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
Tuesday, January 2nd - December 3rd
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.
Behind the Vault : Treasures from the Dennos Museum Center
Wednesday, November 20th | 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Register Through Extended Education
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.
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!
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.
PAST PROGRAMS
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.
