Art Museum Events & Experiences

Fun and creativity for ALL ages

Embrace a family-friendly art experience!

 

The University of Wyoming Art Museum is dedicated to serving our community. This is why we host events every month catered to families! These family-friendly events provide opportunities for hands-on art activities, interactive exhibitions and shared experiences to foster creativity and connection.

Family Events at UWAM

A preschool student excitedly examines art materials at a University of Wyoming Art Museum family event.
 

All are welcome for art exploration

Expand your horizons with us!

 

The UW Art Museum is committed to enriching our community by offering a variety of events throughout the year. These community-focused programs include conversations with curators, workshops and special gallery walk-throughs that invite visitors to explore, engage and connect with the arts.

UPCOMING EVENTS

An artmaker looks at a printmaking canvas.
 

A creative outlet for students

The Art Museum has something for everyone!

 

The University of Wyoming Art Museum offers enriching educational experiences for classes and groups interested in visiting the museum. In addition to tailored tours and interactive sessions, the museum provides enrichment opportunities for school-aged children, including workshops, camps and studio time.

Explore Our Programs

Two UW community members sit at a table and actively discuss the art in front of them at a UW Art Museum event.
 

Art Museum Collections

With an expansive collection of over 10,000 pieces, the UW Art Museum has plenty to keep art-lovers coming back again and again. There are paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and photography spanning a wide variety of cultures and historic periods.

A young visitor stands in front of an art installation at the UW Art Museum.

This collection includes paintings, prints, sculptures and drawings representing diverse experiences throughout history.

This collection consists mainly of wood-block prints depicting theater, portraits of women, Sumo wrestling, scenic landscapes and historical subjects.

These miniature paintings utilize intricate details, vibrant colors and symbolic themes to convey personal stories, royal life or spiritual teachings. 

This collection reflects Haiti's complex identity, struggles and resilience through rich visual expressions of spirituality, daily life, history and social issues.

This collection is comprised of miniature artistic carvings showcasing intricate details, elite craftsmanship and deep symbolic meaning.

This collection shows the evolution of photography, and is made up of a wide variety of styles, subject matter and techniques.

This collection represents the rich and varied cultural traditions and art styles of the subjects’ respective communities.

An Artistic Gem Found in Wyoming

The University of Wyoming Art Museum boasts an extensive collection of objects spanning a wide array of art styles and modalities, from classical to contemporary, with a strong emphasis on regional, national and international works. However, what truly sets us apart is our team of passionate curators and staff. Their expertise and commitment to community engagement bring our collections to life, creating dynamic exhibitions, educational programs and events to brighten our community.

EXHIBITIONS

Current Art Exhibits

Farah Al Qasimi: Desert Dreamscape

An immersive film experience that invites the viewer into a fantastical scene based on Farah Al Qasimi's childhood bedroom. Featuring soft lighting and ambient music composed and performed by the artist, Desert Dreamscape invites meditation on nostalgia, longing, and the feeling of “home." This exhibition will be at the Wyoming Theater Gallery from November 23, 2024 - November 8, 2025.

Exhibit Details

Serena Perrone forges a connection across time and place through her visual response to the disappearance of poet and University of Wyoming professor Craig Arnold in Japan in April 2009. This exhibition will be in the James M. Boyle Gallery from February 1, 2025 - February 1, 2026.

Exhibit Details

Katie Hargrave and Meredith Laura Lynn’s artwork is grounded in their shared interest in the outdoors. They explore the cultures surrounding and mitigating our experiences of public lands, which are an important part of our identity as a country. The collection of works will be from March 15, 2025 - December 20, 2025.

Exhibit Details

Patrick Kikut served as the lead artist on the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition (SCREE) in 2019. The watercolors and large-scale oil paintings on view provide a visual journey down the Colorado River, amplified by the presence of one of the 18-foot rafts employed on the SCREE trip. This exhibition will be in the Friends & Chicago Galleries from April 11, 2025 - March 21, 2026.

Exhibit Details

Thomas Moran’s prints, drawings, and watercolors provide art historical context for contemporary expedition art. This selection of drawings, watercolors, and chromolithographs traces Moran’s journeys across Wyoming and the broader Western landscape. This exhibition will be in the Friends & Chicago Galleries from April 11, 2025 - March 21, 2026.

