Community Programs
The Dennos Museum Center presents a variety of programs for all ages, seeking to build community, spark conversation, and inspire change. Check out the listings here to find out what's happening.
DROP-IN TOURS
Tuesdays | 12:00 PM
Come to the museum and join an informal tour of our current exhibitions with one of our docents. Tours are free with museum admission and will begin at 12:00 PM. Please meet by the front desk a few minutes before the tour begins.
SKY INTO STONE: SIGHTS & SOUNDS
Friday, January 3rd | 4:00 PM
GET TICKETS
To celebrate the closing of Sky Into Stone, exhibiting artist Katrina Bello and sound artist Jonathan Harris will host an artist talk and immersive listening experience based on sound recordings that span nearly 250 miles on (and off) the coast of Lake Michigan. Harris’ multichannel composition uses hydrophonic and atmospheric recordings of the lake’s environmental sounds to explore the interplay between connection and separation in our experience of nature, examining how this complex dynamic parallels the tension between consciousness and embodiment.
In an artist talk, Bello will discuss her work on view in her solo exhibition and how her Tusen Takk residency–heavily informed by the sounds of nearby Lake Michigan–impacted not only her practice but also her bodily experience.
SECOND SUNDAY ART PROJECTS
Sunday, January 12th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Come to the museum and take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
EMBRACE THE DREAM FREE DAY // MLK DAY
Monday, January 20th | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Lecture | 2:00 PM
GET TICKETS FOR LECTURE
Celebrate MLK Day with us and kick-off the Embrace the Dream programming at NMC. The Black History 101 Mobile Museum will be on view in the museum's sculpture court during our open hours. Its founder, Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, will present a lecture on Black History at 3:00 PM. Tickets are free, but please register in advance.
WINTER 2025 OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, January 24th | 6:00 PM
Award Ceremony | 5:00 PM
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Join us for the Winter 2025 Opening Reception celebrating regional talent! Meet the artists featured in the Northwest Regional Juried Exhibition and enjoy drinks and hearty hors d'oeuvres. Arrive by 5:00 PM to attend the award ceremony in Milliken Auditorium. The reception will begin after the awards at 6:00 PM.
MIDWEEK MORNING MUSE
Wednesdays | 8 - 8:45AM
February 5th - March 12th
Register through NMC Extended Education
Begin your day with inspiration and discovery by joining this reflective art appreciation class designed to explore one piece of artwork each week. Held in the early morning hours at the Dennos Museum Center, this course invites participants to delve deeply into the nuances and emotional resonance of a single artwork, fostering a meditative and enriching start to the day. Perfect for art enthusiasts looking to cultivate a mindful practice and deepen their understanding of visual art.
HEARTS FOR ART
February 7th - 14th
Show some love to your favorite artwork at the museum and celebrate Hearts for Art with us!
Pick up a heart at the front desk, leave it on the floor in front of the artwork (please don't place hearts in the frames or on pedestals), and share your favorites with us online.
You can find us on Facebook, and Instagram @dennosmuseumcenter.
SECOND SUNDAY ART PROJECTS
Sunday, February 9th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Come to the museum and take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
ART OF LOVE: MOCK TOURS AT DMC
Friday, February 14th | 7:00 PM
Tickets: $15 - $20 | GET TICKETS
Join Full Tilt Comedy as they guide you through an unforgettable (and completely fictional) tour of the museum paired with your choice of specially crafted mocktail or bubbly from Mawby Vineyards! Perfect for couples, friends, or solo adventurers, this light-hearted night of art and laughter is bound to leave you seeing love—and the museum—in a whole new way.
THE GREAT MC: ACCESSIBILITY PERFORMANCE
Saturday, March 8th | 11:00 AM
Tickets: Free | Please RSVP in Advance
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Don your super suit, grab your favorite gadgets, and join the Interlochen Arts Academy Theatre Division for the action -packed premiere of a new work from accomplished playwright Sue Pak. Commissioned by Interlochen as part of the Theatre for Young Audiences BIPOC Superhero Project and developed during a one-week on-campus residency, The Great MC introduces a new hero of color to the pantheon of caped crusaders.
