The new Hood Museum of Art Membership Program began on July 1, 2007. In the tradition of the Friends of Hopkins Center and Hood Museum of Art, the program primarily raises funds for arts education at the Hood. Membership support has long assisted the Hood in maintaining its commitment to families and school children in the Upper Valley.Through sponsored programs such as ArtVentures, Family Days, and Teen Workshops, children have opportunities to become involved in activities designed especially for them. ArtVentures invites children eight years and older to participate in guided tours, discussions, and creative projects that are designed to engage them in the exploration of the visual arts.Teen workshops invite young adults, ages fourteen to eighteen, to reconsider how they view and think about art and to explore its relevance in their lives and in the lives of others. Through all programs children directly experience the transformative nature of visual expression, build critical thinking skills, come to understand how people express their beliefs and ideas, and become acquainted with cultures and traditions from around the world. The stated purpose of the Hood Museum of Art is to inspire, educate, and collaborate with our academic and broader communities about creativity and imagination through direct engagement with culturally and historically significant works of art. We are grateful to the Hood Museum of Art members for their support of that ideal.
In appreciation of our members' belief in the value of arts education and community leadership, we continue to offer Hood Museum of Art membership benefits, including invitations to lectures and events and a museum shop discount. Popular membership events such as the wine tastings will continue to be part of these benefits, and next year will bring wonderful new opportunities to connect with the visual arts and the Hood, including member programming related directly to exhibitions. For over twenty years the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College has been a unique and vital resource for the people of the Upper Valley and beyond.With your support it can be even more so. We would be delighted to welcome you as a member!