Upcoming Programs and Events
Celebrate a season of mystery, transformation, and creativity during the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s Fall New Look Weekend. As part of MMAM’s 20th anniversary celebration and 2026 theme, Making Waves, the museum welcomes three featured artists: Andy DuCett with Home(town), Geo Rutherford with Spooky Waters of the World, Great Lakes and Beyond, and Barbara McIlrath withLandSkyWater.
Celebrate the season of mystery and transformation at MMAM’s New Look Masquerade Party. This immersive fall evening invites guests to step into a world of shifting identities, folklore, and imagination, where art, story, and disguise collide. Three exhibiting artists will be in attendance, including Andy DuCett (Home(town)), Geo Rutherford (Spooky Waters of the World), and Barbara McIlrath (LandSkyWater).
![Workshop: Weaving in Community with Tanya Aguiñiga [CANCELLED]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b7b157831d4df3206e42eaf/1777406970017-9IQD2FVTA0MIKBIZIOE1/2026.workshop.tanya.square.jpg)
Experience the rare opportunity to work hands-on with a MMAM exhibiting artist. Join Tanya Aguiñiga in a one-day immersive workshop, Weaving in Community. Traveling from Southern California, Aguiñiga brings her internationally recognized practice that spans sculpture, installation, performance, and community-based work, into an intimate, accessible learning environment rooted in making and exchange.
Step inside Home(town) with artist Andy DuCett for an intimate, one-hour conversation in the galleries. Working across mediums and rooted in the visual language of his hometown of Winona, DuCett creates installations that blur the line between museum space and everyday life.
Join artist, author, and illustrator Geo Rutherford for a lively, one-hour talk inside the exhibition, Spooky Waters of the World. Presented in partnership with the Winona Public Library.
Following the artist talk, join Rutherford for a book signing in the MMAM atrium, for an opportunity to meet the artist, have books signed, and take home a piece of the stories that have captivated millions.
In this intimate “Meet the Artist” experience, McIlrath will share insights into her process and reflect on how land, sky, and water continually shape her work. Guests are invited to ask questions, look closely, and join in a relaxed conversation about place, perception, and the act of painting.
This all-ages workshop gives participants the unique opportunity to create their own artwork with exhibiting artist Barbara McIlrath. McIlrath’s paintings and drawings begin with studying the patterns and shapes in the natural world, from land forms, limestone bluffs of the river, plants, trees, clouds, shadows and angles of sunlight.
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.
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.
In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore the “Crown of Thorns” construction technique—a hallmark of Tramp Art characterized by carefully notched and interlocking wooden pieces. Guided by woodworker Nathan White, students will learn the fundamentals of knife work, joinery, and hand-carving while crafting a star-shaped ornament or small decorative object. Along the way, Nathan will share insights into the cultural history of the form and its enduring spirit of reuse and creativity.
In this hands-on workshop, students will learn the traditional craft of weaving hamper baskets using willow that is sustainably grown, harvested, and processed in nearby Sandstone, MN. Through guided instruction, participants will create their own functional and beautiful baskets, learning a skill that connects craftsmanship, nature, and sustainable practices.
Join local gourd artist, Rachel Pauli, for a Halloween morning of ridiculous gourd fun. We'll be making lightweight, seasonal, maybe even spooky, earrings out Tennessee spinner gourds homegrown right here in Winona.
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.
Dive into the world of sculptural form, Mexican folk art, and water-inspired storytelling in this two-day cartonería workshop for adults. Over the course of the workshop, participants will create a sculptural axolotl, Mexico’s iconic “smiling” salamander, while exploring its cultural, ecological, and symbolic significance.
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 Concerts at 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.
Join us for the Fall 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!
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.
![November Third Thursday [Film] - Live Comedy Movie Riff & Roast](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b7b157831d4df3206e42eaf/1778113707011-9F6CRHNA0UUTINE68IKX/2026.10Third.Thursday.film.square.jpg)
Get ready for a night of cinematic chaos and live comedy at MMAM. Comedians Ben Marcotte and Tim Flanagan take on a delightfully terrible “B” movie with a watery twist, delivering live riffs, commentary, and laugh-out-loud reactions inspired by the cult classic spirit of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Making Pająki, or mobiles from straw and paper, is a Polish tradition that goes back hundreds of years. Often made in the late Autumn in time for the Christmas season, and known for their eye-catching hues and ornate paper pompom techniques, they are made to decorate, protect, and bless the rooms in which they hang. Come be a part of this colorful craft revival and learn to make your own mobile to adorn your space!
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.
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 Concerts at 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.
In this workshop, participants will learn Peterson’s storytelling approach to image-making alongside foundational papercutting techniques. Students will design and construct their own delicate, translucent paper lanterns, layering imagery and light to create luminous, narrative-driven forms.
Join museum curators in the exhibition Andy DuCett: Home(town)for a relaxed, guided conversation exploring the artworks of Andy DuCett. Together, we’ll look closely, share observations, and unpack the ideas behind conceptual art, no art background needed. Come curious!
This mindfulness-based program focuses on exploring themes that support our health through creativity and play, inspired by MMAM galleries.
→ learn more.
![December Third Thursday [Craft + Cocktail]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b7b157831d4df3206e42eaf/1776893306618-EG0L0IM4FRXBN2SE3QP4/2026.Third.Thursday.Square.yellow.jpg)
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.