SECOND SUNDAY ART PROJECTS
Sunday, March 9th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Come to the museum and take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
Spring Break at the Museum
March 23rd - 29th
Visit the museum for a Spring Break adventure for the whole family. Kids are free this week with accompanying adults.* A new scavenger hunt will be available at the front desk. Turn it in to receive a prize!
*All children under 15 must be accompanied by at least one adult.
SECOND SUNDAY ART PROJECTS
Sunday, April 13th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Come to the museum and take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
DMC DANCE PARTY: FUNK EDITION
Wednesday, April 16th | 6:00 PM
Tickets: Free | Please RSVP in Advance
GET TICKETS
Join us for the afterparty following the Indie Lens Pop-Up screening of We Want the Funk: The History of Funk Music. DJ E-Knuf will keep the vibe alive with funky beats perfect for dancing the night away!
PAST PROGRAMS
screening of nmc time based museum projects
Tuesday, December 3rd | 4:00 PM
Join the talented Visual Communications students from NMC's Time-Based Media class as they debut their original video projects inspired by artworks at the Dennos Museum. These student-filmmakers have created unique, screen-based interpretations of paintings and sculptures, which you can later explore in the galleries. They will introduce their projects and participate in a Q&A session following the screening.
NMC students and employees get free admission to the museum. Regular admission rates apply.
Second Sunday art projects
Sunday, December 8th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
Free with museum admission. Drop-in event, no registration necessary.
Museum Store Sunday
Sunday, December 1st | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Enjoy special savings one day only. As always, members, NMC employees and students receive 10% off in the store year-round so we hope to see you soon at your local art museum store!
Behind the Vault : Treasures from the Dennos Museum Center
Wednesday, November 20th | 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Explore behind-the-scenes and see how the Dennos Museum Center cares for paintings, sculptures, and works on paper when they are off public view. We will see some of the very earliest gifts to the DMC’s collection, including several Rembrandt etchings, modern and contemporary photographs, paintings, and more. Our tour will last approximately one hour and will involve standing and walking most of the time. This course also includes admission to the museum for the day or 10% off an annual membership to the Dennos.
CANCELLED — kids commute live!
Saturday, November 9th | 11:00 AM
*DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, IPR HAS CANCELLED THE KIDS COMMUTE LIVE TOUR*
Five, six, seven, eight! ¡Cinco, seis, siete, ocho! Get out your dancing shoes for ¡Bailamos! A free family event from the team behind Interlochen Public Radio's daily show Kids Commute. Enjoy the rhythm and energy of traditional Latin American dancing on stage in a kid-friendly format featuring live musicians, hands-on activities, and opportunities for everyone to get up and dance!
Second Sunday art projects
Sunday, November 10th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, this coming Second Sunday we'll be joined by Samantha TwoCrow. She'll be providing 30 beading kits and guiding visitors through the process. Drop in, first come first serve!
TwoCrow is a Kitchi Wiikweedong Anishinaabe citizen of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and comes from a long line of family painters, beaders, basketmakers and seamstresses. Her beaded jewelry walks the line of shifting the parameters between traditional and contemporary Anishinaabek beadwork, reflecting both her family’s history and a world she foresees.
Holiday Artist Market
November 1st & 2nd | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Dennos welcomes visitors to the 25th Annual Holiday Artist Market kicking off the 2024 holiday shopping season. Visitors will discover a unique variety of artful gifts in a lively and festive marketplace. Admission is free to all. Special programming will be offered to enhance the experience for visitors of all ages. “I must remember to come back to do my holiday shopping!” We hear it all the time in the museum store. Remember to visit our holiday corner opening the first weekend in November for artisan ornaments and gifts, holiday greeting cards, and art-inspired calendars.
