Mystic Museum of Art

09/04/2026

Morning, Mystic! ☀️
We’re open today, the lights are on, and there’s art waiting for you.

Come visit daily 11-5.

09/02/2026

Before targeted ads, there were velvet ads.

These original Boulevard Velvet advertisements from the 1950-70s offer a glimpse into the story of Connecticut’s once-thriving velvet industry—and the way velvet was marketed, styled, and sold.

See them in a new context in *Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways*, on view at Mystic Museum of Art through October 11.

Don't miss workshops for all ages inspired by the exhibition: https://mysticmuseumofart.org/workshops/.

08/29/2026

Let's try something new! You're invited to a Sunday morning with donuts, coffee, and artmaking by the Mystic River 🍩🎨

Donuts & Design | Sunday, September 13 | A family-friendly morning of creativity at Mystic Museum of Art

Get creative with family and friends, enjoy a donut (or two), and explore Luxe CT

📅 Sunday, September 13
⏰ 10:30am–12pm
📍 Mystic Museum of Art

$25 members | $35 nonmembers

Space is limited—register at the link in bio.

08/28/2026

What does it take to launch a career in the arts today?

Join us Tuesday, September 1 for the next Luxe CT Speaker Series, featuring artists Xarea Lockhart and Toriana Sauro.

MMoA Executive Director Alana Ryder will lead a conversation about their careers, current projects, and the works they have featured in Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways.

📅 Tuesday, September 1
⏰ 5:30–6:30PM
📍 Mystic Museum of Art

Come meet the artists and hear more about the ideas and experiences behind their work.

Register today through link in bio.

08/26/2026

MMoA is turning 10! 🎂

Join us Saturday, September 26 for a birthday celebration on the Mystic River—with artmaking for all ages, birthday cake from Zest Bakery, free admission to Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways, and a sunset concert with composer Garth Stevenson.

🖼️ Luxe CT free from 4:30–7PM

🎨 Arts + crafts with MMoA staff

🎂 Birthday cake and refreshments from Zest Bakery and Schooners

🎶 Sunset concert begins at 5:30PM

Free + open to the public. Come celebrate 10 years of MMoA with us! Located on the banks of the Mystic River and grounded in our legacy of artistic appreciation and practice, MMoA engages communities to explore, discuss, and discover their passion for art.

08/23/2026

Museum field trip, MMoA edition. 🎟️ Alana's NYC museum-hopping included a stop at the Whitney to explore the 2026 Whitney Biennial. From monumental installations to intricate details, there was plenty to stop, look at twice, and bring home a little inspiration from. On view through Aug. 23!

08/21/2026

September is getting crafty at MMoA. 🧵✨

Inspired by *Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways*, fall KTJ workshops invite you to take the ideas, materials, and techniques found in the galleries and try them for yourself.

Make fashion jewelry, experiment with felt collage, learn to sew with featured designer Toriana Sauro, or introduce a young maker to embroidery.

No experience necessary—just come ready to make something.

📍 KTJ Studios at Mystic Museum of Art
September workshops are open for registration now.
https://mysticmuseumofart.org/workshops

08/20/2026

Fashion history + a girls’ weekend in Mystic? Yes please. ✨👗
One of my favorite finds from our Stonington + Mystic getaway was Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways at the Mystic Museum of Art.

The exhibit brings together Connecticut’s textile and velvet-mill history with modern fashion, including designers with Connecticut ties like Christian Siriano and Peter Som. ❤️🖼️

I love discovering these unexpected little gems while traveling ! a beautiful mix of fashion, art, history and a little New England charm.

Here’s a glimpse of what I saw… ✨

If you’re spending a weekend in Mystic, definitely add this to your list!



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Peter Som
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weekend getaway

08/18/2026

Explore Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways, Mystic Museum of Art’s summer 2026 exhibition tracing the significance and evolution of textiles in our region—from the precolonial period to the present day.

Inspired by southeastern Connecticut’s velvet industry, Luxe CT brings together historic and contemporary beadwork, embroidery, quilts, velvet, and fashion to explore stories of labor, immigration, cultural identity, craftsmanship, and innovation woven into our region’s textile history.

The exhibition also features work by fashion designers with Connecticut ties, including XareaLockhart, Toriana Sauro, Christian Siriano , and Peter Som, Inc. —connecting centuries of textile traditions with fashion today.

Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways is on view at Mystic Museum of Art through October 11, 2026.

In this video, Thomas Benfield of Shaky Hands takes us inside the exhibition to explore the connections between textiles, fashion, and Mystic’s history.

Follow Thomas / Shaky Hands: https://www.thomasbenfield.com

https://youtu.be/WaFbQ95Livs?si=I43nczRhuVfrtd9p

Explore Luxe CT: Velvet Mills to Modern Runways, Mystic Museum of A...

08/15/2026

Have you spotted these around town? 👀🛶

Mystic Museum of Art is one of the stops on the Denizens of the Deep Paddle Passport!

Stop by 9 Water St to find the hand-painted oars (sharks, whales, lobsters, oh my!) hiding here, then keep exploring the area to see how many more you can discover. 🎨🌊

Pick up a Paddle Passport and join the hunt for a chance to win prizes. Another reason to make MMoA part of your Mystic adventure this summer!

Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce