Admission to the Lyman Allyn is free on the first Saturday of each month.
Come ready for fun artful learning (be sure to dress for mess).
Free First Saturday
Time: 11 am – 1 pm in the art studio
Cost: Free admission all day
- November 1: Pastel Still Life
- See the special exhibition by area artist Alison Gildersleeve and make your own pastel still life inspired by her work.
- December 6: Winter Wonder Day
- Kick off your December by enjoying free photographs with Santa, winter artmaking, and more.
- January 3: Suncatchers
- Brighten up your winter by making a suncatcher inspired by the stained glass works in Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London.
- February 7: Painted Photography
- Explore the exhibition Photography and the Painted Image before watercolor painting vintage style pictures! We will have a special pop-up photo booth so you can take your own “historical” portrait.
- March 7: Building a City
- Use stamps, blocks, and more to make your own printed city, inspired by the architecturally focused photography of Roger Clemens.
- April 4 : Black & White
- Photographer Dorthea Lange captured compelling people, moments, and spaces of mid-century American history through her black and white photography. See what you can create with a limited color palette of black and white!
- May 2: Collection Connections
- Artists Kat Murphy and Heidi Johnson explored the Lyman Allyn collections archive to create new art inspired by what they found. Explore the museum to find your favorite artwork, then create a painting inspired by it.
- June 6: Art with a Message
- Explore the protest posters made by artist Shepard Fairey before you make a poster sharing a message important to you.
Free First Saturdays are made possible by Chelsea Groton Bank and the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.
At Home Activities
We’ve gathered some of our favorite Free First Saturday and Science Saturday activities that families can do at home! Click on a specific project to be brought to the materials/instructions page.Share your projects on social media and use #LymanAllynFromHome.