Programs

Wednesday, August 5

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Sunday, August 9

2 p.m. 

Start in the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Lobby

Drop in and discover the Palmer’s world-class collections and exhibitions with a friendly and knowledgeable museum guide. Each tour explores a theme, lasts about one hour, and includes close-looking through discussion and experiential learning opportunities. Sign language interpretation will be provided for this tour.

Wednesday, August 12

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Thursday, August 13

6–8 p.m.

Join us in the galleries during designated Sensory–Friendly Hours for a more relaxed and comfortable visit. During these times, we adjust the environment by dimming gallery lighting and turning off audio on gallery tablets when no tours are scheduled. While all visitors are welcome, these sessions are especially appropriate for individuals with sensory sensitivities, for neurodivergent visitors, disabled visitors, or anyone who prefers a calmer museum experience. For questions, please contact bmf5778@psu.edu.

Friday, August 14

Free, drop-in at noon and/or 2 p.m.

Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Galleries

Join local community artists featured in Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250 for an afternoon of conversations in the special exhibition galleries. Hear directly from participating artists as they share insights into their work, materials, and ideas. Two group conversations will take place with one at noon (Dotty Ford, John Strother, John McKaig, Janise Crow, and Stephen Althouse) and one at 2 p.m. (Furong Zhang, Angelo Varisano, Jennifer Kelly, Tulu Bayar, and Michele Randall). Drop in for one session or stay for both! This is a unique opportunity to experience the exhibition through local artists’ perspectives.  

Monday, August 17

Application deadline is Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m

The Palmer seeks Penn State student volunteers to represent student voices and help transform the museum into a social and cultural hub for students. Palmer Student Ambassadors (PSAs) work alongside museum staff to plan, organize, and implement engaging public programs for PSU students and community members. Previous art experience is not required, and students from all academic areas of Penn State are strongly encouraged to participate. PSAs commit 1.5–4 hours per week (usually 1.5 hours; up to 4 hours during weeks with Art After Hours). Availability to attend weekly Thursday meetings from 3:30–5 p.m. is required for training and program development.

Sunday, August 23

3–5 p.m.

Join us in the galleries during designated Sensory–Friendly Hours for a more relaxed and comfortable visit. During these times, we adjust the environment by dimming gallery lighting and turning off audio on gallery tablets when no tours are scheduled. While all visitors are welcome, these sessions are especially appropriate for individuals with sensory sensitivities, for neurodivergent visitors, disabled visitors, or anyone who prefers a calmer museum experience. For questions, please contact bmf5778@psu.edu.

Wednesday, August 26

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Tuesday, September 1

11:59 p.m.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance on Friday, September 4

The Palmer seeks Penn State student volunteers to represent student voices and help transform the museum into a social and cultural hub for students. Palmer Student Ambassadors (PSAs) work alongside museum staff to plan, organize, and implement engaging public programs for PSU students and community members. Previous art experience is not required, and students from all academic areas of Penn State are strongly encouraged to participate. PSAs commit 1.5–4 hours per week (usually 1.5 hours; up to 4 hours during weeks with Art After Hours). Availability to attend weekly Thursday meetings from 3:30–5 p.m. is required for training and program development.

Wednesday, September 2

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Friday, September 4

12:30 p.m.

Barbara and Lee Maimon Teaching Gallery | Level 2

Explore special exhibition Constellations: Celebrating the Legacies of Betye Saar through an interdisciplinary gallery conversation with Joyce Robinson, assistant director, and Nashormeh N. R. Lindo, doctoral candidate in art education and African American and diaspora studies. 

Sunday, September 6

2 p.m. 

Start in the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Lobby

Drop in and discover the Palmer’s world-class collections and exhibitions with a friendly and knowledgeable museum guide. Each tour explores a theme, lasts about one hour, and includes close-looking through discussion and experiential learning opportunities. Sign language interpretation for drop-in tours is offered upon request. Interpretation services must be requested in advance and are subject to interpreter availability. Please contact Bronwyn Flemming at bmf5778@psu.edu. 

Wednesday, September 9

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Thursday, September 10

5:30 p.m.

Event Space

Beyond Boundaries: The Artistic Constellations of Betye Saar invites audiences into the vast and generative creative universe of Betye Saar. This talk traces the intricate web of artistic, cultural, and spiritual influences that converge within Saar’s work, illuminating how she forged a practice that transcends conventional boundaries of medium, meaning, and identity. Jane Carpenter-Rock, acting Margaret and Terry Stent Director from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery, examines Saar’s navigation of the complex social, artistic, and political terrains of the twentieth century, revealing how she transformed found materials into powerful sites of ritual, memory, and resistance. Ultimately, this talk situates Saar not only as a pioneering figure in American art, but as a visionary whose enduring influence continues to resonate across generations, shaping contemporary artistic practices and expanding the possibilities of meaning-making itself. 

Thursday, September 10

5:30–7 p.m.

Galleries, Mimi Barash Coppersmith Studio Classroom

Dive into creativity and connection! Begin your evening with an exclusive curator-led journey into the Palmer Museum’s latest, limited-time exhibit: Out of the Shadows: Drawings and Watercolors by American Women. Then, roll up your sleeves for a hands-on workshop where you and your date will blend luminous earth-based pigments, experiment with washes, and bring your own vibrant visions to life on paper. You’ll leave with colorful keepsakes, newfound skills, and maybe a few paint splatters—perfect for couples who love to mix romance with a little artistic adventure. 18+. $45 per couple. Registration required.

