WAM gets merry and bright for the season! Holiday programming starts with Free First Sunday on December First
Worcester Art Museum gets merry and bright for the holidays!
Deck the Halls at WAM includes art-themed trees, concerts, and holiday programs for all ages.
Worcester, MA – November 22, 2019 – New memories are made and old ones relived during the holiday season at the Worcester Art Museum! This year’s programming, Deck the Halls at WAM, includes Sunday afternoon concerts and holiday programs for all ages, surrounded by artfully decorated trees with nostalgic ornaments inspired by the Museum’s newest exhibition, Photo Revolution: Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman; its permanent collection; and by Worcester’s contributions to popular culture. The professionally decorated trees will be on display at the Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury Street, from November 29, 2019 through January 5, 2020.
Deck the Halls at WAM launches with Free First Sunday on Sunday, December 1, from 10am to 4pm. when the Museum partners with the Worcester JCC for a full day of Hanukkah programs. Activities include drop-in art-making, a Menorah display, Dreidel games, and Hanukkah stories. Admission is free for everyone. In addition, the Chubby Chickpea Food Truck, featuring kosher Middle Eastern Cuisine, will sell food from the Museum’s Tuckerman Street parking lot from 11am to 3pm.
All Deck the Halls at WAM programs and activities listed below are free with Museum admission, except where indicated otherwise. Celebrating old and new holiday traditions, the Worcester Art Museum and its next door neighbor, Salisbury Mansion, will offer discounted admission for people who visit both organizations during the holiday season. Visitors to “Deck the Halls” at the Worcester Art Museum will receive a coupon for half price admission for “Home for the Holidays” at Salisbury Mansion, located at 40 Highland Street. Those visiting Salisbury Mansion will receive a coupon for half price admission at WAM. The half price coupons will be valid from November 29, 2019 through January 5, 2020. “Home for the Holidays” at Salisbury Mansion is presented by the Worcester Historical Museum.
The art-themed trees for Deck the Halls at WAM were designed and decorated by Sally Jablonksi, owner of Hebert E. Berg Florist. Deck the Halls at WAM programs are sponsored by Interstate Specialty Products, Inc. Media partner is WICN, 90.5FM. The holiday programs are also funded in part by the Booth Family Fund for Education and Outreach at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and the Christian A. Johnson Discovery Fund. For more information, visit worcesterart.org.
Holiday Concerts (Free with Museum admission)
Wachusett Jazz
Sunday, December 1, 2pm
Renaissance Court
Founded by Joe Reidy, Wachusett Jazz is a small ensemble that performs jazz, performing Christmas and Hanukkah favorites for our Free First Sunday.
Assumption College Chorale
Sunday, December 8, 2pm
Renaissance Court
The Assumption College Chorale is an auditioned academic concert choir, performing a repertoire of music from Gregorian chants to twentieth-century music.
Merrimack Valley Ringers
Sunday, December 15, 2pm
Renaissance Court
The Merrimack Valley Ringers, an auditioned community hand-bell ensemble, delight audiences with their infectious joy, gusto, and warmth.
Glenn Hillard
Sunday, December 22, 2pm
Renaissance Court
Singer/Songwriter and piano player, Glenn Hillard specializes in New Orleans-style vintage jazz, ragtime blues and gospel music.
Family Programs
Free First Sunday: Hanukkah at WAM!
Sunday, December 1, 10am to 4pm
Free Admission
Join us for Free First Sunday, as we partner with the Worcester JCC for a day of Hanukkah activities, including art-making, a menorah display, Dreidel games, and Hanukkah stories.
Ice Art in the Courtyard
Sunday, December 15, 11am-4pm
See art take shape in a 6-foot ice sculpture demonstration in the Stoddard Courtyard. Keep warm with hot cocoa and cookies from our Sip Cart.
Visit with St. Nick
Saturday, December 21, 10am-2pm
Children are invited to visit with Santa in WAM’s art-filled surroundings. Don’t forget your camera!
