ackland’s Sheldon Peck Curator of European and American Art before 1950, Dana E. Cowen, as she speaks about Visions of Venice.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE PEACOCK ROOM | 2:30 P.M. EDT
Join the Ackland as we ‘visit’ the Freer Gallery of Art in D.C., space is limited to 15 households. The tour will be one hour in length and suitable for all ages.
The Peacock Room and American Art
Freer Gallery of Art founder Charles Lang Freer did not only acquire diverse holdings of Asian art; he also assembled outstanding examples of American art in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Today, the Freer Gallery of Art houses the world’s largest collection of works by James McNeill Whistler, including his famed Peacock Room.
Registration will open on June 18th. Email acklandrsvp@unc.edu with any registration issues. A Zoom link will be provided in the days leading up to the online tour.
WHISTLER’S NORTH CAROLINA CONNECTION
Whistler’s mother, Anna, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is the subject of his famous work, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, commonly known as Whistler’s Mother. The piece resides in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.
Read several of her letters published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1925. Her final letter in this ten-page document indicates that her son, James, is about to travel to Venice to make a set of twelve etchings – sound familiar?

Ackland F.A.M. (Families at the Museum): The Artsy Alphabet
2021-09-26 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Kick off the autumn season at the Ackland! Explore the art of lettering throughout history, complete an A-to-Z scavenger hunt, and design your very own alphabet book inspired by art.
Self-guided activities will be on hand at the museum and online components will be added to ackland.org for virtual visitors.
Free Family Art Kits
Pick up an art kit with materials to design your own Ackland Alphabet Book. Available in the Museum Lobby from September 26th to October 13th or until supplies last.
Storytime
Listen as Jackie Zhang, Public Programs Intern, reads a story that connects to art on view in Ackland Upstairs.
Self-Guided Activities
A to Z Scavenger Hunt
ONLINE: Explore the Ackland’s collection of works that relate to the alphabet!

Ackland F.A.M. | Art All Around You
2021-12-12 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Did you know that art can be found all around you? Carolina’s campus is filled with gems like Carolina Performing Arts’ Memorial Hall and our very own Ackland Art Museum! This December, our Ackland F.A.M. theme is Interactive Art. Find out more ways to get involved below:
VISIT THE ACKLAND
Family & Friends Sunday
December 12 | 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Interact with Mysterious Ink World, Part One (2016), a collaborative contemporary work featured in the Ackland Art Museum’s newest installation of Asian art, Clouding: Shape and Sign in Asian Art.
ART-MAKING
December 3 – 17 | Ackland Art Museum
Pick up a Family Art Kit inspired by Mysterious Ink World, Part One (2016) and Atmospheric Memory. Both art installations rely on audience participation: your movement, your choices, your body! Kits will be limited to one per person and will be available for pick-up while supplies last.
Download PDF instructions here
Supplies needed: Watercolor paints, brushes, white crayon, cup of water, your imagination
FAMILY SCAVENGER HUNT
Inspired by Ghost of a Dream’s Aligned by the Sun (through the revolution), wander through the galleries looking for colors and shapes related to the sun. Pick one up at the Front Desk!
Aligned by the Sun (through the revolution) is a seven-channel video installation created specifically for the Ackland Art Museum that uses the formal positioning of the horizon line to connect each video of the sun.
WATCH
Hear from artistic collaborators Ming Ren (American, b. 1956) and Hansong Zhang (Chinese, b. 1969), as they explain the process behind creating Mysterious Ink World, Part One (2016).

BUY TICKETS TO ATMOSPHERIC MEMORY AT CAROLINA PERFORMING ARTS
December 2 – 17 | Memorial Hall at UNC-Chapel Hill
General Admission tickets are $15.00 | Purchase Here
Experience a unique, immersive art environment where you control interactive artworks while surrounded with light, sound, and colossal projections.

