New Jersey’s art museums offer up virtual exhibits
Are you going through culture withdrawal now that museums are closed? Get your fix with the next best thing: virtual tours.
Many of New Jersey’s art museums have posted tours of current exhibitions on their websites. Some offer additional online programming, including demonstrations and activities.
Check out the following:
Grounds For Sculpture
How we would love to roam the 42 manicured acres of Grounds For Sculpture.
For now, however, we will have to settle for an interactive map on the website of this outdoor sculpture museum and arboretum in Hamilton, and a glimpse of its more than 400 pieces of art.
Grounds For Sculpture recently suffered the loss of its founder, Seward Johnson, who died March 10.
A quote from Johnson graces the website: “It’s easy sometimes to forget the simple things that give us pleasure. If we open our eyes, life is marvelous.”
Go: groundsforsculpture.org.
Monmouth Museum
“R’emerged,” a virtual exhibit by Monmouth Museum, is online through June 3, with art work available for sale.
Monmouth Museum also is posting full-length video interviews of artists featured in “R’emerged” on YouTube and abridged versions on Instagram at @themonmouthmuseum.
On Facebook, Monmouth Museum hosts story time and craft sessions on Wednesdays, as well as special craft videos on Fridays.
Go: monmouthmuseum.org
Monmouth University
Images from the permanent collection of Monmouth University in West Long Branch can be viewed online, including several dramatic pieces by Jacob Landau.
Go: monmouth.edu
Montclair Art Musem
Montclair Art Museum has a wealth of resources on its website for budding artists and patrons of the arts alike.
Gallery tours, artist spotlights, videos and at-home activities, from scavenger hunts to challenges to re-create art from the museum, are among the entertaining options.
Go: montclairartmuseum.org.
Morris Museum
Morris Museum in Morris Township offers links to free programming by the National Theatre, and plans to offer additional virtual events through its website and social media pages.
“We’ll be exploring virtual opportunities to connect you to the dozens of artists and performers, whom we had planned to showcase for you in person this spring,” reads a statement on Morris Museum’s website. “We’re working on engaging activities that can occupy homebound children and caretakers.
We may even send you some recommendations for at-home reading, listening, and watching.”
Go: morrismuseum.org.
Newark Museum of Art
Newark Museum of Art has embraced the #MuseumFromHome movement on its social media platforms.
“Lunch & Learn” talks with artists on Zoom and Facebook Live, story times, art challenges and at-home craft sessions are among the weekly programming.
Newark Museum of Art has a tentative re-opening date of May 28. Check the website for updates.
Go: newarkmuseumart.org or on
Facebook.
Princeton University Art Museum
Princeton University Art Museum, which in normal times always has free admission, continues its generous ways with a wealth of on-line programming during the pandemic.
A schedule of Zoom meetings with curators and Princeton University faculty members, who discuss various collections in the museum or lead roundtable discussions, is posted on the museum’s website.
Online gallery tours include one devoted to the work of Pablo Picasso. Downloadable kids’ activities include an Andy Warhol-style Pop Art craft.
Go: artmuseum.princeton.edu
Riverfront Renaissance Center For The Arts
“Isolation” is the aptly named on-line exhibit by Riverfront Renaissance Center For The Arts in Millville.
Riverfront will continue to accept submissions by artists for this ongoing project, and will update the presentation as entries are received.
“We will share the video galleries through social media and on our website to reach our audiences and help keep the healing energy of art available to everyone,” Riverfront stated in a press release.
Each entry will include a description by the artist to describe the emotions behind the art, the inspiration or the techniques used in the development of the piece.
“When the time is right,” the statement continued, “‘Isolation’ will be the theme for the first RRCA in-person exhibit. We will call on artists to enter this work for that exhibit so the public will have an opportunity to view it in the traditional way.”
Riverfront posted its first gallery on April 12, followed with a second gallery on April 19.
Riverfront also offers a weekly kids’ art challenge on the website.
Go: rrcarts.com
Rowan University Art Gallery
Rowan University Art Gallery in Glasboro hosts “Tracing Origins,” an online exhibition of the work of three Philadelphia-area artists: Colette Fu, Claes Gabriel and Hiro Sakaguchi.
These artists create work inspired by their ancestral homelands and native cultures, using photography, paper engineering, painting, and sculpture.
Go: rowan.edu/artgallery
Zimmerli Art Museum
Zimmerli Art Museum, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, Zooms through the pandemic with free art classes and other programs.
On Instagram, the Zimmerli offers slide show tours of exhibitions and galleries, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the museum.
The website has downloadable coloring pages of favorite works from the museum’s collections.
Go: zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu or on Facebook or Instagram.