Sensory Friendly Sunday is a monthly, free event designed for kids, teens, and adults with sensory processing differences, autism spectrum disorder, or developmental disabilities. The galleries will be closed to the general public, allowing visitors to enjoy the museum in a calm environment with accommodations such as quiet spaces, fidgets, and sunglasses available. Experience a selection of current exhibitions, make art, or watch a short film. All friends and family members are welcome.
In April, explore the exhibitions Kahlil Robert Irving: Archaeology of the Present, Paul Chan: Breathers, Make Sense of This: Visitors Respond to the Walker’s Collection, and Five Ways In: Themes from the Collection.
On Sensory Friendly Sundays, we require visitors ages 2 and older to wear face masks inside the building to support the safety and comfort of families and attendees.
This program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) and the University of Minnesota’s Occupational Therapy Program.
Admission Tickets
While walk-ins are welcome, we encourage you to reserve your space ahead of time. Sensory Friendly Sunday is typically less busy from 8 to 9:30 am and busier from 9:30 to 11 am.
Activity Information
Try an Art-making Activity, 8–11 am
Join teaching artist Reed Ross in the Art Lab to create a clay collage inspired by the art of Kahlil Robert Irving. For this project, participants will use everyday materials and quick dry clay to create a poetic, personal sculpture.
Try a Gallery Activity, 8–11 am
Join us to create drawings inspired by artworks in the exhibition Make Sense of This and Five Ways In: Themes from the Collection. You can copy what you see in the galleries or imagine a brand-new artwork!
Watch a Short Film, 8–11 am
Stop by the Bentson Mediatheque to watch a short film. Treasure by Oliver Murray follows detectorist Tom Clarke as he hunts for buried treasure using his trusty metal detector. The film is 2 minutes and will loop between 8–11 am. Capacity is limited to 10 people at a time. This is a relaxed screening with sound reduced, appropriate for all ages. Visitors are free to come and go, move, and otherwise make themselves comfortable in the space.
Accessibility, Content, and Sensory Notes
The short film will be captioned.
To prepare for your visit, check out this Social Narrative.
The exhibition Five Ways In: Themes from the Collection (Galleries 4–6) features multiple video-based artworks that include sound. Sound in the exhibition has been reduced, and some galleries feature reduced light levels.
The exhibition Paul Chan: Breathers (Galleries A and B) contains mature language and themes. This downloadable resource provides more information about the exhibition and artwork. It also includes multiple kinetic sculptures composed of high-powered fans that inflate fabric sculptures, causing them to move. The fans produce sound.
The exhibition Kahlil Robert Irving: Archaeology of the Present (Gallery C) contains wood that has been treated with sealant and has a strong aroma.
To request accommodations for this program or for more information about accessibility, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.
Attendance Requirements
Masks are required for Sensory Friendly Sunday visitors over age 2 to support the safety and comfort of attendees. If you have questions or require additional assistance, please email access@walkerart.org or call 612-375-7564.
Bios
Reed Ross (they/he) is a queer and neurodivergent interdisciplinary artist working primarily in abstract oil painting, drawing, and small-scale multimedia sculpture. Their work often draws inspiration from objects and spaces that resonate with various aspects of their identity. Ross holds a BFA in drawing and painting as well as a teaching artist minor from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. For the past nine months, Ross has been working in early childhood education, where they regularly encourage children to engage in process-based and multimedia making that fosters material exploration and experimentation. They have also worked with high school students in a college-level summer program, in both observational drawing and painting courses. Their teaching style is supportive and facilitative, prioritizing learners’ curiosities and passions, while posing questions that engage artists’ problem-solving skills.
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