Ackland FAM: Woodruff's Landscapes
2022-02-27 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join the Ackland as Ackland F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) focus on one of the Harlem Renaissance’s leading artists, Hale Aspacio Woodruff and his piece, Landscape (Mississippi, Soil Erosion), seen on the right.
We will be considering the variety of ways that humans depict and interact with their environments by looking closely at Landscape (Mississippi, Soil Erosion), featured in the Ackland’s Close Looks initiative.
Activities marked with an asterisk will be available following Family & Friends Sunday while supplies last!
Family & Friends Sunday
February 27 | 1-5 p.m.
Storytime | 1:30 p.m.
Join the Ackland’s Public Program Team as we read Harlem Renaissance Party by Faith Ringgold! Meet in ART&. Book is appropriate for ages 3 and up.
Woodruff Inspired Yoga | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Wear comfy clothes and meet in ART&. Mats are provided and instruction is provided by Ona Hawk via a Spelman Museum of Fine Art recorded Yoga session (60 mins). It is appropriate for all ages and skill levels.
Video Courtesy of: Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, 2021
Landscape Scavenger Hunt*
Search the Ackland’s collection for more examples of how artists choose to represent the environment.
Family Art Kit*
Pick up a kit to use in the galleries or at home to make your own layered landscapes inspired by Hale Woodruff’s Landscape (Mississippi, Soil Erosion).
Kids’ Compare and Contrast*
Stop in Gallery 14 and discuss the similarities and differences between Hale Woodruff’s Landscape (Mississippi Soil Erosion) and Jean Metzinger’s Landscape.
Virtual Landscape Tour
Explore other works by artist Hale Woodruff. Consider how he uses color, shape, and line to create his art.

Ackland FAM: Make It with Metal
2022-03-27 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Explore the dazzling world of art made with metal for March’s Ackland F.A.M. (Families at the Museum). Activities marked with an asterisk will be available following Family & Friends Sunday while supplies last!
The Ackland Art Museum is operating under the guidelines of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As of March 7, 2022, masks are optional in our galleries.
Family & Friends Sunday
March 27 | 1-5 p.m.
Blacksmithing Demo
Live blacksmithing demonstration by Robert Bemis on the Terrace (blacksmith and historic trades education specialist at North Carolina Historic Sites)
Explore Culture Kits
Borrowed from Carolina Navigators, discover more about everyday life in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Mali. All three countries have pieces on view in Peace, Power & Prestige
Family Art Kit*
Pick up a kit to use in the galleries or at home to make your own metal jewelry inspired by Peace, Power & Prestige
Kids’ Self-Guide to Peace, Power & Prestige*
Explore the exhibition with a special family-friendly self-guided tour
Metalwork Scavenger Hunt*
Search the Ackland’s collection for more examples of artworks made in metal
*Available for families through April 3 while supplies last.

Ackland FAM: Fishes and Dishes, Plates and Plants
2022-04-24 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join the Ackland as Ackland F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) focus on Clare Leighton, an American who was known for her engravings, and her piece, Whaling, seen on the right.
We will be considering the variety of ways that humans depict and interact with their environments by looking closely at Leighton’s Whaling, featured in the Ackland’s Close Looks initiative.
Activities marked with an asterisk will be available following Family & Friends Sunday while supplies last!
Family & Friends Sunday
April 24 | 1-5 p.m.
Storytime | 1:30 p.m.
Join the Ackland’s Public Program Team as we read a book all about whales! Meet in ART&. Book is appropriate for ages 3 and up.
Nautical Scavenger Hunt*
Search the Ackland’s collection for more examples of the sea, sun, and sailors!
Family Art Kit*
Pick up a kit to use in the galleries or at home to make your own set of nature-themed plates inspired by Clare Leighton’s Whaling and others in the Ackland’s collection.
More to be added – check back soon!

