Press Room

New York, NY (January 5, 2010)

Simultaneously an artist studio, art room, and creative playground, MAD offers countless opportunities every day for kids to play, learn and explore. MAD is the perfect place to spend a day discovering art, meeting artists—and cutting, pasting, coloring, weaving, and sculpting.

All Ages, All Families 

MAD Family Day – Children and their families are invited to spend a fun-filled day of art making at the Museum of Arts and Design. MAD opens its doors with activities designed especially for youngsters and their adult companions, including hands-on workshops using paper cutting, shredding, and tearing techniques.
A special highlight of the day includes the screenings of four cut-paper animation films including: Michel Ocelot’s silhouette story Princes and Princesses; Rob Carter’s Metropolis, and Tomoko Oguchi’s FolkLore
Restaurant and The Magic Stamp.
• Saturday, January 9, 11:00am-2:00pm
• $30 per family, $25 for members. All materials provided.
• No reservations required, but space is limited. For more
information, call 212.299.7780.

Watch Artists Work – MAD is the only New York museum with an open studio program that allows visitors to watch the creative process, ask artists questions, and occasionally help out.
• Six artists this winter will demonstrate why they love working with jewelry, textiles, wood, ceramics, and rubber
• Daily session from 11:00 –1:30; 2:30–5 pm, and Thursdays 6:30– 8:30 pm.

Get Creative – Every Sunday, join MAD’s artist educators for a hands-on workshop in clay, metal, fiber, wood, glass, paper, rubber, and more.
• Studio Sundays are held every week from 2 – 4 pm.
• All ages 6 and up are welcome.
• $10 program fee per individual includes admission and all materials.
• In January kids will make silhouettes, humorous household objects, paper dreamscapes, and more.
MAD’s Studio Sundays in January, click here.

See and Explore – Exhibitions on view at MAD inspire visitors of all ages. Free docent lead tours appropriate for families are conducted Tuesday – Sunday at 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm, and Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm.
• Slash: Paper Under the Knife – What are the most amazing things artists can make out of paper? A miniature city? A giant cloud? A swarm of butterflies? (through April 4).
• Ghost Stories: New Designs from Nendo – Japanese designers have transformed MAD’s second floor into a magical landscape of optical illusions (through January 10).
• Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection – This famous American has pins that look like bugs, birds, shoes, flags, flowers, and more (through January 31).

Activities for Groups – Classes, afterschool programs, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, and special groups can sign up for a variety of children’s group programs at MAD.
• Group tours for children include gallery activities plus a hands-on mixed-media workshop in MAD’s classroom space. Groups of up to 30 students and teachers can be accommodated. To reserve, call 212.299.7720 or email education@madmuseum.org.
• MADlab hands-on workshops are inspired by the Museum’s current exhibitions and meet all NY State standards for public schools. Sessions include a gallery tour, visit with a studio artist, and workshop on 3-D art-making.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
The Museum of Arts and Design explores how craftsmanship, art, and design intersect in the visual arts today. The Museum focuses on contemporary creativity and the ways in which artists and designers from around the world transform materials through processes ranging from the handmade to cutting edge technologies. The Museum’s exhibition program explores and illuminates issues and ideas, highlights creativity and craftsmanship, and celebrates the limitless potential of materials and techniques when used by creative and innovative artists. MAD’s permanent collection is global in scope and focuses on art, craft, and design from 1950 to the present day.

At the center of the Museum’s mission is education. The Museum’s dynamic new facility features classrooms and studios for master classes, seminars, and workshops for students, families and adults. Three open artist studios engage visitors in the creative processes of artists at work and enhance the exhibition programs. Lectures, films, performances and symposia related to the Museum’s collection and topical subjects affecting the world of contemporary art, craft and design are held in a renovated 150-seat auditorium.

For more information about the Museum of Arts and Design, visit www.madmuseum.org.