Participating artists and details at shop.dennosmuseum.org.
Spooky Silent Disco
Thursday, October 24th | 7:00 PM
Get in the Halloween spirit, put on your best costume and dance until you’re dead at this 18+ party before Halloween weekend.
🎶 Groove to your pick of three music channels with your headphones and the sound mastery of 3 surprise DJs! Don your most spooktacular costumes and bring your dancing shoes because this is a night you won't forget. Each guest will receive a pair of wireless headphones, allowing you to choose from multiple channels of bone-chilling beats. Dance to your own rhythm or switch between channels to find the perfect spooky soundtrack for your moves.
🎃 Dress Code: Costumes are strongly encouraged! From witches and werewolves to zombies and superheroes, let your imagination run wild and be part of the eerie ensemble.
📢 Please Note: Headphones will be provided upon entry and must be returned at the end of the event.
Halloween For All
Saturday, October 26th | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Join us for the second annual sensory-friendly Halloween event held in partnership with Children’s Therapy Corner. Visitors may self-select activities they would like to participate in, with descriptive maps provided at the entrance to the museum.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day - Free Day
Monday, October 14th | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Join us at the Dennos Museum Center for a free day of learning, celebration, and community as we honor the vibrant and enduring cultures of Indigenous peoples.
Something Old, Something New: An Introduction to Emerging Inuit Artists
Wednesday, October 16th | 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Join Dennos Museum Center staff for a brief lecture of contemporary Inuit artists and their artmaking practices. From contemporary sculpture to digital media and animation, we will review some of the recent trends in this unique field. We will also spend time together in the DMC’s world-class Inuit art galleries and discuss some of the ideas and concepts introduced during the lecture. This course also includes admission to the museum for the day or 10% off an annual membership to the Dennos.
Printmaking Extravaganza
Saturday, October 19th | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Explore the 2024 Annual Cape Dorset Print Collection, engage with talented local artists, and try your hand at creating one of your own unique pieces. Enjoy a day filled with art, culture, and creativity as you learn more about the rich traditions of Inuit printmaking and support our vibrant community of printmakers. Event held in partnership with Traverse City Community Print Studio.
MORE ABOUT THE EVENT
Area artists will hold a printmaking sale and demonstration. A number of small printing presses will be on-hand and in-use, showing the step-by-step processes involved in linocut, electro-chemical etching, and drypoint printmaking. Learn about how artists think through the process (often in reverse) of making a print, from conception to rough drawing to transferring the image, to carving, engraving, or etching, to proofing and printing a final piece.
Brad Kik will be carving his 24” x 36” linocut piece “Dance of the Cosmos” while Glenn Wolff will be editioning a new print to be raffled off by the Dennos as a fundraiser for the education tour fund. Unframed prints from local artists will be available for sale at a variety of price points.
No ticket necessary. All activities are included with price of museum admission. Free for members.
Second Sunday art projects
Sunday, October 13th | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
Free with museum admission. Drop-in event, no registration necessary.
Fall 2024 Opening Reception
Thursday, September 26th | 7:00 PM
Enjoy an evening with desserts, a bar, and music. Members get free admission and double discounts in the Museum Store the night of the event.
Guests of members and the public are welcome to attend for a small fee. Please RSVP in advance. Limit of 300.
An Evening with Michigan Poet Laureate Nandi Comer
Friday, September 13th | 7:00 PM
Nandi Comer is the first Poet Laureate of Michigan in 65 years, and the author of American Family: A Syndrome and Tapping Out. The evening will begin with two readings from a local highschool and NMC student, followed by a presentation by Comer.
Limited seating. Please register for a free ticket online in advance.
Second Sundays art projects
Sunday, September 8th | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month! From flower arranging and printmaking to painting and weaving, each session offers a unique and creative activity.
Free with museum admission. Drop-in event, no registration necessary.