The Giving Tree
November 29, 2019 – January 5, 2020
During this season of giving, the Museum will collect donations of new children’s mittens, gloves, and hats to decorate a Giving Tree. Donations will be accepted until January 5, 2020 and distributed to local agencies.
Museum Tours
Holiday-themed Tours
Saturdays, December 7 and 21, 2pm
Coming Together: Parties & Celebrations from Around the World: Look for themes of fellowship and celebration on this docent-guided tour focused on merry making. Free with Museum admission.
Sunday Public Tours
Sundays, December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, 1pm
Public tours are offered before each Sunday holiday performance. These hour-long tours offer an overview of the permanent collection. Tours will leave from the Salisbury Street Lobby.
Special Member Event
Champagne, Chocolate & Shopping
Friday, December 6, 5-7:30pm
WAM Members and their guests enjoy a festive evening, including chocolate desserts, champagne (first glass is free for Members), winter-themed docent tour of the European galleries by candlelight, and shopping for unique gifts in the Museum Shop. Complimentary wrapping of gifts purchased in the Museum Shop (courtesy of the WAM Members Council). Cash bar. Members: Free; Guests $20.
Studio Art Classes
December Art Workshops
WAM’s Studio classes program offers an array of workshops this December for youth and teens ages 3 to 17, including old favorites (such as all-day Figure Drawing for Teens) and new experiences (like Northern Lights Landscapes). Classes are available on December 23, 24 and 27; students who sign up for both morning and afternoon sessions receive a free supervised lunch period (food not included). For more information and to register, visit worcesterart.org/classes.
Holiday Hours
Museum Galleries
Wednesday – Sunday: 10am – 4pm
Third Thursday, December 19: 10am – 8pm
(Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and December 25)
Museum Shop
Open seven days a week, 10am – 4pm, December 1 – 24.*
Third Thursday: December 19, 10am – 8pm
(Closed December 25)
*On Mondays and Tuesdays, please enter through the Salisbury Street front doors.
WAM Members receive a 20% discount December 1 – 24
Museum Café
Open Wednesday – Saturday: 11am – 3 pm
Full luncheon service, featuring a delectable range of menu items from soup to desserts.
Sip Cart
Open Sundays: 11am – 3pm
Counter service, featuring snacks and hot and cold beverages.
The art-themed trees for Deck the Halls at WAM were designed and decorated by Sally Jablonksi, owner of Hebert E. Berg Florist. Deck the Halls at WAM programs are sponsored by Interstate Specialty Products, Inc. Media partner is WICN, 90.5FM. The holiday programs are also funded in part by the Booth Family Fund for Education and Outreach at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and the Christian A. Johnson Discovery Fund. For more information, visit worcesterart.org.
About the Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum creates transformative programs and exhibitions, drawing on its exceptional collection of art. Dating from 3,000 BC to the present, these works provide the foundation for a focus on audience engagement, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and demonstrating its enduring relevance to daily life. Creative initiatives— including pioneering collaborative programs with local schools, fresh approaches to exhibition design and in-gallery teaching, and a long history of studio class instruction—offer opportunities for diverse audiences to experience art and learn both from and with artists.
Since its founding in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum has assembled a collection of 38,000 objects: from the ancient Near East and Asia, to European and American paintings and sculptures, and continuing with works by contemporary artists from around the world. WAM has a history of making large scale acquisitions, such as its Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, its 15th-century Spanish ceiling, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. In 2013, the Museum acquired the John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, comprising two thousand arms and armor objects. It continues to commission and present new works, such as 2017’s installation of the interactive Reusable Universes and Organic Concept works by Shih Chieh Huang.
The Worcester Art Museum, located at 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and the third Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $8 for children 4-17, $14 for seniors 65+ and for college students with ID. Admission is free for Museum Members and children under age four. On the first Sunday of each month, admission is free for everyone. Museum parking is free. For more information, visit worcesterart.org.