MUSEUM MEMORIES

Museum Memories is a program consisting of tours and creative activities specially designed for adults with early-stage dementia and their care partners. This program provides visitors the opportunity to explore modern art in a way that increases their self-esteem and nourishes their relationships with their care partners and peers. Four times throughout the year, programming will be offered free of charge and open to the public and program participants will receive a complimentary lifetime membership to the museum. Additional programming will be offered to Loving Touch Adult Day and Health and Gracious Living Adult Day and Health Center. Each program will consist of two parts, an in-person or virtual tour of the museum and a creative portion that will explore visual art as well as other interdisciplinary art forms including writing, dance, music, theater, yoga, meditation and more.  

Programming for the 2021 – 2022 fiscal year will be led by Charlotte-based art therapist Amy Seitlin. Art therapy emphasizes that art making serves as an expressive outlet, both in the physical process of creating art and in the context of its use as a non-verbal mode of communication. As such, these programs will not serve as therapy sessions, rather they will provide participants an opportunity to engage with Bechtler exhibitions that is grounded in theory, has a methodology of intention, and includes therapeutic benefits. Partnering with an art therapist will ensure the museum is an accessible and inclusive space for emotional learning, social connection, and community support. Programming for the 2021-2022 fiscal year will focus on the following exhibitions: Isaac Julien: Lina Bo Bardi – A Marvellous Entanglement, The Bechtler Collection, Jean Tinguely: A Life in Motion, and Annemarie Schwarzenbach: Departure without Destination. Participants will work closely with Amy Seitlin to create a variety of art works in response to the exhibitions. 

Programming is designed for individuals with early-stage dementia and their care partners. There is no cost for participation, but space is limited. Please check back for future programming dates.