Gregg Museum Offers Family Fun For All Ages

NC State’s Gregg Museum of Art & Design is offering a summer of family fun and music on the lawn!

The Gregg Museum is conveniently located along Hillsborough Street, just one block from the Bell Tower and purposefully positioned to welcome everyone to NC State. The museum features contemporary art galleries, a vast art collection and tranquil outdoor spaces, including a garden and a wide-open lawn, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and community gathering. The Gregg Museum is committed to serving as a vibrant social hub for individuals of all ages, particularly nurturing young adults, students and multigenerational families in the surrounding communities.

Sara Segerlin, the director of the Gregg Museum, emphasizes that this is a time of transformation for NC State’s museum.

“The Gregg team is deeply committed to creating a welcoming environment for everyone,” Segerlin said. “We are excited about our three-year plan to transform the museum into a highly collaborative community space. It is encouraging to see our early efforts resonate with students and multigenerational audiences, especially as we aim to connect with the families of NC State employees and residents of the Triangle. Having spent 20 years in the museum and education field across various types of organizations, I find it truly inspiring to witness the passion and dedication of the Gregg Museum staff, along with NC State’s student ambassadors and interns, as they work together to create transformative experiences. This commitment is evident in the work of Tamara (Tammy) Velasco, our education coordinator at the Gregg Museum. I look forward to more people getting to know Tammy, the Gregg Museum’s student and staff team, and all of our free, accessible exhibitions and programs.”

Over the past year and a half, Velasco has made significant strides in enhancing K-12 and multigenerational programs, while also establishing a student internship program that emphasizes art education and public service. 

Velasco has an educational background in the visual arts as well as years of experience working in the K-12 environment. Her previous experiences include teaching K-8 visual arts in charter schools in Hillsborough and Durham, as well as a university faculty position at an international art institute in Cambodia. 

Velasco has witnessed the benefits of visual arts through many opportunities locally and internationally. 

“In my years of teaching, I have seen the art room serve as a safe space for many students,” she said. “I have taught students that struggle academically or with difficult family situations, but in my classroom, there is a light bulb that turns on. There is an excitement and confidence that exists because this room, this 40-minute period, can be a place where artistic choices are validated and embraced, where “correct answers” do not need to exist. It’s a place that was safe for me when I was a child, and as an adult, I can continue providing that space for others.” 

Now going on a year and a half since joining the Gregg Museum, Velasco has launched many K-12 targeted programs, such as Storytime in the Garden to welcome the spring season, a summer long art program for grade-schoolers in June and July, and Hello, Winter! a winter-themed art lesson for little ones (ages 3-5) to ignite excitement and joy for the holidays. 

The programs and exhibitions at the Gregg Museum invite K-12 audiences as well as young and old, to experience the joy that art and community can bring when under one roof. Supporting the Gregg Museum’s engagements are student ambassadors and two paid internship positions that explore designing and facilitating participatory arts learning and community engagement practices.

“When I create interactive activities for the exhibitions at the museum, I see children sitting at the tables with their siblings and grandparents, or their classmates, and they are engaging in the activities that are provided,” Velasco said. “The art materials are the same, the directions are the same, but the experiences and interactions are unique to each visitor and it is such a joy to observe a curious toddler coloring next to their grandparent. What a great memory and way to spend time with family and friends!” 

For families and young thinkers, the Gregg Museum provides a wide range of fun events that include hands-on activities and educational learning opportunities. Here are a few upcoming events to look forward to, as well as a snapshot of past successful programs.

Upcoming Events at the Gregg Museum

Family Fun Day on the Gregg Museum’s Front Lawn (Saturday, July 12, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.)

Join the Gregg Museum staff for a family fun day on the front lawn, featuring several local artists and organizations in the Triangle area!Special guests include The Scrap Exchange, Jeghetto, Ken Thomas “The Raleigh Bubble Man” and more! 

Summer Concert Series on the Gregg Museum’s Front Lawn (Friday, June 27 and Friday, July 25, 7-9 p.m.)

Bring a picnic blanket and friends and experience music and community on the Gregg Museum’s front lawn for this summer’s music concert series. Don’t miss the chance to hear Barefoot Manner on Friday, June 27 from 7-9 p.m. and Também on Friday, July 25 from 7-9 p.m.