Tuesday, September 15

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Event Space and galleries

Help shape the Palmer’s reinstallation plans for the American Galleries to better support your teaching! Join museum curators and educators to review draft gallery themes, proposed object checklists, and interpretive strategies for the museum’s reinstallation of the American Galleries, slated to open Fall 2027. Faculty may choose to attend one of the three sessions listed below (agenda is the same for all sessions). Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited, and registration is required. Participants will receive a confirmation email after registration closes Friday, September 4. For additional information or questions about the workshop, contact Keri Mongelluzzo, educator for academic engagement and access, at klm556@psu.edu. 

Wednesday, September 16

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Thursday, September 17

6–8 p.m.

Join us in the galleries during designated Sensory–Friendly Hours for a more relaxed and comfortable visit. During these times, we adjust the environment by dimming gallery lighting and turning off audio on gallery tablets when no tours are scheduled. While all visitors are welcome, these sessions are especially appropriate for individuals with sensory sensitivities, for neurodivergent visitors, disabled visitors, or anyone who prefers a calmer museum experience. For questions, please contact bmf5778@psu.edu.

Friday, September 18

10–11 a.m.

Event Space and galleries

Help shape the Palmer’s reinstallation plans for the American Galleries to better support your teaching! Join museum curators and educators to review draft gallery themes, proposed object checklists, and interpretive strategies for the museum’s reinstallation of the American Galleries, slated to open Fall 2027. Faculty may choose to attend one of the three sessions listed below (agenda is the same for all sessions). Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited, and registration is required. Participants will receive a confirmation email after registration closes Friday, September 4. For additional information or questions about the workshop, contact Keri Mongelluzzo, educator for academic engagement and access, at klm556@psu.edu. 

Friday, September 18

1–2:30 p.m.

Object Study Room

Register to join us for the Palmer Museum Print Club, a program devoted to the study and appreciation of the many printmaking techniques represented in the museum’s permanent collection. Members will examine objects ranging from woodcuts, engravings, etchings, and lithographs to other works on paper, including drawings, watercolors, and photographs. Participants will enjoy curator-led tours of special exhibitions featuring works on paper and will have opportunities to meet visiting print dealers who occasionally bring a selection of their wares to share with the group. Annual registration fee is $250 or $200 for museum members. Email Becky Harris at rjh5110@psu.edu to register. Space is limited! Find info at the link.

Friday, September 18

2–3:30 p.m.

Event Space and galleries

Help shape the Palmer’s reinstallation plans for the American Galleries to better support your teaching! Join museum curators and educators to review draft gallery themes, proposed object checklists, and interpretive strategies for the museum’s reinstallation of the American Galleries, slated to open Fall 2027. Faculty may choose to attend one of the three sessions listed below (agenda is the same for all sessions). Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited, and registration is required. Participants will receive a confirmation email after registration closes Friday, September 4. For additional information or questions about the workshop, contact Keri Mongelluzzo, educator for academic engagement and access, at klm556@psu.edu. 

Sunday, September 20

1 p.m.

Start at Site 1 (200 W Beaver Ave) in State College

Experience the Palmer Museum of Art beyond its walls through Looking at US, a collaborative public art initiative with the Downtown State College Improvement District. Led by a Palmer Museum educator, participants will travel through downtown State College to explore 19 large-scale reproductions of artworks from the Palmer’s permanent collection installed across 12 downtown locations. Along the way, discover the stories behind the artworks and explore how public art can foster connection and a deeper appreciation of American art. Free with registration required.

Wednesday, September 23

11:30 a.m.

Event Space

Malcolm Mobutu Smith is an artist and teacher, currently Associate Professor of Ceramic Art at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Mobutu earned his MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1996 and studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and Penn State University where he completed a BFA in ceramics in 1994. Smith’s vessels are inspired by the intersections of graffiti art, comic books, Hip Hop, and Jazz merging with playful organic abstractions of ceramic cups, bottles, and vases. Malcolm’s own multi-faceted/multi- cultural background blends identity politics, CAD/CAM, printmaking, and drawing into a complex web of influences and passions. This program is presented by the School of Visual Arts, Anderson Lecture Series and co-sponsored by the Palmer Museum of Art. 

Wednesday, September 23

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.

Thursday, September 24

Free, drop-in, 5–8 p.m.

Lobby, Event Space, galleries, and Object Study Room

Experience art and community as we dream American futures together! Create your own dreamscape collage, reflect on the nation’s past and future with a poetry exercise, and hear from Penn State student artists featured in Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250 (7 p.m.). Get ready for election season by adding your voice to a civic engagement discussion with the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development (5:30 p.m.) and chatting with Penn State Votes about voter registration and resources for casting your ballot. Refreshments will be provided. Photo by Motion Lighthouse.

Thursday, September 24

7 p.m. during Art After Hours

Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Galleries

During Art After Hours, hear from Penn State student artists as they speak about their works featured in special exhibition Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250. 

Sunday, September 27

3–5 p.m.

Join us in the galleries during designated Sensory–Friendly Hours for a more relaxed and comfortable visit. During these times, we adjust the environment by dimming gallery lighting and turning off audio on gallery tablets when no tours are scheduled. While all visitors are welcome, these sessions are especially appropriate for individuals with sensory sensitivities, for neurodivergent visitors, disabled visitors, or anyone who prefers a calmer museum experience. For questions, please contact bmf5778@psu.edu.

Wednesday, September 30

12:30 p.m.

Join Sima Farage for yoga, mindful movement, and meditation in this free, drop-in program at the museum. All bodies are welcome; no experience necessary. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Borrow a yoga mat or bring your own! This program is presented through a partnership with Penn State Health Promotion & Wellness.