Art Museum and Galleries at W&L: Winter 2026 Programs and Exhibitions
Explore exhibitions and collections at the Art Museum and Galleries with select programming through May.
Museums at W&L Archive (95 Stories)
The Art Museum and Galleries at W&L Reimagines the Legacy of Post-Consumer Waste with Moffat Takadiwa’s ‘Recoded Memories’
The exhibition, on view starting Oct. 24, brings the Zimbabwean artist’s sculptural exploration of memory, waste and the environmental aftermath of global power structures to the heart of Virginia.
W&L’s Mudd Center Presents Screening of ‘Anthropocene: The Human Epoch’
The Sept. 30 screening features the work of Edward Burtynsky, whose solo exhibition is on view at the Reeves Museum of Ceramics.
W&L Museums Curatorial Fellow Receives Scholarship from The Decorative Arts Trust
Fosca Maddaloni-Yu will utilize the scholarship to participate in the trust’s study abroad trip to Japan.
W&L’s Mudd Center Announces 2025-26 Lecture Series
“Taking Place: Land Use and Environmental Impact” kicks off Sept. 11 with a keynote address by political scientist Thea Riofrancos.
Art Museum and Galleries at W&L: Fall 2025 Programs and Exhibitions
This academic year’s lineup of exhibits and events will explore the theme of “Materiality & Transformation.”
Leading Expert and Scholar of Chinese Export Ceramics to Deliver Lecture at W&L
William R. Sargent’s talk on May 2 is part of the closing ceremony for Stephanie Shih’s ‘LONG TIME NO SEE (好久不見).’
Leah Naomi Green to Hold Reading and Conversation on Language and Narrative
The April 7 event is part of the Museums at W&L’s ‘Lunch and Learn’ series.
Washington Portrait to be Featured in Exhibit Commemorating 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
Washington and Lee will loan iconic Peale portrait to upcoming Virginia history exhibit on view in Richmond and Yorktown.
University of Virginia Professor Sylvia Chong to Deliver Lecture on Commodity Orientalism
The March 14 talk is part of the Museums at W&L’s ‘Lunch and Learn’ series.
Banu Subramaniam of Wellesley College to Deliver Lecture on Modern Plant Sciences
The plant evolutionary biologist’s talk will be held on Mar. 13 at 5:30 p.m. on W&L’s campus.
Ceramicist and Physicist Hideo Mabuchi to Deliver Lecture on Ceramics and Cultural Belonging
The Stanford University professor’s talk will be held on March 6 at 5:30 p.m. on W&L’s campus.
Sandy de Lissovoy is the Next Speaker in the Anne and Edgar Basse Jr. Author Talk Series
De Lissovoy will deliver a lecture on “Unpacking an Art Exhibit and Thinking Like Collage” on Jan. 27.
Museums at W&L: Winter 2025 Programs and Exhibitions
The Museums at W&L invite the public to explore its exhibitions and collections with select programming through May.
Award-Winning Poet Sally Wen Mao to Deliver Glasgow Reading at W&L
The public reading on Nov. 7 will be accompanied by a writing workshop for W&L students.
Meditation Garden Series Offers Space for Reflection
The Museums at W&L will lead guided meditations on Saturdays from Oct. 12 through Nov. 2 in the Watson Galleries, in conjunction with Emma Steinkraus’ “Impossible Garden/Dusk & Dawn” exhibit.
The Museums at W&L Present Emma Steinkraus’ ‘Impossible Garden: Dusk & Dawn’
The exhibition, on view starting Oct. 2, celebrates women artists in overlooked genres.
Indigenous Artist Sandra Laronde to Deliver Lenfest Center Series Keynote Address at W&L
An authentic Indigenous dinner will accompany Laronde’s talk on Oct. 7 and is part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement Series.
The Lenfest Center Presents ‘Native American Peoples and Lands: Historic Connections to W&L’
The public talk will take place in Kamen Gallery on Sept. 27 and is part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement Series.
Masako Konishi to Deliver Lecture as Part of the Class of 1963 Scholars in Residence Program
Konishi, Chief Merchandising Officer at Forever 21, will deliver her talk on Sept. 25.
The Terra Foundation for American Art Awards Museums at W&L a $50,000 Grant
The funds will support ‘Stephanie Shih: LONG TIME NO SEE (好久不見),’ an exhibition born out of the 2023 inaugural Artist-in-Residence program.
