2026 | January - March
Exhibitions + Programming
January - March 2026 Menu
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Exhibitions
[January - March 2026]
Programs
[January - March 2026]
Past Exhibition Programming
On Saturday, March 14, 2026 The Coast and the Sea: Marine and Maritime Art in America opens at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
Join us at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum on March 11, to explore, create and play at Toddler Tuesday! This program is for our littlest art lovers (age 1-5) and their grownups. This event offers hands-on art activities, opportunities to connect with other families, free-play, storytelling, and a chance for toddlers and their grown-ups to explore the artworks in the galleries.
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is excited to continue our partnership with the Winona Symphony Orchestra to bring you another season of Water Music: Chamber Concertsat the MMAM. Water Music presents a series of four chamber music concerts in an intimate, refined setting among the galleries. These performances are jointly programmed to spotlight both the visual treasures of the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and musical masterworks unified by a common theme.
SPARK! at Minnesota Marine Art Museum is a unique, free program designed specifically for people with memory loss and their care partners. SPARK! programs offer participants an opportunity to enhance their quality of life through social engagement, mental stimulation, and communication.
At 1275 feet, the Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World is the longest painting in the United States. The panorama is stored on four large rolls. Due to their size, and time it takes to change these rolls, MMAM curators and staff must change them while the museum is closed. But before they can be changed, the rolls must be rewound back to the beginning. Join us for a behind-the-scenes viewing of the panorama in motion as the fourth of the four rolls is rewound to the beginning.
A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World closes on March 1, 2026 at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
Third Thursdays at MMAM, your new reason to start the weekend early.
With $5 gallery admission after 5 - 8p, a program highlight each month, and Happier Hour at MMAM’s new Waterbar Cafe + Provisions, Third Thursdays will become your new favorite night of the month.
At 1275 feet, the Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World is the longest painting in the United States. Due to its immense size, only 40 feet of this epic painting can be viewed at one time. Join us as staff advance the panorama throughout the year of its exhibition.
Join us for the Winter Seasonal Saturday with $1 admission! Join a tour, listen to live music, try your hand at art-making, or visit one of our community partners. Bingo Overboard, everyone’s favorite search-and-find game, is always available - just don’t forget to pick up your recycled prize!
At 1275 feet, the Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World is the longest painting in the United States. Due to its immense size, only 40 feet of this epic painting can be viewed at one time. Join us as staff advance the panorama throughout the year of its exhibition.
SPARK! at Minnesota Marine Art Museum is a unique, free program designed specifically for people with memory loss and their care partners. SPARK! programs offer participants an opportunity to enhance their quality of life through social engagement, mental stimulation, and communication.
[Tickets: $10]
Join Associate Curator from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Isabel Ruiz Cano, as she guides you through Splish, Splash, Story: Selections for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art taking you through 100 years of illustration history and exploring the myriad ways illustrators and authors have depicted our waters.
[Tickets: $10]
Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet exhibiting artist Robert Gonzalez and attend his lecture, “Immanence and Transcendence in Art.” Gonzalez will also discuss the two series featured in the Minnesota Marine Art Museum exhibition Robert Gonzalez: Mystical Waters: Mystical Waters and Temazcal. In addition, he will speak about his artistic practice, techniques, and the evolution of his work over time.
[Included in gallery admission]
Join MMAM exhibiting artist, Nicole McLaughlin, for an artist demonstration. Watch as Nicole throws on the potter's wheel to create components for her sculptural works and then how she glazes and decorates the surface of each form. As a mixed media artist, often jumping between materials, Nicole will also show her process of dyeing thread in indigo and how she then integrates the dyed thread into her ceramic forms.
On Saturday, January 31 2026 Splish, Splash, Story: Selections for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art opens at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
[Tickets: $20]
Kick off 2026 in style at MMAM’s New Look Preview Party. Enjoy an energizing night out at the museum featuring exhibiting artist conversations, food and drinks for purchase, and a special gallery performance, Glacial Spatial. Stay late for a dance party as we usher in a bold new year and a bold new look.
Third Thursdays
[January - March 2025]
Past Thursday Night Events
Step back in time and experience the enchantment of 1848! Join us at MMAM on Thursday evening to celebrate the opening of A Spectacle in Motion, an exhibition that breathes life into one of America’s most remarkable artistic panoramas. Designed to be an unforgettable night out, this event promises history, fun, and entertainment against the scenic backdrop of the Mississippi River.
Winona’s famous piano duo brings us ‘en bateau’ (French for ‘in a boat’) through a romantic program exploring water, boat rides, and beautiful melodies. The Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s new rotating exhibit Fluid: What is Marine Art and What Can it Be?, offers a companion to the music that invokes images of Venetian gondoliers and rocking, swaying vessels in which audiences can envision themselves sailing on majestic waters.
Join us for a fun night out at this Craft + Cocktail workshop on Thursday, February 13 from 6-8pm. You’ll craft unique cocktails with a Water Bar mixologist, enjoying each sip as you create a new craft. Under the guidance of Lindsay Krage, you'll also design and block print your own custom bar towel, perfectly paired with your cocktails!
Workshops
[January - March 2025]
Past Workshops
This "Create a Character" workshop invites kids to unleash their imagination and bring unique characters to life through illustration. Through guided exercises and creative prompts, attendees will learn to draw characters with distinct personalities. We'll explore facial structure, how to incorporate unique features, and develop their character to enhance storytelling skills.
Join us for a fun night out at this Craft + Cocktail workshop on Thursday, February 13 from 6-8pm. You’ll craft unique cocktails with a Water Bar mixologist, enjoying each sip as you create a new craft. Under the guidance of Lindsay Krage, you'll also design and block print your own custom bar towel, perfectly paired with your cocktails!
Immerse yourself in the traditional art of willow basketry! Join us for a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn to weave your very own baskets using homegrown willow. You'll learn from Zac Fittipaldi, with nearly two decades of experience, he has guided students to create hundreds of beautiful baskets.
Other Ways to Engage
MMAM’s Field Trip program offers engaging art experiences focused on water and encourages students to explore creativity through sketching, storytelling, and museum exploration.
Join today and receive free admission, discounted programs, and more!