Brooks Museum creates hands-on family art gallery designed to teach visual literacy

From Karen Davis, Public Relations Specialist, Brooks Memphis Museum of Art —

To celebrate Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s world art collection and inspire a new generation of museum-goers, the museum will unveil its new, and Tennessee’s first, hands-on family art gallery dedicated to visual literacy on May 7.

Visual literacy, making meaning from images you see, is critical to the art museum experience.

“Inside Art is designed as a playful space to help children develop the skills and habits they need to have more meaningful art experiences,” said Janet Lo, Director of Special Projects. “Inside Art’s fantastical large-scale activities are inspired by the Brooks Museum’s permanant collection of more than 9,000 objects, spanning more than 4,500 years,” said Lo.

Families will explore a climbing structure, walk into a larger-than-life painting and create sculptures made of found objects, all developed to help improve their visual literacy. Each of the seven specially-crafted activities is designed to give children the skills and confidence to become confident art explorers.

The grand opening of Inside Art is Saturday, May 7 during Brooks Museum’s Party for the Century in celebration of the Brooks’ 100th anniversary.

Inside Art, the groundbreaking family art gallery, was generously funded by The Plough Foundation.

For more information about the Brooks and all other exhibitions and programs, call 901.544.6200 or visit www.brooksmuseum.org.

Founded in 1916, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is the oldest and largest major art museum in Tennessee that includes art from around the world in its collection. The Brooks Museum enriches the lives of our diverse community through the Museum’s expanding collection, varied exhibitions, and dynamic programs that reflect the art of world cultures from antiquity to the present.