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Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Alfred Ceramic Art Museum

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Alfred Ceramic Art Museum

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The primary mission of Alfred Ceramic Art Museum is to co

The Alfred Ceramic Art Museum at Alfred University houses nearly 8,000 ceramic objects ranging from small pottery shards recovered from ancient civilizations to modern and contemporary ceramic art. The Alfred Ceramic Art Museum at Alfred University houses nearly 8,000 ceramic and glass objects, ranging from small pottery shards recovered from ancient civilizations to contemporary sculpture and installation pieces.

10/15/2026

Did you know that Paolo Porelli’s most recent series, Black Iconology, is now on display as part of Figure Out: Catastrophe or Regeneration?

These works reveal Porelli’s delight in and mastery of his materials. Observe how their glaze gives them the appearance of metal—somewhere between shimmering silver and heavy lead—giving each figure a sense of age, permanence, and renewed life.

With titles including Confucius, Minerva, and Penelope, they possess an altar-worthy gravitas that invites a closer look.

10/14/2026

Alfred Ceramic Art Museum is a public-facing institution, but we also have an educational mission. We welcome classes from area high schools, colleges, and of course Alfred University itself. Our most recent visits included students from an English class from Alfred State College, an AU Freshman sociology class, and a group of AU students from Global Studies!

Students toured our current exhibitions, taking time to look closely, ask questions, record their observations, and reflect on the experience.

And if you didn't know, admission is always free for Alfred State and AU students, so come see us anytime!

10/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Kids’ Clay Workshop at the Alfred Farmers Market!

Artists young and old spent the day shaping pinch-pot animals, building slab teacups and vases, and exploring their own ideas through clay. It was wonderful to see so much curiosity and creativity at work.

10/03/2026

Tomorrow, get creative with clay at the Alfred Farmers Market!

Join the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum for a hands-on kids’ clay workshop featuring pinch-pot animals, slab-built teacups and vases. Bring the family and let your young artists shape, build, and explore!

10/02/2026

Can you imagine the myth from which these figures have emerged?

In Figure Out: Catastrophe or Regeneration, Paolo Porelli brings classical Italian sculpture and the gods and heroes of Greek and Roman mythology into dialogue with contemporary pop culture. Through 60 individually altered figures, Porelli has created an expansive cast of distinct characters that reflect the symbols, tensions, and possibilities of our time.

What do you think these figures possess—the powers of catastrophe, regeneration, or something in between? Share your interpretation in the comments.

10/01/2026

The curling of dry leaves. The creases of skin.

The textures of nature. The traces of a life.

In Paula Murray’s work, the natural world and the human body echo one another. Her vessels embody the movement and fractures found in nature, as well as the softness, scars, and signs of aging held by the body.

Together, these works remind us that nothing is static. Rupture, recovery, growth, and change are part of both the natural world and the human experience.

See these works in Paula Murray: Resilience, now on view at Alfred Ceramic Art Museum.

09/30/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent book launch with Meghen Jones and Ezra Shales. We were grateful to gather for an evening of conversation, thoughtful questions, and a celebration of their newest publications.

A special thank you to Meghen and Ezra for sharing their work and insights with our community.

While launching these new books, we also took the opportunity to go through some of the museum's excellent publications, all of which can be found on our website (link in bio!). 📚

09/29/2026

There is something uniquely valuable about hearing artists discuss their work in their own words. Recently ACAM was lucky enough to host an edition of "Gallery Talks" with visiting artists Paula Murray and Paolo Porelli. (You can hear the whole talk on our website - link in bio!)

During the talk, Paula shared how her lived experiences shape her relationship with ceramics. She spoke about experimentation, pushing the limits of the material, and giving physical form to internal experiences.

Paolo Porelli followed, joined by art historian Lori-Ann Touchette. Together, they offered insight into the metaphors and art-historical references woven throughout his figures.

Together, the two exhibitions explore universal experiences through different lenses. Themes of fracture, healing, transformation, and spirituality connect us to these works and to each other through our shared understanding of the world.

We are grateful to the artists for bringing us closer to the ideas behind the work and to everyone who joined us. Resilience and Figure Out: Catastrophe or Regeneration are now open to the public at the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum.

09/28/2026

We’re just under one week away! Join Alfred Ceramic Art Museum at the Alfred Farmers Market on Sunday, October 4 for a hands-on clay activity for children and families.

Create a pinch-pot animal, slab teacup, or vase—then label and catalog your creation. Finished pieces will be fired at Atelier Ceramics Studio and available for pickup at a later date.

Find us at the Village Bandstand and get your hands in clay!

09/23/2026

Get your hands in clay at the Alfred Farmers Market! On October 4, Alfred Ceramic Art Museum invites children and families to create pinch-pot animals or slab-built teacups and vases. Young makers can also learn how museums document and care for objects by cataloging their own creations.

Finished pieces will be fired at Atelier Ceramics Studio and available for pickup at a later date. Join us for a playful, hands-on introduction to clay, creativity, and the work that happens behind the scenes at a museum.

Address

2 Pine Street
Alfred, NY
14802

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

(607) 871-2421

Website

https://ceramicsmuseum.alfred.edu/publications/

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