Venetian Glass, Italian Wine, Wild Stories and Colors of Us

NORFOLK, Va. (March 19, 2024) Where else can one experience fantastic creatures and an art opening the same evening with free admission? Come out to the Chrysler Museum of Art at One Memorial Place, Norfolk, for First Thursdays, April 4 from 6 – 9 p.m. Attendees can see wild things by exploring the show, Fantastic Creatures of the Venetian Lagoon: Glass 1875 – 1915, a rare glass exhibition featuring dragons, dolphins, seahorses, pegasi, swans, and serpents and more. Visitors can also get a first view of the Hampton Boyer: Colors of Us exhibition featuring the local artist showcasing his bold colors and complex textures across painting, collage, and drawing as shown in his short film Only in America.

Bring the family to enjoy music and live animals like Hope Educational Farm’s chestnut pony mare, Itty Biddie, art talks in The Box and the Glass Projects Space, and an all-ages storytelling safari where your crew can listen to these tales with Lynn Ruehlmann, Darci Tucker, Gayle Turner and Ruth Walkup.

First Thursdays, presented through the generous support of the Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All grant, offer after-hours access to grab some culture, canned cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages each month while exploring different themes in a casual atmosphere. Bring friends and family, meet new people, or even enjoy a free date night in this creative way to wind down your week. In addition to the galleries, the Museum Shop is open for retail therapy and Zinnia Café is open for good eats.

ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art brings art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum also includes free admission, the state-of-the-art Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.

ABOUT ART BRIDGES FOUNDATION

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the United States. Since 2017, Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of over 220 museums of all sizes and locations on nearly 700 projects across the nation, impacting over 4.1 million people, to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges Collection, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.

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For more information or interview assistance, please contact Tanya Kaish Keller, Public Relations Manager, at The Meridian Group. 757-340-7425 | tanya@themeridiangroup.com.

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