Tours and programs

Guided tours

These docent-led tours begin at the Lancaster Welcome Center.

Zip Zooms & Zip Tours Join us for our docent-led art discussions on selected works in the collection. These 30minute spotlights include time for audience comments and questions. Virtual Zip Zooms—every other Wednesday at 12:30pm: Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 2, Nov. 16, Nov. 30, Dec. 14, Dec. 28, Jan. 11, Jan. 25, Feb. 8, Feb. 22. Free; advance registration required. Visit our website calendar for topics, winter dates, and links to programs. Onsite, in-gallery tours—every other Saturday at 12:30pm: Oct. 8, Oct. 22, Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec. 17, Dec. 31, Jan. 14, Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Feb. 25. Free with Museum admission. Highlights Tours Explore significant art, artists, and cultures presented throughout WAM's galleries. Tours are held every Sunday at 1pm, with the following specially scheduled topics:

October 2 and 16: Discover treasures in the Arts of the Ancient Americas Gallery

November 6 and 20: Explore the

Museum’s collection of Indian Art

December 4 and 18: Tour the decorated

“Deck the Halls” trees throughout the

Museum

January 8 and 15: Get to know the superheroes in the WAM Collection

February 5 and 19: During Black History month, learn about works by Black artists at WAM

Group Tours To schedule an adult or youth/student group tour, contact grouptours@worcesterart.org. Please check WAM’s website for for more information.

Programs for all ages

Arms + Armor Presentations Discover the world of arms and armor, ranging from the Romans to medieval knights and beyond. These interactive programs vary from formal demonstrations to interpretive displays of arms and armor that share deeper examinations of the soldiers that used them. Programs are held on the second and fourth Saturdays each month. Free with Museum admission. (No programming in September or December 24). Check our website events calendar for specific topics, times, and locations. Art Carts: Family Fun in the Galleries Art Carts are a great way to explore themes in art and deepen your WAM experience. Have fun learning with creative hands-on activities in different Museum galleries. Check our website calendar for dates, times, and locations.

Community events

Fall Community Day: Diwali Sunday, November 6, 2022 Honor the traditional fall Hindu “Festival of Lights” with the India Society of Worcester on WAM’s Free First Sunday! Enjoy an exciting day of Indian dance, music, food, and artmaking. Free. Deck the Halls at WAM! November 25, 2022 – January 8, 2023 WAM’s festive holiday displays return with artfully decorated trees inspired by the exhibitions Jewels of the Nile and The Floating World. Stroll through the galleries and enjoy decorations created by Sally Jablonski of Herbert E. Berg Florist, Inc. Hanukkah at WAM Sunday, December 4, 2022, 10am-4pm Join us for a day-long Hanukkah celebration for all ages! Enjoy music, live cooking demonstrations, story times with PJ Library, art activities, and presentations on the history and traditions of this Jewish holiday. Organized in partnership with the Worcester JCC and the Jewish Federation of Central MA. Free.

Performances and events

Concerts, Sundays at 2pm December 11: Merrimack Valley Ringers December 18: Worcester’s Salisbury Singers December 31: Ariana Falk (cello) and Peter Sulski (viola) of the Worcester Chamber Music Society, plus students from the Neighborhood Strings program. Deck the Halls! Grand Finale Sunday, January 8, 2023 11:30am: Ice Carving by Chip Koser of South Cape Ice Sculptures. Outside on Lancaster Plaza. 2pm: John McDonough’s Pumpernickel Puppets Musical Variety Show Save the Date! Flora in Winter March 2 – 5, 2023 Don’t miss the region’s premier floral design event featuring captivating and imaginative interpretations of artworks on view in the Museum. In addition, an exciting array of programs is planned throughout the four days. Visit worcesterart.org/flora for event schedule and ticket information.

All programs are free with Museum admission, unless otherwise noted. Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month, except January 1 and March 5, 2023. Information subject to change; please visit worcesterart.org for scheduling updates prior to coming to WAM.

Studio art classes and workshops

Whether you are an experienced artist or just beginning to explore your creativity, we have a class for you! Go to worcesterart.org/classes for course descriptions, schedules, and registration.

Vacation week programs

A Grimm Tale December 27-30, 2022 Discover funny, sweet, and scary tales through art during school vacation. Traditional folk and fairy tales will inspire you to draw, paint, collage, and sculpt! Workshops for teens will focus on building techniques and refining style. Metamorphosis February 20-24, 2023 Explore change through art! Consider the many ways that we experience and observe the world around us—shifting seasons, growing older, the development of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Make art that tells the story of change, can transform, or can be seen in different ways depending on the viewer’s perspective. Royal Revelry April 17-21, 2023 Spend vacation week awash in jeweltones, gems, and precious metals! From fashion design fit for royalty to questing for treasure; marvelous mosaics to sumptuous sculptures, you’ll experience it all. Explore a different part of the Museum each day and design, craft, and create your own artworks in the studio.

Upcoming Exhibits in the Higgins Education Wing

FREE TO THE PUBLIC

November 2 – December 12 Massachusetts Art Educators Association

December 15 – January 13 Museum Faculty

January 19 – February16 WAM Teen Council

February 26 – March 26 Youth Art Month

Teen programs

WAM Teen Council Do you know a teen with a passion for the arts and a dedication to community building? We’d like to meet them! Teens interested in helping to develop programs for teens can reach out to us at teens@worcesterart.org to get involved. Teen Apprentice Program We are pleased to offer limited paid apprenticeships for teens interested in pursuing art, art education, or museum education. Teen apprentices will experience a variety of facets of museum education; from researching and inventory to public relations and assisting in art classes. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Learn more at portal.worcesterart.org/ classes/teen-classes.

Teen Arts at WAM is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Class Scholarships

Scholarships are available for onsite and online classes. Individuals with financial need who would like to apply for a scholarship may contact us at 508.793.4339.