Ackland F.A.M.: Juneteenth Celebration
2022-06-19 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Our June Ackland F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) theme celebrates Juneteenth with several activities available in person on June 19, the final day of our current exhibition Modern Black Culture: The Art of Aaron Douglas.
Juneteenth Celebration
June 19| 1-5 p.m.
Interactive Family Tour | 2:00 p.m.
Join Ackland docents in a family-friendly close look at Aaron Douglas’ 1931 mural Harriet Tubman.
Storytime | 3:00 p.m.
Join the Ackland’s Public Program Team as we read books about the significance of murals! Meet in ART&. Books are appropriate for ages 5 and up.
Mural & Graffiti Wall | All Afternoon in the Ackland courtyard
Make your mark on our temporary mural wall with spray paint and inspiration from the art on view at the Ackland. Hosted by Chapel Hill Arts and Culture
Free Family Activity Kits | Available in the Ackland Lobby beginning May 18
Pick up a kit to use in the galleries or at home to make your own “mural sketch” using stencils and textured paper, inspired by Aaron Douglas’s vibrant Harriet Tubman mural.
Self-Guided Art Walk to Chapel Hill-Carrboro Juneteenth Celebration at Hargraves Community Center
Explore Chapel Hill’s vibrant public art on a self-guided art walk between the Ackland and Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s 2nd Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Hargraves Community Center from 2-6 p.m. on June 19. Pick up a copy at the Ackland or view a PDF of the Mural Walk here.
Find out more about the performances, poetry, and more at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Juneteenth celebration of Black community and culture by visiting their event page: https://www.chapelhillarts.org/calendar/juneteenth-celebration/.

Ackland F.A.M.: Play at the pARC
2022-07-24 18:00 - 21:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Celebrate summer and the spirit of play at pARC by The Urban Conga, the Ackland’s newly opened Terrace installation, with interactive art-inspired movement workshops!
6-9 p.m. | pARC Movement Workshops
Join a pARC-inspired movement workshop led by choreographer Killian Manning, with special musical guest Daniel Levin on cello. Workshops begin at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. All ages and abilities are welcome! Wear comfortable clothing for a July evening and rubber-soled shoes.
More to Explore:
– Pick up a F.A.M. Activity Kit and make your own reflective suncatcher inspired by pARC. Available while supplies last during our regular hours.
– Take a Summery Scavenger Hunt through the galleries to cool off. Available at the Front Desk.
– Read about art in unusual places in this PDF Kids’ Reading List inspired by pARC

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Ackland F.A.M.: Food and Art
2022-08-24 - 2022-09-04 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
In late August, explore our F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) theme connecting food and art! Pick up a F.A.M. art kit to use at the Museum or at home, search for hidden food in works on view in the galleries, and be sure to check out Houseguests: American Art from the Art Bridges Collection Loan Partnership, the inspiration for this month’s theme! The exhibition is on view through Sunday, September 4.
Hidden Food Artwalk
Take a walk around the Ackland and see if you can find the hidden food in each of these artworks! View the Hidden Food Artwalk PDF here.
F.A.M. Kit: Abstract Breakfast
Be inspired by the colorful and cubistic style utilized by Stuart Davis in his painting, Breakfast Table, to create your own Abstract Breakfast! Pick up a F.A.M. Kit in the Museum lobby to use while you’re here or take one home. Available through September 4 while supplies last!
Stuart Davis Timeline
How does Stuart Davis’s Breakfast Table, on view in Houseguests, fit into his larger body of works? Explore our timeline on Padlet.

Ackland F.A.M.: Dutch Drawingfest
2022-09-25 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
An all-ages celebration of drawing to mark the opening weekend of the Ackland’s newest exhibition, Drawn to Life: Master Drawings from the Age of Rembrandt in the Peck Collection at the Ackland Art Museum. Events include:
The Living Line: watch as animator Stella Rosalie Rosen, MFA ’22, brings pieces from Drawn to Life into conversation with one another through frame-by-frame animation using graphite on paper. Viewers will see how the images are animated in real time under a camera, as the camera’s visual feed is projected on the wall. The end result will be a short film incorporating imagery from the exhibition as it was originally perceived by the artists — moving through time and vibrating with life.
Sketching in the Galleries: all are invited to learn the fundamentals of classical drawing at drop-in drawing stations in the galleries with instructor Daniel Hammer, artist and Ackland Drawing for Tweens teacher.

