Worcester Art Museum Announces Fall and Winter Programs and Public Events

Worcester, MA—September 9, 2025—The Worcester Art Museum (WAM) announced a full line up of public programs and events for this fall and winter, featuring free days, artist talks, and after hours celebrations. The Museum will kick the season off with the after hours opening celebration of the new exhibition, Lee Mingwei: Our Peaceable Kingdom on September 12 followed by an Artist Talk with Lee Mingwei on October 19.  Starting November 22, ongoing arms and armor demonstrations will take place after the opening of the highly anticipated new Arms and Armor Galleries. Reservations to view these new Arms and Armor Galleries will be required. December will feature special events and musical performances every weekend, plus more throughout the week in the annual Winter at WAM programing. To view all upcoming programs, events, exhibitions, and learn about related Member benefits, visit worcesterart.org. 

Free Admission Opportunities  

• Free Day: Indigenous Peoples Day 
  October 13, 10 am–4 pm  
  Free admission 
  The Museum is open with free admission in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Explore the entire Museum free of charge, including all current exhibitions. 
• Free Day: Diwali Celebration 
  November 2, 10 am–4 pm  
  Free admission 
  Diwali is the celebration of light over darkness and of knowledge overcoming ignorance and is among the most popular of India’s national holidays, bringing families and communities of many different spiritual backgrounds together. Activities will include dance and musical performances, lamp lighting, special docent-led tours, Indian cuisine, and more. This free event is held in partnership with the India Society of Worcester.  
• Free Day: Martin Luther King Jr. Day 
  January 19, 2026, 10 am–4 pm  
  Free admission 
  The Museum is open with free admission in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Explore the entire Museum free of charge, including all current exhibitions. Timed-entry reservations will be required for all visitors to the Arms and Armor Galleries. 
• Free Day: Presidents Day 
  February 16, 2026, 10 am–4 pm  
  Free admission 
  The Museum is open with free admission in recognition of Presidents Day. Explore the entire Museum free of charge, including all current exhibitions. Timed-entry reservations will be required for all visitors to the Arms and Armor Galleries. 

Tours and Talks 

Every Sunday at 1 pm, the Museum offers guided Tours of the Galleries. Led by docents, these tours offer visitors a trip through the galleries to discover highlights of the vast collection. Every Sunday, tours of special exhibitions are offered in the afternoon, learn more at worcesterart.org/events.  

The Museum hosts Talks throughout the year by artists and experts on a wide variety of subjects. On September 21, Rachel and Ryan Adams will give a Talk on their mural, The More I Wonder, The More I Love, which has transformed the massive hall at the heart of the Worcester Art Museum. Learn how the artists blended their unique styles to reflect the core sentiment behind the mural, inspired by their young daughters.  

On October 19, the Museum will host a Talk with artist Lee Mingwei on his exhibition Our Peaceable Kingdom, opening September 13. Lee will delve into the “family tree” of paintings by more than 40 artists who have each brought their own perspectives on peace to this ever-growing project. Now being shown for the first time with Edward Hicks’ Peaceable Kingdom (c. 1833) from the Worcester Art Museum’s collection, Lee will share what it means to reunite this installation with the painting that inspired it.  

Concerts, Performances, and Family Fun 

This fall and winter, visitors can enjoy art-making opportunities in the studios, performances and pop-ups in the Renaissance Court, and more. These and many other opportunities will be a part of the upcoming season and available at the Museum. Learn more at worcesterart.org/events.  

• Merrimack Valley Ringers 
  December 14, 2 pm 
  Free with admission 
  A spectacular chorus of bells will be ringing out carols across the Renaissance Court as visitors explore the galleries. 
• Ice Carving 
  January 4, 2026, 10:30 am 
  Watch an ice sculpture take shape, inspired by art now on view at the Museum.  

After Hours 

The Museum offers several opportunities to explore the galleries—often timed to the opening of exciting new exhibitions—throughout the year. Attendees can enjoy drinks and evening ambiance as they enjoy new-on-view art. Learn more at worcesterart.org/events. 

• After Hours: Our Peaceable Kingdom Exhibition Opening 
  September 12, from 6 pm–8 pm 
  Free for Members, $25 for general public 
  Be among the first to experience our upcoming exhibition, Lee Mingwei: Our Peaceable Kingdom, the night before it opens to the public. Meet Lee and the local artists who contributed to this ongoing collaborative artwork and celebrate with music, drinks, and more, all evening long.  
• After Hours: Champagne Chocolate & Shopping 
  December 5, from 6 pm–8 pm 
  Free for Members, $25 for general public 
  It’s Members night! Explore the Museum’s festive Winter at WAM decorations and find the perfect gifts with a one-night-only 25% discount in the shop for Members. 
• After Hours: Valentines Day 
  February 14, 2026, from 6 pm–8 pm 
  Free for Members, $25 for general public 
  Introducing your perfect date night. Make this Valentine’s Day memorable with a romantic evening at the art museum (or make it a fun night out with friends!). Explore the current exhibitions together, enjoy drinks, dancing, and music, and discover something new with someone special.  

Flora in Winter 

Flora in Winter will return for the 23 year, bringing vibrant color and life to the cold winter months at the Museum. This four-day Museum-wide takeover of floral arrangements kicks off Thursday, February 26, 2026 and continues through Sunday, March 1, 2026 with a special After Hours on Saturday night. One of the region’s most anticipated events of the year, Flora in Winter displays floral arrangements inspired by art from WAM’s global collection. Visitors can explore the galleries while encountering dynamic floral designs by some of the area’s most talented floral artists.

_{Images: left to right 
Diwali celebration at the Worcester Art Museum, image courtesy of the Worcester Art Museum. 
Photo Courtesy of LEE Studio, photo by Andrew NianZhu Lee}