Starting January 3, 2023, the Academy Art Museum will offer free admission to all. This is the crowning achievement in an institutional movement toward barrier-free access that started in 2021, when the Museum made most of its public programming free of charge, including book talks, artist lectures and summer programs. The Academy Art Museum joins other Maryland museums that also offer free admission, such as the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum. The Academy Art Museum is open Tuesday and Wednesday 10am to 4pm, Thursday and Friday 10am to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm, and is located at 106 South Street in Easton, Maryland. Visit academyartmuseum.org for info on the newest exhibitions.
AAM Director Sarah Jesse notes, “The hidden barrier contained in an admission fee is not always how much it costs but the mental calculation – wondering how much it might be, adding it to weekly expenses. By eliminating this barrier to access, in concert with our other audience engagement efforts, we hope to foster a sense among our diverse community and beyond that AAM belongs to everyone.”
AAM provides free tours and activities to school children from the Eastern Shore and beyond.
“Carolyn Williams (Past Board Chair, 2015-2017) proposed the idea when she led the museum and we are both overjoyed that it is now possible to put this change into effect, helping to welcome our entire community to all the exciting art and arts education the museum offers,” states Cathy McCoy, Past Board Chair (2018-2021) and Emeritus Trustee.
Many museums across the country offer free weekends thanks to generous donors or corporations such as the Bank of America “Museums on Us” program. However, with a 65th anniversary approaching in 2023 and exciting exhibitions on the horizon for the Academy Art Museum, such as Mary Cassatt: Labor & Leisure, this is the perfect time to celebrate and share these accomplishments with the community by eliminating admission fees entirely. AAM Members will continue to receive many benefits ranging from exclusive member programming to discounts on classes and museum shop purchases.
Board of Trustees Chair Nanny Trippe declares, “Art is for everyone. We want everyone to enter and feel welcome to view and enjoy all of our wonderful exhibitions all year round.”
The Academy Art Museum was founded in 1958 by a group of Eastern Shore residents who created a place dedicated to the knowledge, practice, and appreciation of the arts. Today, AAM is home to a growing collection of 19th-century, modern, and contemporary art, and transformative cultural experiences for everyone in the community including a Juneteenth celebration and an annual Craft Show.
Children enjoy the South Street lawn during AAM’s free Juneteenth Celebration.
Free admission to the Academy Art Museum is made possible by the combined generosity of individual members, friends, benefactors, and ongoing support from the Maryland State Arts Council and Talbot Arts.
As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a Fall Craft Show celebrating 25 years. AAM also provides arts education to school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday & Friday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: Free
On view at the Academy Art Museum: Student Art Exhibition, Earth Abides: Selections from the Permanent Collection, Cheryl Warrick: Abstract Surge and Hoesy Corona: Terrestrial Caravan.
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