Hirshhorn To Open Art-Making Studio Offering Free All-Ages Experiential Curriculum Oct. 30

Hirshhorn Art School, a first-of-its-kind art education experience, opens inside the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum Oct. 30, part of its 50th-anniversary celebration. Combining elements of a professional artist’s studio, museum galleries and clubhouse, the new and flexible 1,700-square-foot hub will offer structured programming and open-studio sessions guided by museum educators and teaching artists four days a week for visitors of all ages.

“Hirshhorn Art School asks visitors to ‘think like an artist,’” said Melissa Chiu, museum director. “When the Hirshhorn opened in 1974, museum education was in its infancy and largely grounded in observation. We’ve since found that experiential art learning is both highly effective and in demand. Since 2019, the museum has engaged more than 53,000 visitors in person and more than 170,000 online with free art education programs. Art School, the first permanent studio inside our building, will activate our mission by amplifying the important voices of global artists on the National Mall.”

Designed for varying ages, abilities and interests, Hirshhorn Art School programs will be organized into thematic, artist-focused semesters and will build on the work of Hirshhorn Kids and ARTLAB as well as public programs for adult audiences. The first semester, “Boundary Breakers,” will introduce the biographies, materials, techniques and philosophies of originals such as Anni Albers, Mark Bradford and Barbara Hepworth, whose artworks are on view. In its first year, Hirshhorn Art School expects to host more than 25,000 in-person visitors and 75,000 more virtually with livestreamed lessons and anytime resources.

“Everyone is an artist,” said Assistant Director of Public Engagement Kevin Hull. “Hirshhorn Art School programming will challenge toddlers, kids, teens, lifelong learners, caregivers and teachers to express themselves, ensuring each visit—in person or digital—is unique, accessible and transformational.”

Starting Oct. 30, Hirshhorn Art School will offer programs Wednesdays–Saturdays:

Storytime Studio, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Children ages up to 8 years will connect an artwork on view with a children’s book and engage in hands-on activities that develop self-expression and visual storytelling. Drop-ins welcome.

Field Trips, Thursdays

An immersive, all-day “escape room” experience will grant District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) middle schoolers guided behind-the-scenes insights into how artists and museum experts work. These monthly sessions must be reserved.

School Studio, Fridays

Guided by museum educators and teaching artists, students in grades three through eight will explore the hows and whys of art-making, inspired by Hirshhorn collections and exhibitions. These weekly morning and afternoon sessions, lasting 60–120 minutes, must be reserved.

Open Studio, Saturdays, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Guided by museum educators and teaching artists, visitors of all ages will be invited to respond to modern and contemporary art history, with a focus on Hirshhorn exhibitions. Drop-ins welcome.

Emerging Artists, Saturdays, 3–5:30 p.m.

Teens ages 14–19 will collaboratively focus on the works of living artists. The debut season invites consideration of Bradford and his monumental work “Pickett’s Charge” (2017). This program builds upon ARTLAB, the Hirshhorn platform for teens founded in 2011, which served an average of 4,000 student artists. Pre-registration is required.

Hirshhorn Art School will also continue to support free annual experiences, including:

Mighty Young Composers!

DCPS students in grades three through five (who do not need prior music education) will be directed to find inspiration in the museum’s collection in this free program produced in partnership with the 21st Century Consort, the Hirshhorn’s longtime resident modern music ensemble. The free program will conclude with a concert of original compositions performed by professional musicians.

Build Day

The culmination of DCPS’s elementary architecture curriculum unit is this annual collaborative exhibition of a student-made miniature city installed in the Hirshhorn Museum’s signature circular spaces.

As part of Hirshhorn Art School’s outreach, art educators will continue to build upon the museum’s library of almost 50 online projects and three free in-gallery activity guides. The Art School classroom has a built-in loop system to support visitors who use hearing aids, as well as a quiet area and tactiles.

Hirshhorn Art School is the public expression of Hirshhorn Education, a central pillar of the national museum of modern and contemporary art, whose mission amplifies the importance of the voices of artists on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution. Major support has been provided by a Youth Access Grant from the Smithsonian’s Together We Thrive initiative, the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board. Additional funding has been provided by Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst, and the Fisher Arts Impact Fund. Further support has been provided by the Hirsch Family Foundation, the Keith Haring Foundation, the Sidney E. Frank Foundation, A&O Shearman, Dr. Mary Gendernalik-Cooper and Dr. Wade Cooper Sr., and Kim and Jon Shirley. This project has received support from the Hirshhorn Education Committee co-chairs Lindsay Ellenbogen and Howard Wolfson.

About the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the national museum of modern and contemporary art and a leading voice for 21st-century art and culture. Part of the Smithsonian, the Hirshhorn is located prominently on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Its holdings encompass one of the most important collections of postwar American and European art in the world. The Hirshhorn presents diverse exhibitions and offers an array of public programs on the art of our time—free to all. The Hirshhorn Museum is open Mondays noon–5:30 pm and Tuesdays–Sundays 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (except Dec. 25). For more information, visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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SI-346-2024