International Museum Day at the Zimmerli

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers announced will offer free admission on Saturday, May 18, as part of the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day, coinciding with International Museum Day. Last year, the Zimmerli—along with more than 120 other AAMD member museums across North America—participated in Art Museum Day.

The Zimmerli is open noon to 5 p.m. on May 18.

In 2012, AAMD launched an initiative encouraging visitors of all ages to share their experiences of Art Museum Day through social media. Last year’s event prompted an outpouring of responses with tweets, “check-ins” via FourSquare, and personal responses from across North America. The Zimmerli invites visitors to continue the conversation this year by sharing their perspectives via social media with the hashtag #artmuseumday. Also engage with AAMD and the Zimmerli on Twitter at @MuseumDirectors and @zimmerlimuseum, respectively.

“Art Museum Day is an exciting opportunity for families to explore local museums and the treasures that they house,” said director Suzanne Delehanty. “This year, we are pleased to present two exhibitions from our extensive print collection with appeal for family members of all ages. ‘Lynd Ward Draws Stories’ features original and printed illustrations from six books for young people by this gifted artist-storyteller, who lived many years in New Jersey. And ‘Henri-Gabriel Ibels’ captures the vibrant circus culture that flourished in Paris during the late 19th century.”

“Art museums bring communities together and engage people of every background in the shared exploration of human expression across time and cultures,” said Chris Anagnos, Executive Director of AAMD. “AAMD is so pleased that the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers is joining us in celebrating Art Museum Day and is encouraging everyone in New Jersey and the tri-state area to participate and share their experiences in a public forum.”

Art Museum Day emphasizes the essential role that art museums play in their communities, highlights the value of the visual arts in society, and provides new opportunities for audiences to participate in the wide-ranging programs offered by AAMD member museums. These member institutions—located across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—include regional museums, as well as large international museums. International Museum Day is organized annually around the world by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). AAMD’s Art Museum Day is an opportunity to focus attention on the role of art museums in North America, as part of ICOM’s global celebration.

A comprehensive list of participating AAMD member art museums will be available on the AAMD website (http://www.aamd.org/). Note that while AAMD’s Art Museum Day and ICOM’s International Museum Day are formally held each year on May 18, some institutions shift their celebrations to adjacent dates.

The Zimmerli Art Museum is located at 71 Hamilton Street at George Street on the College Avenue campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The Zimmerli is a short walk from the NJ Transit train station in New Brunswick, midway between New York City and Philadelphia.

Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., and the first Wednesday of each month (except August), 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays, major holidays, and the month of August. Holidays are January 1, July 4, Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, and December 24 and 25.

Admission is $6 for adults; $5 for 65 and over; and free for museum members, Rutgers students, faculty and staff (with ID), and children under 18. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. For more information, call 848.932.7237 or visit the museum’s website: www.zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu.