Member Preview Day is an exclusive opportunity for GFS Members to be among the first to explore the season, including Opening the Vault: A Look Inside the GFS Collection, a new exhibition celebrating the depth and diversity of the GFS collection and uniting works across an array of mediums and stories. Join us and participate in a variety of unique programming specifically designed to engage and inspire you! Member Preview Day highlights include:
- Members-only access starting at 8AM
- Exclusive first look at the new exhibition
- Artists in Action: Open Studios
- Meet the Artists and Curatorial Staff
- Hands-on artmaking
- Wellness Workshop
- Docent-led Tours
- Access to the Member Lounge with complimentary beverages
Member Preview Day is celebrated rain or shine. Members may use their Guest Passes to bring additional guests.
Program accessibility information available.
Make your free member reservation
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
“Create a Collection” Art Stations
10AM – 1:30PM
Join the Education team for an artmaking journey. Explore art materials used by artists in GFS’s newest exhibition, Opening the Vault: A Look Inside the GFS Collection. Swing by each station to create your own work of art and collect all three to make a mini art collection:
- Wooden Sculptures – Outdoors in front of the Domestic Arts Building (rain: Small Education Studio)
- Beaded Portraits – Education Studio in the Welcome Center
- Foil Figures – Outdoors in front of the Motor Exhibits Building (rain: Board Room)
Artists in Action: Open Studios
10:30AM – 1:30PM
Meet the artists who call Grounds For Sculpture their creative home. Step inside their studios, ask questions, learn about their processes, and discover the stories behind their artwork. The artists of the Motor Exhibits Building represent a vibrant community of sculptors and painters with diverse cultural, professional, and educational backgrounds. Their practices extend beyond the studio to include research, creative production, community and institutional engagement, and educational outreach. Through their work, these artists offer insight, inspiration, and meaningful connections for GFS visitors and the broader community.
Motor Exhibits Building
Meet the Curatorial Staff of Opening the Vault: A Look Inside the GFS Collection
10:30AM – 1:30PM
GFS staff who curated, designed, and installed the new exhibition will be in the gallery for conversation and questions.
Domestic Arts Building
Wellness Workshop: Intro to Body Scan Meditation and Breathwork
11AM and 1PM
This 40-minute beginner-friendly body scan meditation and journaling workshop guides participants through a gentle, mindful awareness of the body to release tension and reconnect with the present moment. Through calm instruction and focused attention, you’ll cultivate relaxation, clarity, and a deeper sense of ease.
Water Garden (rain: Tent behind Water Garden)
Art Talk
Power, Process, Practice: A Conversation with artist Salvador Jiménez-Flores
2 – 3:30PM
Join artist Salvador Jiménez-Flores in conversation with Grounds For Sculpture Curator Grace Yasumura for a discussion on artistic freedom. Together, they will explore how creative practices confront social issues, challenge systems of power, and open space for dialogue and change. This dynamic discussion invites audiences to consider the role of art in shaping civic consciousness and amplifying diverse voices. Additional registration required.
East Gallery
Docent-led Tours
Throughout the day. Register at Guest Services upon arrival to GFS. Tours leave from Welcome Center.
Member Lounge
Open 10AM – 2PM
Enjoy a complimentary beverage and connect with staff and volunteers.
Museum Shop
Open 10AM – 5PM
GFS members enjoy 20% off eligible merchandise in the Museum Shop. Be sure to show your membership card at check-out.
Refreshments
GFS members enjoy 10% off dining at the Van Gogh Café and Rat’s Restaurant. Be sure to show your membership card at check-out or to your server.
Opening the Vault: A Look Inside the GFS Collection is supported in part by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division of the NJ Department of State, and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Atlantic Foundation.
