The University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art, Phillips Center for Performing Arts and Florida Museum of Natural History are hosting a Museum Nights: Block pARTy on Thursday, August 11 from 6 to 9 pm. The event will take place inside and outside of all three venues located at the UF Cultural Plaza.
“We’re excited to be hosting our very first Museum Nights event with all of our cultural plaza partners,” said Dr. Lee Anne Chesterfield, Harn Museum of Art Director. “Museum Nights, held the second Thursday evening of every month, are very popular. We are expanding our last event of the summer and partnering with the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in hopes of attracting the entire UF student body and Gainesville community. We want to let everyone know they are welcome to participate in this free celebration of the UF Cultural Plaza.”
Visitors to the Museum Nights: Block pARTy on August 11 can pick up an event passport at the information tent, located near the Big Max sculpture in the UF Cultural Plaza, for a chance to win prizes during the pop-up activities happening inside and outside of each venue. Both museums will be open for visitors to browse current exhibitions. Visitors can investigate backyard biodiversity with a scientist and participate in a make-and-take screen-printing art activity. UF Performing Arts will present their Driveway Theatre Project by the light of the full moon and offer backstage tours.
Hungry participants can visit local food trucks to sample limited free options, while they last, and purchase items such as BBQ sandwiches and nachos with vegan options available by Fat G’s BBQ and gelati, Italian ice and ice cream by B’z Gelati.
Admission is free. Museum Nights is made possible by UF Student Government and the UF Office of the Provost, and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
Museum Nights is held the second Thursday evening of each month from 6 to 9 pm at the Harn Museum of Art. Evenings include exhibition tours, art-making activities and performances related to current exhibitions. Upcoming Museum Nights events through the fall include:
Museum Nights: Wall Talk
Thursday, September 8, 6 – 9 pm
This evening will include poetry and tours featuring the exhibition Speechless: Text & Image in Global Culture.
Museum Nights: Noche de Museo
Tuesday, October 11, 6 – 9 pm (note: Due to a previously scheduled event, this Museum Nights will be held on a Tuesday.)
Visitors will celebrate Latin American and Indigenous American culture through art and activities. This evening is also supported by the UF Center for Latin American Studies.
Museum Nights: New Perspectives
Thursday, November 10, 6 – 9 pm
Activities on this evening will push the boundaries of how we look at the art on view and feature the exhibition Global Perspectives: Highlights from the Contemporary Collection. This evening is also supported by the UF Center for European Studies.
Museum Nights: Art Break
Thursday, December 8, 6 – 9 pm
Visitors can join the Harn with an end-of-the-semester, end-of-the-year respite with art exploration and performances.
Admission to the Harn Museum of Art and Museum Nights is free. Learn more about Museum Nights.
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