Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Celebrates 901 Day With Free Admission for Final Days in Overton Park
Locals invited to celebrate 110 years in Overton Park before museum’s next chapter
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sept. 1, 2026) – In celebration of 901 Day, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is offering free gallery admission for locals throughout September, inviting the community to return for one final month in Overton Park. The museum will close its longtime home on Sept. 27 and begin a new chapter downtown as Memphis Art Museum, opening Dec. 6, 2026. The month of free admission delivers early on the museum’s promise to provide free admission for Shelby County residents in perpetuity at its new home.
“This month gives us a chance to honor what Memphians built here together,” said Zoe Kahr, Executive Director of Memphis Art Museum. “I hope September feels less like a farewell and more like a homecoming, with familiar faces and galleries full of people making one more memory in Overton Park. That is the spirit we want to carry downtown.”
The museum’s final major exhibition, Memphis College of Art, 1936–2020: An Enduring Legacy, is a fitting way to close this chapter. For more than 60 years, Memphis College of Art (MCA) was the museum’s neighbor in Overton Park, and the two institutions became part of the lives of generations of Memphis artists, students and families. The exhibition brings together 90 works by graduates and faculty whose influence can still be felt throughout Memphis and across the country.
Visitors can also see David Ụzọchukwu: Bodies of Water, the Austrian-Nigerian photographer and filmmaker's debut solo museum exhibition, and Summer Art Garden: Wax Print Wonderland, an installation by Memphian and MCA alumna Samilia Pelshak inspired by African wax-print textiles and her Nigerian-American heritage.
The museum will celebrate for the entire month of September with special events:
- Sunday, Sept. 6, 5–7 p.m.: 2026 Craft Food and Wine Festival
Sample food from more than 35 local chefs, food entrepreneurs and artisan makers alongside wine, cocktails and live entertainment. VIP entry begins at 4 p.m. This event is for guests 21 and older. - Thursday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m.– 2 p.m.: 3rd Annual Mahjong Madness
The Memphis Art Museum League, formerly the Brooks Museum League, hosts an afternoon of mahjong featuring a mimosa bar, light bites and prizes. Experienced players will be available to help newcomers learn the game. - Thursday, Sept. 17, 6–8 p.m.: Art & Aperitifs with Sarah Perkins
Acclaimed metalsmith and artist Sarah Perkins joins the museum for an intimate artist talk about her practice and career.
- Saturday, Sept. 19, noon–3 p.m.: Bead Bar with Adeli Designs
Jewelry designer Adeli Gomero leads a hands-on mini masterclass covering the foundations and techniques of jewelry making. Participants will design and create their own necklace using a curated selection of semiprecious gemstones and beads, with all materials included.
- Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6–8 p.m.: Legacy at the Table Dinner Series
The final dinner in a series honoring Memphis College of Art features a family-style menu by acclaimed chef and MCA alumna Karen Carrier, along with special after-hours access to the exhibition. - Thursday, Sept. 24, 6–7:30 p.m.: The Shape of Wine with Riedel Crystal
Riedel Crystal representative Skye Potter leads a guided tasting exploring how glass shape can influence the aroma and flavor of wine. Guests will sample the same wine from four different glasses and take home a four-glass Riedel Performance set. - Friday, Sept. 25, 7–10 p.m.: Come As Thou Art: A Broadway Musical Masquerade Ball & Runway
The museum’s third annual Come As Thou Art returns with a Broadway-inspired evening of fashion, music and performance. The event includes a runway show featuring local designers and a costume contest for guests, who are encouraged to dress for the occasion.
- Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.–noon: Final Super Saturday in Overton Park
The museum hosts its final Super Saturday in Overton Park with free drop-in artmaking for families.
- Sunday, Sept. 27, 3 p.m.-5 p.m.: Junk Journal Jam with Like Really Creative
On the museum’s final day in Overton Park, Like Really Creative leads a drop-in junk journaling session focused on mixed-media collage. Guests are invited to bring a journal and create alongside music from DJ Lil Coffdrop.
General museum admission is free to locals through Sept. 27. Some programs require separate tickets or advance registration. Details are available at brooksmuseum.org.
Sponsor Acknowledgement
Memphis College of Art, 1936–2020: An Enduring Legacy is presented by Raymond James with major support from the Formanek Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation and Grinder Taber Grinder. Additional support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, Wyeth Foundation for American Art, an anonymous donor, The James Lee House, Ellen and Brig Klyce, KC and Jeff Warren, Doug Carpenter + Associates, Kaywin Feldman and Jim Lutz, the Art Now Collective, Kay Clark, Maggie and Milton Lovell, Gloria and Kenneth Boyland, Deborah and Bob Craddock, Debi and Galen Havner, Sally Hergenrader, James R. Humphreys, Kristen and Jay Keegan, the Doris S. and Hubert Kiersky Charitable Remainder Trust, Valerie and Carl Person, Bill Townsend, Anise and Ron Belz, Kim Caldwell, Kristi and James Carmichael, Dabney Coors, Metcalf and Madeleine Crump, Pinkney and Janice Herbert, Martha and Michael Hess, Simone and Logan Meeks, Suzanne and Jon Scharff, Henry Turley and Wanda Shea, Tate and Webb Wilson, Carissa Hussong and David Lusk, Fatima and James Little, Angie and Will Deupree, Brooke and Alan Balducci, Sherri and Kevin Kimery, Kerry Jackson and Kathy Fish, Barbara and Pitt Hyde, Lisa A. Brumleve-Pratt and Harry Pratt, Irene and Ron Ayotte, Betty and George Johnson, and Susan and James Edelman.
Major support for David Ụzọchukwu: Bodies of Water is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional support from Molly and Jason Wexler, Dr. Linda Tharp, the Black Art Collective, and the Pride Collective. The exhibition catalogue is supported by Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund. The Black Art Collective is presented by Bank of America.
Summer Art Garden: Wax Print Wonderland is presented by A2H with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Tennessee Arts Commission.
About Memphis Art Museum
Opening on December 6, 2026 along the Mississippi River, Memphis Art Museum ushers in a new era for art, culture, and civic life in Memphis. As the reimagined home of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the 123,500-square-foot cultural campus expands access to exhibitions, abundant public spaces, and new studios for learning and creativity while establishing a dynamic new landmark on the riverfront.
Designed as an open and welcoming destination for all, the museum features world-class architecture, expansive galleries, a rooftop sculpture garden, and year-round cultural programming. More than a museum, it is a place where creativity and shared experiences bring people together, inviting Memphians and visitors alike to engage with the transformative power of art.
Memphis Art Museum is one of the leading art museums in the American South. Its collection of more than 10,000 works spans five millennia and six continents, including ancient works from Greece, Rome, and the Ancient Americas; Renaissance masterpieces from Italy; English portraiture; American painting and decorative arts; contemporary art; and African Diasporic art. For more information visit brooksmuseum.org.
Media Contact
Kelly Helton, Memphis Art Museum
kelly.helton@memphisartmuseum.org | 901-590-6935
For full press release, please refer to the downloadable PDF.