Hands ON! Second Saturday

Join us this Hands ON! Second Saturday for our Dia de Los Muertos Hands ON! program with special performances by Latino Arte & Culture, themed hands-on art projects, and more!

Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation Hands ON! Second Saturdays offers monthly free admission, hands-on art activities, storytelling, a docent-guided tour, live performances, and community collaborations. “Art Adventures” provides children the opportunity to engage with Museum staff and take a closer look at current work on view. New exhibitions, community collaborations, guest performances and monthly themes rotate in this engaging series of monthly programs.

SCHEDULE

Title sponsorship for Hands ON! Second Saturdays is provided by the Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation.

Mexico City Art Trip: Teotihucan, City of the Gods

Experience Teotihuacán in an extraordinary and intimate way, combining visiting Mexico’s most iconic archaeological sites with a celebration of the traditions that once brought this ancient city to life.

Following the tour of Teotihuacán—guests will be welcomed to an exclusive private brunch at the foot of the Pyramid of the Moon, surrounded by one of the most breathtaking landscapes in Mexico.

The experience will be accompanied by a specially arranged performance of pre-Hispanic music and dance, creating an evocative connection between archaeology, landscape, sound, and ritual.

It is not simply a visit to Teotihuacán, but an immersive encounter with the history, artistry, and living cultural legacy of ancient Mexico, the perfect way to start a trip to the emblematic Mexico City.

Simulcast Overflow: Talk and Reception with Artist David Best

Please note, David Best and David Walker’s conversation will take place in the Sky Room. Due to high demand, this specific program will be a live simulcast to the Theater. Cash bars are available in both locations.

Celebrate the opening of Sacred Transformations: The Art of David Best with an engaging conversation between internationally renowned artist David Best and David B. Walker, Nevada Museum of Art CEO.

Explore the twists and revelations of Best’s career, from his experiments with collage and sculpture to the creation of his famous temples at Burning Man and beyond. After the discussion, enjoy a reception in the Sky Room and be among the first to experience Sacred Transformations: The Art of David Best on opening day in the Museum’s second-floor galleries.

Doors open at 4pm with cash bar. Program begins at 5pm.

Art After Dark: Alter Ego

Who would you be if there were no rules?

Step into a different version of yourself at Art After Dark: Alter Ego. Whether you’re reinventing yourself for the night or revealing a hidden side of your personality, dress as your alter ego and join us for an unforgettable evening of art, music, libations, and more. Dance your heart out, create unique works of art, and transform an old piece of clothing at our upcycle station.

21+ | Costumes Encouraged | Cash Bar

Senior Sundays: Art in Conversation

Seniors are invited to spend the morning at the Museum in this monthly, discussion based museum experience. Rooted in slow/close looking and inquiry based engagement, the program invites participants to build personal connections with works of art while fostering meanigful social interaction. Each session centers on a thematic exploration of 3 – 4 artworks, encouraging thoughtful observation, storytelling, and shared interpretation.

This month will explore the distinctive pottery and artistic traditions of Mata Ortiz, Mexico, drawing from works in the museum’s collection.

Senior Sundays will be hosted in-person in the Dermody classroom on the first floor of the Charles and Stacie Mathewson Education + Research Center. Snacks and light refreshments will be provided. Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Monthly sessions are offered on the last Sunday of the month.

Sponsored by the Leonette Foundation Seniors and Art Endowment, and the City of Reno.

Freshwater Resilience through Films, Science, Art and Policy

A series of films and an engaging panel will explore the resilience of freshwater ecosystems, the diversity of aquatic life, and the many ways humans depend on and impact these vital resources.

Through film, discover how freshwater environments serve as unique and vibrant niches for biodiversity, sustain life beyond their waters, and hang in a delicate balance between conservation and human use. Experience the resilience of these ecosystems, from the diversity found beneath the water’s surface to humanity’s connections to them.

Following the films, participate in a panel discussion featuring artist Isabella Kirkland along with professionals from Freshwater Illustrated, National Geographic, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), US Geological Survey (USGS), and the widely published science journalist Stefan Lovgren to think through freshwater sustainability, biodiversity, and the future of our local waterways.

Image credit: Detail from Isabella Kirkland, Forest Floor, from the series, Nova, 2007, Oil and alkyd on polyester over wood, Collection of D. Scott Olivet

Rescheduled: Artist Responses to a Changing Earth

This program is rescheduled from July 24.

Into the Time Horizon brings together a wide range of artistic perspectives that confront the impacts of the climate crisis. Join Assistant Curator Kolin L. Perry for an exploration of selected works from the exhibition, as he highlights how artists are engaging with and responding to global environmental change.

Detail of Artwork: Kim Stringfellow, Abandoned Trailer, Bombay Beach, CA, 2000/printed 2009. Chromogenic print, 30 1/2 x 38 in. (77.5 x 96.5 cm). Nevada Museum of Art, the Altered Landscape, Carol Franc Buck Collection. 2010.02.01. Image courtesy of the artist.

Bringing the Black Rock Desert to Life with Crimson Rose

See Burning Man through the eyes of co-founder and early art director, Crimson Rose. Learn how the annual festival has transformed over the 40 years and the pivotal role that art, and especially its original Temples, play in providing sanctuary for the human heart and spirituality.

Photograph taken by Karen Kuehn of Black Rock City LLC Founders, Will Roger Peterson, Crimson Rose, Michael Mikel, Larry Harvey, Harley K. Dubois, and Marian Goodell, 2013. Image courtesy of Burning Man Project.

The Collision of Art and Data with Artist Ken Goldberg

ReBloom is an internet-based artwork which combines the color palette of familiar landscape paintings with live seismic data from across Nevada. Artist, roboticist, and filmmaker Ken Goldberg shares his interest in translating earthquakes into art and other collaborative art projects, such as a garden tended by a robot directed by public participation and the animation of a robotic industrial arm to express everyday acts of essential workers like cleaning and caring. By bridging the space between art and science, Goldberg brings new technologies to art spaces and a creative perspective to his work with robotics and technology.

Ken Goldberg is Founding Director of Berkeley’s Art, Technology, and Culture Colloquium, and Professor of Engineering and Art Practice at UC Berkeley.

Opening Talk: Kit Hinrichs on Broad Stripes Bright Stars

Join designer, curator, and collector, Kit Hinrichs as he explores his remarkable collection of American flags and flag memorabilia, sharing stories and highlights from Broad Stripes Bright Stars, a book and exhibition commemorating America’s 250th Anniversary.

Inspired by a hand-sewn flag made more than 150 years ago by Hinrich’s great, great, great aunt Ida Pepperkorn, his collection offers a fascinating look at the evolution of American visual identity, and the political, sociological, and historical meanings the flag has held for different groups of Americans across 250 years of history.