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Family Programs

Click on upcoming events for a listing of current and upcoming programming.

Impromptu Encounters with Art

Family in Garden April through November: Sundays from 1-5pm

The Museum's Hartman Education Center is open on Sunday afternoons for visitors of all ages to have their very own hands-on, minds-on art experience. Designed as a creative studio/classroom, the Education Center is a state-of-the-art climate controlled space that houses a collection of art and history books, games, puzzles, and art-making supplies that fosters creative thinking. A highlight of the Impromptu Encounters experience is painting "en plein air" or out-of-doors, in the style of the original artists. After volunteers briefly explain the painting process, visitors of all ages are invited to put on an artistic smock and help themselves to authentic materials - paint brushes, a palette loaded with paints, a canvas board, and a bucket of water - and try their hand at making a painting in the Museum's gardens or along the river.

Sponsors for Impromptu Encounters with Art have included Fleet, Northeast Utilities, and The Connecticut Commission on the Arts.

Midsummer Festival & Concert

Midsummer FestivalFriday and Saturday during the last weekend in July or first weekend in August

This town-wide event is fast becoming the highlight of the summer season. The two-day festival celebrates art and culture of the Lyme-Old Lyme region and is located along Lyme Street on the grounds of the Florence Griswold Museum, Lyme Art Association and The Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. The Midsummer Festival begins with exhibition free art openings at the Academy, Association and Museum as well as a free public concert on the grounds of the Museum. The Festival continues on Saturday with an array of art shows, free entertainment and food.

Midsummer FestivalThe Museum presents Market "En Plein Air," a open-air farmers' market based on those in French villages as well as a Hands-On, Minds-On Education Area that features hands-on projects presented by an impressive list of cultural organizations from Southeastern Connecticut often including the Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, Connecticut River Museum, High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Lymes' Youth Service Bureau, and the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library.

Midsummer Concerts have featured the following performers:

The Can Kickers (2006)
The Johnny Come Latelies (2005)
The Russian Ranglers (2004)

Midsummer Educational Entertainment sponsored by the Museum have featured the following performers:
Drum Circle Leader Fre Atlast
Peter Hawes, Percussionist
Dave Fry, Musician

Sponsored by Reynolds' Garage & Marine, Inc.

Innovations in Museum Learning Events

Scheduled throughout the year

Motivated by new learning theories such as Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences as well as other learner-based methods such as such as Philip Yenawine and Abigail Housen's Visual Thinking Strategies, the Museum is investigating new ways to engage the widest audience of life-long learners in art appreciation, interpretation and education. A variety of "out of the box" type programs are schedule throughout the year to sustain the Museum's role as a dynamic laboratory for learning.

Hassam in the Garden

Hassam in the Garden (2004)


A selection of innovative programs includes: Hassam in the Garden: A One-Act Play and Open to Interpretation: Innovation in Museum Learning, featuring dancers, actors, poets, and artists.


Winter Wonderment

Bubble Mania: A Winter Wonderment EventWeek of Presidents' Day: Tuesday through Thursday, 10am-5pm

Synchronized with the winter vacation schedules of local school districts, Winter Wonderment is a festival for families with children. For this event, the Museum offers special pricing and opens additional days and extended hours. In addition to the exhibitions of art and history, the Museum provides specially created Eye-Spy Tours of the historic rooms and Explorer's Guides that foster self-guided family learning. The Museum's Hartman Education Center is used for both educational performances and hands-on art-making fun throughout the week.

The roster of Winter Wonderment performers includes The Airborne Jugglers, Dancer L'Ana Burton, Drummer Fre Atlast, Actor Seth Reichgcott in Chariot of the Sun, Storyteller Tom Lee, and Bubble-ologist Casey Carle.

Joy in the Making

Hands on funMid November through the first week of January: Sundays from 1-5pm

Each year the Museum hosts The Magic of Christmas, a special holiday event that incorporates the historic areas of the house. Joy in the Making is a weekly offering in the Hartman Education Center that compliments the decorations and spirit of the holiday season by offering an array of hands-on projects for families with children.

Betwixt-the-Holidays Event

Airborne JugglersBetween Christmas and New Year's Day

The holiday season is a special time at the Museum and the festivities continue between Christmas and New Years with a special performance by a visiting artist geared for families with children.

Performers have included The Airborne Jugglers, Dave Fry, and Dusan Petran of Yorick's Marionette Theater