F.A.M. Activity Kits: pick up an art kit with drawing supplies to use in the galleries or take home with you! Available beginning Sept 25 and while supplies last.

This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission and by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Ackland F.A.M.: Art's Aliiiiive!
2022-10-20 - 2022-10-31 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
It’s spooky season at the Ackland. Pick up a F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) Activity Kit in our lobby with instructions and materials for an art-inspired skeleton craft, plus an Art’s Aliiiiive Scavenger Hunt in the galleries.
Need more scary good art in your life? Check out our online Community Favorites list for the month and add your own finds to the list!
https://ackland.emuseum.com/favorites/20094/ackland-fam-arts-aliiiiive/objects

Ackland F.A.M. Kits
2022-11-04 - 2022-11-30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Pick up November’s F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) Kit in the lobby to enjoy in the galleries or at home. Every free kit includes all the instructions and materials you need to create a work of art. This month, we’ll use collage and crafting to explore abundance. “Feast your eyes,” on the Ackland’s many works about food and sharing, and reflect on all the bounties in your life during this Thanksgiving season. Kits available while supplies last.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out our online favorites collection for extra “food for thought.”
https://ackland.emuseum.com/favorites/20096/ackland-fam-scenes-of-abundance/objects
Visit us again on November 20 for this month’s F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries! We’ll explore themes of gratitude with a story time, communal art-making, and thematic scavenger hunt.

F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries
2022-11-20 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Enjoy this month’s F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) by celebrating gratitude and community. All ages are invited to participate in this festive event. Join us for the following activities:
Thankful Tales Storytime: listen, laugh, and learn along with a special storytime led by the Ackland’s Scott Frawley. All ages welcome – with a target audience of toddler – kindergarten. Times will vary.
Communal Crafting Banquet: everyone is invited to contribute to a collective, crafty masterpiece! Together, let’s draw, sculpt, and collage a beautiful feast of foods to celebrate the season.
Thematic Scavenger Hunt: see if you can find artworks that help connect us all. Are there artworks that show how we can be thankful? What about works that make you think of friends or family? Get creative, and explore how art can teach us about gratitude.
This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission.

Ackland F.A.M. Kits
2022-12-02 - 2022-12-18 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Pick up December’s F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) Kit in the lobby to enjoy in the galleries or at home. Every free kit includes all the instructions and materials you need to create a work of art. This month, the artwork will depict your favorite December celebrations while reflecting the winter solstice’s perfect balance of lightness and darkness. Kits available while supplies last.

F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries: Family art-making workshop with Mitzie Jokich-Feltch
2023-02-26 13:30 - 15:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Artist Mitzie Jokich-Feltch will lead a family art-making class in connection with Good Object / Bad Object. Plan to make create playful sculptures and stretch your imaginations when your objects start to “misbehave.” Jokich-Feltch believes that the arts are foundational for all learning, and she specializes in teaching for autistic- and intellectual disabilities-centered arts programs. Families can expect this workshop to explore the ways that art-making helps to make sense of how we see the world and other perspectives.
*Pre-registration required*
This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission and by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Ackland F.A.M. Kits: "We put the A in STEAM"
2023-03-31 - 2023-04-30 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
In connection with the North Carolina Science Festival’s theme “Full STEAM Ahead,” find out how the Ackland puts the “A” in STEAM. Color and take home your own set of bookmarks featuring four artworks on view at the Ackland that highlight the connections between Art and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Bookmark templates and coloring supplies are available throughout the month on the Ackland’s F.A.M. (Families at the Museum) cart in the lobby.

