FREE THURSDAY NIGHTS
Enjoy free admission every Thursday night during extended gallery hours. Discover current exhibitions, join a free tour, drop in for art activities, or catch a short film of your choice in the Bentson Mediatheque. Our shops stay open late, and food and drinks are available at Cardamom.
Advance tickets are recommended, but tickets are also available on-site on the day of the event at the Main Lobby desk.
Community Opening: Jessi Reaves
Thursday, August 7, 6 pm
Walker Art Center
Join artist Jessi Reaves and exhibition curator Mary Ceruti, the Walker’s executive director, in conversation to celebrate the newly opened exhibition Jessi Reaves: process invented the mirror. They will discuss the exhibition’s engagement with the Works Progress Administration and the nature of labor and its visibility.
Following the talk, the evening continues with a reception in the Cargill Lounge. Enjoy conversation, drinks, and small craft bites.
This event requires a free ticket and seating is first-come, first-served. Registering online in advance is recommended and holds your seat until 15 minutes prior to the event start.
Sound for Silents 2025: Film + Music on the Walker Hillside
Thursday, August 14, 7 pm
Wurtele Upper Garden
Join us on the hillside at sunset for the Walker’s annual summer send-off of sound and image. Filmmaker/musician Philip Harder (Prince’s “Cinnamon Girl,” Cue the Strings—a film about Low) collaborates with roots country singer/songwriter Matt Arthur and his ensemble for an inspired evening of commissioned live music paired with films from the Walker’s Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection and beyond. Revered for his retro style and Johnny Cash-meets-Nick Cave vocals, Arthur, who is blind, composes new music for films in collaboration with Harder based on his experiences of them.
The event begins at 7 pm with music from a local DJ. Film screening and live performance begin at 8:30 pm. Sound for Silents will take place rain or shine. In the event of rain or extreme weather, the show will be moved to the McGuire Theater with limited capacity.
Green Roof Poetry, Nature
Thursday, August 21, 6–8 pm
Wurtele Upper Garden
Bring your blanket and relax during an evening of immersive literary experiences. Hear live readings from local writers and poets exploring the thematic threads of home, place, and the world around us, plus music stylings by local DJs. This iteration of Green Roof Poetry is curated by poet Moheb Soliman.
FREE FIRST SATURDAY
Free First Saturday features free gallery admission on the first Saturday of every month. Gallery admission tickets are available online in advance and on-site on the event day from the Main Lobby desk. Free admission 10 am–5 pm; activities 10 am–3 pm.
Free First Saturday: Pollinator Power
Sat, August 2, 10 am–3 pm
Walker Art Center
Flowers are in bloom and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a-flutter with pollinators. Join us as we thank our fellow friends-of-flowers through song, movement, and art-making in the Garden.
SENSORY FRIENDLY SUNDAY
Sensory Friendly Sunday August 2025
Sunday, August 10, 8–11 am
Walker Art Center
Sensory Friendly Sunday is a monthly 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.
To support the health and safety of visitors at increased risk for Covid-19, masks are required at Sensory Friendly Sunday for visitors over age 2. Accommodations are available if someone in your party is unable to tolerate masking. Please email access@walkerart.org or call 612-375-7561 for more information.
This program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) and the University of Minnesota’s Occupational Therapy Program.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS
Friday Art-making in the Garden Summer 2025
June 13–August 29, 10 am–1 pm
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Visit the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden on Fridays throughout the summer for drop-in art-making activities designed for ages 4 and up. With all art supplies provided and a new project each week, Friday Art-making in the Garden gives anyone the chance to come together to explore art and their own creativity.
No prior registration is required. Activity instructions are available in English and Spanish.
Look for Walker educators stationed in the Garden. Signs will point you in the right direction. Materials will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis; supplies are limited.
Friday Art-making may be canceled or have a delayed start or early ending in case of rain or inclement weather. Call 612-375-7600 or email info@walkerart.org for weather updates.
Middle School Movie Club: Summer 2025
Saturday, August 16, 12–4 pm
Walker Cinema
Middle schoolers, you’re invited to the Walker for a movie day, art museum style! You can make art, hang out, visit the galleries, and watch a specially selected movie on the Walker Cinema’s big screen—all for free.
A screening of Flow begins at 1 pm, with drop-in art-making offered from 12 noon to 4 pm. Registration is available online and limited walk-up tickets will be available on the event day at the Main Lobby desk. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Caregivers and family members are welcome to tag along to activities or check out the galleries during the event. Friends and families of middle schoolers receive free admission and film tickets too.
Free Thursday Nights are sponsored by
Free First Saturday is sponsored by
Family programs are supported by the KHR McNeely Family Foundation, thanks to Kevin, Rosemary, and Hannah Rose McNeely.
Education and Public Programs are supported by the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation and Susan and Rob White.
Major support to preserve, digitize, and present the Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection is generously provided by the Bentson Foundation. Sound for Silents: Film + Music on the Walker Hillside is supported by the Bentson Foundation.
Program support for the Green Roof Poetry program is provided by Rehael Fund – Nor Hall and Roger Hale of The Minneapolis Foundation.