Excitement Builds with New Education Center at the Brooklyn Museum

In 1913, the Brooklyn Museum pioneered arts education among American museums by establishing its own education department. Now, they are about to get a new and very exciting arts education center called the Toby Devan Lewis Education Center. Named after the Brooklyn-born philanthropist, this center launches on January 27, and will include a 9,500 square-foot renovation. The updated facility includes modern studios, a gallery for exhibitions, and enhanced office space.

Annually, the Brooklyn Museum’s education programs reach 50,000 individuals, catering to a diverse range of visitors including children, teens, college graduates, older adults, and people with disabilities. The new center aims to deepen these connections, offering programs like weekend family drop-ins, guided gallery visits for schools, intergenerational workshops, and various art camps. A notable change is the rebranding of the Gallery/Studio Program to the Studio Art Program, providing semester-long art classes for ages 6 to 96.

The center also features an exhibition space for both renowned artists and community installations. The inaugural exhibition, “Artland: An Installation by Do Ho Suh and Children,” created by South Korean artist Do Ho Suh and his daughters, invites visitors to contribute to an imaginative, clay-based area.

The opening weekend, coming this weekend, will include free events such as an art celebration (Saturday, January 27), an artist talk featuring Nona Faustine and Queen Ming (Saturday, January 27), and a Lunar New Year-themed Sunday Art series with art activities and a lion dance performance (Sunday, January 28). Come and be part of the fun!