Museums at W&L: Fall 2024 Programs and Exhibitions
This academic year’s lineup of exhibits and events will highlight the university’s Reeves Museum of Ceramics and the Watson Galleries.
Isra El-beshir Named to the Board of Directors for the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries
El-beshir will serve a three-year term as an at-large member.
The Museums at W&L Present ‘Stephanie Shih: LONG TIME NO SEE (好久不見)’
The solo exhibition, on view starting Aug. 28, mines the Reeves Collection of Chinese Export to explore diaspora and identity through ceramics.
The Museums at W&L Celebrate International Slow Art Day
W&L will celebrate the global event on April 13 in the McCarthy Gallery.
Rachel Du of Bonhams Auction House to Deliver Lecture on the Chinese Art Market
The art specialist’s talk will be held on March 25 at 5:30 p.m.
Museums at W&L: Winter 2024 Programs and Exhibitions
The Museums at W&L invite the public to explore its exhibitions and collections with select programming through May.
W&L Students Curate Fall Art Exhibition
“Mohammad Omer Khalil: Musings,” co-curated by four Washington and Lee students as part of a seminar course in museum studies, will be on display in the Watson Galleries Sept. 28, 2023 through June 1, 2024.
Museums at W&L: Fall 2023 Programs and Exhibitions
The Museums at W&L invite the public to their opening reception for “Musings” on Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m.
Collection Connections
Washington and Lee’s Museum Artist-in-Residence Program welcomed photographer Stephanie Shih to campus in May to create new work based on the Museums’ art collection.
New Exhibition Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
“OPEN FLOWERS BEAR FRUIT” opens May 1 in the McCarthy Gallery in Holekamp Hall.
The Museums at W&L Celebrate International ‘Slow Art Day’
W&L will celebrate the global event on April 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics.
New Exhibition Celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
“We Love Life Whenever We Can” will be on display at W&L’s Leyburn Library April 1 through Dec. 8, 2023.
Lighting a Fire
The Museums at W&L invites visitors to reflect on “Born of Fire: Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists,” on display through April 29.
Museums at W&L Expands Its Collection
W&L’s most recent museum exhibition, “Mother Clay: The Pottery of Three Pueblo Women,” brought new artists into the university’s collection and connected the campus community in unexpected ways.
W&L Celebrates Women’s History Month
The campus community will recognize women’s achievements with various events throughout the month of March.
Museums at W&L Presents ‘Born of Fire’
This exhibit is free and open to the public, with a scheduled reception and lecture by curator and scholar Jacqueline Chao on March 8 at 5 p.m.
Victoria Ferguson to Lead Monacan Pottery Demonstrations
Ferguson’s sessions on March 10 and 11 are part of Winter Term programming at the Museums at W&L.
The Museums at W&L Selected to Participate in Collections Assessment for Preservation Program
CAP helps museums improve the care of their collections by providing support for a general conservation assessment of the museum’s objects and buildings.
W&L Presents “Blacks and Jews in America: An Invitation to Dialogue”
Terrence Johnson, professor of African American religious studies at Harvard University, will discuss his latest book on March 1.
Museums at W&L: Winter 2023 Programs and Exhibitions
Two new ceramics exhibits, which spotlight women artists, open to the public Feb. 1.
The Mudd Center’s Carelab Series Presents Megan K. Mueller
Mueller will give a public lecture in Northen Auditorium on Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.
New Plaques Dedicated at the Memorial Gateway
Four Washington and Lee alumni were honored on Friday, Oct. 21, during a ceremony dedicating the installation of three plaques on the university’s Memorial Gateway.
Museums at W&L: Fall 2022 Programs and Exhibitions
The Museums at W&L invite the public to their opening reception for "Museum Menageries" on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.
Reeves Museum Unveils Green-Glazed Stoneware Acquisitions
The two recent acquisitions, a large dish and a small jar, allow the museum to better represent the global reach of Chinese ceramics.
W&L Presents Public Art Exhibition and Lecture on Ukraine
The public lecture, titled "Portrait of a Village, Ukraine," will be delivered by Lida and Mišo Suchý on April 28 at 5 p.m.
The Museums at W&L Celebrate International ‘Slow Art Day’
W&L will celebrate the international movement on April 2 from noon to 2 p.m. in Watson Gallery on the W&L campus.
W&L’s Lynn Rainville Featured in Charlottesville Tomorrow
Lynn Rainville discusses her research and field work with Black cemeteries.
