Story by Kristen Duncan, OSU Museum of Art

In March, life as we know it came to a halt. Doors to businesses and schools closed, leaving parents, families, and students deprived of opportunities in art education and connection.  With “Connection and Opportunity” being one of the core values at the OSU Museum of Art, staff strove to create a digital environment for learning and connection—opening the door to the community to participate and experience the museum from their homes. Although in-person events were canceled, the OSU Museum of Art pivoted to virtual programming, accessible through social media and the museum website. 

By creating a virtual series titled Daily Art, museum staff provide engaging and educational videos tailored to the community of Stillwater that are inspired by current and upcoming exhibitions as well as the OSU Museum of Art’s permanent collection. Daily Art segments include educational art tutorials, art and movement routines, STEAM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), design challenges, and long looking exercises.

Christina Elliott, Associate Curator of Education said, “When developing the Daily Art activities, we purposely tried to pick crafts and activities that families could replicate in their homes with items on-hand. We know that people are in a tough spot, they might not be able to run to the store like they usually would. This is also why we started the Second Saturday series as pick-up bags, where all the materials for that activity are provided for free.”

All Second Saturday events for fall of 2020 have transitioned to curbside pick-up bags including art activities inspired by the upcoming exhibition The State We’re In Water. Pick-up bags will feature a community project with watercolor postcards, a workshop to create flags inspired by haiku poems, and more. 

“Second Saturdays at the OSU Museum of Art have always been a staple event that our community relies on. We feel that it is so important for our community to still have access to the museum whether it be virtual access or through our curbside pick-up bags. Thanks to support from the Art Advocates, anyone can take a little piece of the museum home with them and do activities as a family that are fun and educational!” said Catarina de Araújo, Associate Curator of Education.

Upcoming dates for the Second Saturday Pick-up Bags include:

• August 8
• September 12
• October 10
• November 14

Pick-up bags are available for curbside pick-up on Second Saturdays from 11 AM to 1 PM. Call 405-744-2780 when you arrive at the museum for bags to be brought out to you. For contactless pick-up, visit the Prairie Arts Center at 1001 S Duck Street.

New Visiting Hours

For more information about the OSU Museum of Art, visit museum.okstate.edu or call 405-744-2780. The museum is located at 720 S. Husband Street in downtown Stillwater. NEW Hours: Walk-in hours are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11 am – 3 pm with guided tours offered at 11 am or by request. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and evening hours are by appointment. Groups are limited to ten at a time to allow for social distancing.  Masks are required. Admission is free, thanks to generous support from the OSU Museum of Art Advocates. 

About the OSU Museum of Art

Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU is America’s Brightest Orange. Through leadership and service, OSU is preparing students for a bright future and building a brighter world for all.  As Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research, and outreach. As America’s Healthiest Campus, OSU is committed to the health and well-being of its students, employees and the community. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated around 255,000 students to serve the state of Oklahoma, the nation, and the world.