Sep 28 Sunday
Spend your Sunday immersed in art and nature! This unique program invites visitors to embark on a journey that celebrates the awe-inspiring beauty of nature and the role it plays in sparking human creativity. Begin the afternoon at the MFA with a guided docent tour of the collection galleries, looking closely at artworks from throughout history and across the globe that were inspired by nature. From majestic landscapes to delicate still lifes to ancient sculptures, each artwork highlights the deep connection between artists and the natural world. The experience continues at the St. Pete Pier, where you’ll board a sunset cruise with Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center’s expert marine science educators. Enjoy guided wildlife watching, a visit to a local bird sanctuary, learning about our area’s history, and the beautiful scenery as the sky changes colors over the downtown skyline. There will be optional opportunities to get creative, with all supplies provided, and you’re encouraged to express your inspiration from the experience. This partnership highlights how each of us contributes to protecting Tampa Bay and the environment as a whole. By showcasing the artistic and ecological importance of our region, we aim to inspire a greater appreciation for nature’s beauty and encourage a lasting commitment to its preservation for future generations.
Sep 29 Monday
Go nose to nose with Big John, the World’s Largest Triceratops, in an immersive and playful dinosaur exhibit at the Glazer Children’s Museum in Downtown Tampa. Whether you have a child at home or not, all are welcome to visit this colossal exhibit, 66 million years in the making.
La Grande Illusion is a major exhibition of works by internationally acclaimed artist, Brian Maguire. The exhibition spans two decades of work that spotlights the artist’s lifelong quest to draw attention to global injustices, war, and human rights. One of Ireland's leading cultural figures, Maguire has turned the practice and tradition of painting into acts of visual testimony. Maguire’s paintings are global in scope and are derived from projects undertaken between 2007 and 2024 in Mexico, the Mediterranean, Syria, Sudan, the United States, and the Amazon. Maguire's artworks are painted from direct experience and involve the artist spending extensive time on the ground with the communities that welcome him. The results are, plainly put, paintings that visualize the commonality of human suffering and dramatize the plight of people in need.
Sam Hamilton/Sam Tam Ham (b. 1984, Auckland, New Zealand/Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa) created Te Moana Meridian as a vessel for proposing a radical new United Nations General Assembly Draft Resolution to formally relocate the prime meridian from Greenwich, London, to Te Moana-Nui-ā-Kiwa/the South Pacific Ocean. Since its inception at an 1884 conference in Washington D.C., the prime meridian has functioned to implicitly serve the ambitions of the British colonial empire. Rather than serving as a "beacon of humanity," the prime meridian today more resembles a bygone imperial relic. As an original operatic performance and five-channel video installation, Te Moana Meridian proposes to elect a new "center of the world" while acknowledging that doing so has the potential to reframe the dynamics of global power.
Sep 30 Tuesday
A Return to Espero highlights André Smith’s artistic metamorphosis following a near-death experience. The exhibition features personal letters exchanged with philanthropist Mary Curtis Bok, many of which were illustrated by Smith himself. This exhibition chronicles Smith’s personal journey that contributed to the creation of the Research Studio, known as today’s Maitland Art Center. These artifacts, alongside several of his unseen artworks, explore themes of resilience, friendship, and the transformative power of art. Bok and Smith’s correspondence reflects a shared vision and commitment to pushing Floridian artistic exploration.
Oct 01 Wednesday