Exhibit Details 

Multimedia artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese, known collectively as LigoranoReese, have worked across various media throughout their 40-year collaboration. Their latest works explore the exhibition’s central theme of collaborative creation and the dynamic, interconnected systems that shape our world. This exhibition will be in the museum's Lobby & Rotunda from April 26 - October 18, 2025.

Exhibit Details 

On an Arctic expedition in 2022, Duke created a lens made of glacial ice to create photographic images and the film, Glacial Optics: Gaze of the Glacier. In this installation, accompanying Duke’s film are photographs from the UW Art Museum’s collection that document the opposite pole: Antarctica. This exhibition will be in South Gallery One from May 31, 2025 - May 31, 2026.

Exhibit Details 

In 1958, Yucca Fountain, a community watering hole on the edge of the Yucca Flat atomic blast zone, was damaged in a suspicious fire. The diner would have faded into obscurity if not for the efforts of Bert Tuttle, a patron who salvaged everything he could. Where the Heck is Yucca Fountain? is part of the larger exhibition, Sympoiesis: Co-Creating Sense of Place and includes three distinct installations. These installations will be on view from June 21, 2025 - May 23, 2026.

Exhibit Details 

Farah Al Qasimi: Desert Dreamscape

2025 Sympoiesis

Pre-K Students

We curate museum tours and out-of-school art experiences, called Art Explorers, to support Pre-K students develop discovery and exploratory skills.

PRE-K RESOURCES

K-12 Students

K-12 teachers can request gallery and studio visits tailored to their specific classroom goals. The Art Museum also hosts homeschool groups and offers out-of-school art programs.

K-12 RESOURCES

UW Community

UW faculty can set up a visit to the Art Museum for their class. Our staff will curate a virtual or in-person visit to meet the specific needs of each class while fostering critical and creative thinking.

Academic Engagement

Public Community

The Art Museum regularly hosts artist talks, workshops, tours, and events open to the public. Community organizations can participate or request customized learning experiences.

Public Events

Ann Simpson Artmobile

The Ann Simpson Artmobile is the mobile version of the University of Wyoming Art Museum, bringing art directly to communities across the state. This traveling museum offers a unique opportunity for people of all ages to engage with diverse exhibitions, educational programs and hands-on art experiences. By taking art, culture and history beyond the museum walls, the Artmobile plays a vital role in extending UWAM’s mission to connect with the broader Wyoming community. Whether visiting schools, libraries or community centers, the Artmobile ensures that access to the arts remains accessible, inspiring creativity and fostering a deeper appreciation for visual culture throughout the state.

Request an Artmobile Visit

 

The UW Art Museum Mission

We are dedicated to sharing the transformative power of art by exhibiting, preserving and interpreting visual culture from around the world. As a vital part of UW, we strive to deepen connections to humanity and creativity, and envision new possibilities. This institute is more than an art gallery; it fosters meaningful dialogue and inspires a broader understanding of the world through art.

Museum Store

Located in the Visitor Services Center of the Art Museum's entrance, the Museum Store has one-of-kind items to commemorate your visit!

Become a Member

Explore all the ways you can get involved with UW’s Art Museum! From volunteering to becoming a Museum Friend, there are plenty of ways to have an impact.

Research Requests

Fill out a Research Request Form, and we will get to work!

Past Exhibits

Dive into previous exhibits from the gallery, dating back to over 20 years ago!

The curator stands in front of the Ann Simpson Artmobile.
Support the UW Art Museum

The University of Wyoming Art Museum plays an integral role for the university and community at large. Help us keep this work going by donating to the UW Art Museum! 

Donate to UWAM Today!
A curator at the University of Wyoming Art Museum examines a piece of art from the archives.
When to Visit

We’re open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday and Monday.

A parent holds a small child up to see a piece of art at the University of Wyoming Art Museum.
Admission is Always Free!

Admission to the UW Art Museum is always free. Donations are welcome!

Outside the Centennial Center, a sculptural exhibit for the UW Art Museum is illuminated.
Our Location

We are in the Centennial Complex, right next to the American Heritage Center in Laramie!