Second and Seasonal Saturdays through the Years

Our arts access program, Seasonal Saturdays, seeks to reduce intimidation and increase comfortable access to the fine arts. This program was co-created with our local community in 2018, and strives to be responsive to the needs of our community, and eliminate or reduce identified barriers to participation. Learn about how our program has evolved over the years!

2018 - February 2020:

Beginning in 2018, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum offered a bustling monthly arts access program called Second Saturdays. This program offered $1 admission, free transportation, and a host of fun activities to engage with the collections and each other.  

This Second Saturday program was held on the second Saturday of every month.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, the museum closed to the public for several month. In order to maintain the popular Second Saturday program and engage with our community, MMAM staff created an online version of the program called Second Saturday: Home Edition, and take-home art kits.

In 2021, MMAM made two major changes to the program:

1. Second Saturdays was renamed Seasonal Saturdays to reflect that MMAM now offered this program on a select Saturday four times a year, or once each season, in spring, summer, fall and winter. The change in frequency allowed us to keep offering and sustain this popular program.

2. In 2021, in order to adapt to the pandemic, we put Seasonal Saturdays in a box as a way to create the Seasonal Satruday experience from home, along with a $1 admission ticket for participants to visit MMAM at their leisure.

Here is what we learned:

• 3185 people were served through 900 Event Boxes!

• 544 people took advantage of $1 admission to MMAM through the included reduced admission

• Highly rated activities including the art making project, special themed activity, and the overall social value of the Event Box contributed to its success.

2022 (In-Person):

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.