Take a Free Art Break at Levine Center for the Arts

Levine Center for the Arts museums welcome visitors for free monthly tours at new Art Breaks series.

The creative and collaborative minds at Levine Center for the Arts are making a monthly lunch date at the museum easier than ever. Beginning March 17, the three museums —  Mint Museum Uptown, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American for Arts + Culture — kick-off Art Breaks, a series of free 30-minute museum tours designed to be completed during lunch hour.

The docent-led tours take place the third Thursday each month between noon-1 p.m., and are tailored around a specific theme that repeats for three months, allowing you to experience each of the three museums in succession. The first theme running March-May is "Trending Now" and examines how contemporary issues play into an artist's work through the use of materials and processes. At the Mint, the tour includes Hoss Haley's White Ripple, Susan Point's Salmon Spawning Run and Tom Joyce's Thicket. 

Art Breaks are great for the parent who works uptown and wants a quick art fix sans kids (that's me) or a different lunch-hour outing with co-workers, but it's also a great opportunity for parents who home school or during summer break (that's me too). 

I'm inspired by the museums at the Levine Center for the Arts and each time I visit remind myself that it is a place for families. The Mint Museum offers its self-guided ARTventures scavenger hunts and hands-on art and play opportunities at the Lewis Family Gallery (which is open during regular museum hours). The Bechtler hosts its Family Day events. And the Gantt Center has a host of family-friendly events and workshops. 

As part of the museums' collaboration, a common admission pass is now available that allows you to visit all three museums for $20 within a 48-hour window. And admission is free for children under age 5. A sweet deal and great way to get a taste of all three museums.