F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries: Exploring "Unsettled Things"
2023-06-25 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
This Sunday, families are invited to explore Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South at a very special afternoon of art-filled activities. Throughout the afternoon, pick up a F.A.M. activity kit with materials to make your own art inspired by quilts on view in the exhibition. Pick up the F.A.M. Zine for more ways to explore the Museum.
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE: From 1:30-3:00 p.m., families can register to participate in a quilt-making workshop with local quilter Kimberley Cartwright.
This program is supported by the Orange County Arts Commission and by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries
2023-09-24 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Drawing activities for the whole family inspired by the Ackland’s current exhibition Reform to Restoration.
No ticket needed; drop in all afternoon!
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Reform to Restoration: French Drawings from Louis XVI to Louis XVIII (1770-1830) presents over eighty master drawings from The Horvitz Collection, the preeminent private collection of French art in the United States, and showcases some of the most well-known artists of the period, including Jacques-Louis David, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and Pierre-Paul Prud’hon. Working in a time of tremendous political and social upheaval in France, artists looked to the art, architecture, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration and used stories from antique history and mythology as well as current events and contemporary theater to convey moral and civic values during a period of great uncertainty. Arranged in thematic groupings devoted to the concepts of patriotism, love, honor, conflict, and despair, the works on display demonstrate the intellectual curiosity of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century French artists as well as the expressive versatility and powerful immediacy of drawings.
Image credit: Jean-François-Pierre PEYRON (1744-1814), Standing Draped Man and Child, ND, Pen with black ink and brush with gray wash, heightened with white gouache, on blue wove paper, 380 x 275 mm. (Framed: 23 x 17 ½ x 1 ½ ), L2023.6.39

F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries: Picturing Portraiture in "The Outwin"
2023-11-19 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Visitors of all ages are invited to explore The Outwin: American Portraiture Today through a variety of hands-on portrait-making activities and take a self-guided tour of portraiture in the Ackland’s galleries.
The Outwin: American Portraiture Today has been organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. The competition and exhibition are made possible by the Virginia Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition Endowment, established by Virginia Outwin Boochever and sustained by her family. The Ackland’s presentation is supported in part by Caroline and Arthur Rogers.
Organized by:

F.A.M. Fun in the Galleries: Exploring "Past Forward"
2024-02-25 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Spend an art-filled afternoon at the Ackland with family-friendly events and self-guided activities inspired by our current exhibition Past Forward: Native American Art from Gilcrease Museum. Local storyteller Ryan Dial (Lumbee; American Indian Center) will lead a storytime session for kids and their families at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. A special close-looking activity sheet will be available for young art-lovers to explore Past Forward. Be sure to take home a F.A.M. kit with everything you need to make a woven artwork inspired by a Split Rivercane Basket featured in Past Forward.
This program is made possible by a Spark the Arts Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
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Past Forward: Native American Art from Gilcrease Museum is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and Gilcrease Museum.
The Ackland’s presentation of this exhibition has been made possible by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust, the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation, and Jeff and Liesl Wilke ’92 (JD).
Exhibition-related public programs are supported by a Spark the Arts Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Additional support for the Ackland’s presentation of Past Forward: Native American Art from Gilcrease Museum is provided by Kerry D. Bird & Ken Gahagan.

Ackland F.A.M. Day: "Dürer to Matisse"
2024-09-29 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
An afternoon of print-making fun featuring a hands-on stamp-carving workshop with artist Raj Bunnag, do-it-yourself “dry” printing technique tables in the Museum, and self-guided scavenger hunts in Dürer to Matisse.
Free; no registration required.
Public programs for Dürer to Matisse: 400 Years of European Prints are supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Ackland F.A.M. Day: "Triple Take"
2025-02-23 13:00 - 17:00 | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
An afternoon of art-inspired activities for the whole family with inspiration from our exhibition Triple Take: Dialogues with the Terra Collection-in-Residence featuring American art from the Terra Foundation and works from the Ackland’s collection that complement one another in imaginative ways. Craft paper dolls, a close-looking kaleidoscope, abstract crinkle art, and more.
Free; no registration required.
