Start your spring by sweeping the mental cobwebs at one of the Harvard Art Museums’ many engaging lectures and gallery talks, pondering colonial commodities with associate curator Horace D. Ballard, or exploring ancient Greek and Roman worlds through small-scale objects. If you’re in the mood for a hands-on activity, pick up a paintbrush and learn from a master brush painter or bring your kids along for a free afternoon of creative play on Family Day!

There’s a reason why we have been voted one of the top museums in Massachusetts—come see for yourself!

FAMILY DAY

Free Family Fun

Bring your family to the Harvard Art Museums on Saturday, April 15 for an afternoon of artful experiences, gallery explorations, and hands-on creative play! The event is free and open to all families participating in the event.

AT NIGHT

Meet at the Museums

Make your evening plans complete by heading over to the Harvard Art Museums on Thursday, April 27 for the ever-popular Harvard Art Museums at Night! Stop by the Materials Lab for themed activities, then hang out with your friends in the Calderwood Courtyard to chat over a snack or drink. A nighttime of fun awaits!

LECTURE

Art of the Spanish Americas

On Thursday evening, April 13, come out to hear curator Rosario I. Granados, from the Blanton Museum of Art, deliver her lecture “Artifice and Invention: Displaying Art of the Spanish Americas,” in conjunction with the From the Andes to the Caribbean exhibition. The lecture is free and open to the public, but make sure to reserve your spot starting Monday, April 3.

PERFORMANCE

The Power of Music

Arrive for the April 13 lecture early and join us in the Calderwood Courtyard for a performance by the Boston Children’s Chorus. The group harnesses the power of music to connect the city of Boston’s diverse communities, cultivate empathy, and inspire social inquiry. The concert will include some pieces inspired by the exhibition.

LECTURE

Indigenous Voices

The Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP) and the Harvard Art Museums present a lecture on Thursday, April 6 by author Tommy Orange, a citizen of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and Pulitzer Prize finalist for his novel There There. Free admission, but seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

WORKSHOP

Art by the Brush

Learn about centuries-old Chinese painting manuals and make your own copy of a traditional brush painting composition. One session will be offered in English, on Sunday, April 16, and one session will be offered in Chinese, on Sunday, April 23.

FILM

Close Friendship

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Lukas Dhont’s film Close is an emotionally transformative and unforgettable portrait of the intersection of friendship and love, identity and independence, and heartbreak and healing. Join us Sunday, April 2 for a free screening of the film.

LECTURE

Building Blockchain

On Thursday, April 20, join us for a discussion between an artist, a blockchain researcher, and an award-winning television producer about how blockchain technologies can assist in more inclusive and equitable models in the art market. Free admission, but seating is limited. Advance reservations are encouraged and will open on Monday, April 10.

LECTURE

Lyrical Colors, Flowing Stories

This conversation between Baroda-based artist Nilima Sheikh, scholar Jinah Kim, and curator Ay?in Yoltar-Y?ld?r?m will explore the themes of color and water in traditional painting of South Asia and how these are reflected in Sheikh’s work. Join us Saturday, April 22 for this free lecture and get inspired!

LECTURE

Small Yet Larger than Life

On Sunday, April 16, venture with us into the world of James Loeb to examine his influence on ancient studies and delight in the small objects that filled his life. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition A World within Reach: Greek and Roman Art from the Loeb Collection. Free admission, but seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.