W&L’s Museums Present ‘Choc-Full of History’ Tasting Event
The public event will feature hot chocolate tasting of historic recipes and feature a display of historic ceramics made for chocolate (beverages?) with Ron Fuchs, W&L's senior curator of ceramics.
‘What I Love About the Liberal Arts’
Amelia Lancaster '22 has used her W&L experience to explore a number of interests, ultimately finding a passion in museum studies and Chinese that has allowed her to co-curate a museum exhibition on campus.
W&L Stages a New Exhibition Illustrating Chapel History
The University Chapel and Galleries recently opened an exhibition titled "Setting the Stage: A Glimpse Inside 150 Years of the University Chapel Auditorium."
W&L’s Museums Host Third Gallery Talk of Fall Term
The discussion on Oct. 20, "A Wilde Teapot: Exploring Race, Gender and Sexuality,” is free and open to the public.
W&L’s Rainville Quoted in NBC Article
Lynn Rainville discusses Black cemetery preservation in a recent NBC News article.
Beauty in the Beasts
A deer figure on display in a new Watson Galleries exhibit, "Auspicious Animals," is an example of the Chinese practice of blending European tastes with encoded symbolic meaning.
W&L Museums Present Fall Events
The Museums at W&L invite the public to their grand reopening reception on Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m.
Staniar Gallery Presents Louise Herreshoff Eaton Exhibition
The exhibition is the first comprehensive study of the artist's watercolors.
Appreciating Lexington’s Location
W&L's students and visitors will find lots to explore in and around Lexington this year.
W&L’s Rainville Quoted in Article on Black Cemeteries
Lynn Rainville was recently featured in the Burlington County Times.
W&L Students Curate Art Exhibition by Almigdad Aldikhaiiry
The May 17 event will highlight the exhibit, which is curated by sevens students at W&L as part of a Spring Term course, Seminar in Museum Studies.
Meet a General: Isra El-Beshir
Isra El-Beshir, associate director of museums, is helping develop, coordinate and execute the strategic plan for the Museums of W&L.
Escape to “Inscapes” in Watson Galleries
The exhibit of paintings by Evelyn Dawson, which includes student reflections and a student-curated playlist, is part of Museums at W&L's new Mindfulness Initiative and the 20th anniversary of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program.
Museums at W&L Present Gallery Talk
The community is invited to a virtual talk on April 7 titled "Women in the Arts: Out of the Margins, Into the Light."
W&L’s Museums Talk Female Abolitionists
The public discussion, which explored female abolitionists’ roles in history, featured Lena Hill, dean of the college; Ron Fuchs, senior curator of ceramics; and Nneka Dennie, assistant professor of history.
Diversity in the Decorative Arts
This porcelain bowl manufactured in Saint-Cloud, France, is an excellent example of work done under the supervision of a woman named Barbe Coudray, who successfully and profitably ran a factory that remained in production until 1766.
University Museums Reopen to Campus Community
On Feb. 26, W&L’s museums and art galleries reopened to current W&L students, faculty and staff for in-person visitation.
Set in Stone
Debris from the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing found its way to W&L’s Special Collections, where it heightened one class’s understanding of a powerful Japanese novel.
Serving Up a Story
This 1820s plate in the Reeves Museum collection depicts the landing at Plymouth Rock, a likely myth that became a central story in the history of America.
Talks, Exhibits, Podcasts for Holiday Downtime
COVID-19 may have forced events to go virtual this Fall Term, but that means some guest speaker talks and art exhibits can still be enjoyed online.
Art That Talks
Theater students at W&L were challenged to select a piece from the university's art collection and give it voice.
W&L’s Rainville Discusses African American Burial Grounds
Lynn Rainville will participate in the virtual symposium "Revealing Fayetteville – A New Landscape" on Nov. 2 from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Lee Chapel Fall Lecture Oct. 12 to Feature Professor and Author Allen C. Guelzo
Dr. Guelzo will deliver this year’s lecture, “The Mystery of Robert E. Lee,” virtually.
A Plan to Sink Slavery
A plan of the slave ship Brookes that was used to advance the cause of abolitionists has been acquired by the Reeves Museum at Washington and Lee University, where it will complement a collection of abolitionist ceramics.
From Japan to Lexington
A pair of Bijin, or beautiful women, made in Arita, Japan, between 1690 and 1720 are the first of their kind in the Reeves Museum of Ceramics at W&L.
‘There’s Nothing Like Art’
A generous donation of art last year from Rick Kramer '69 includes three works by Sam Gilliam, one of the most significant living artists of our time.
Political Satire from the American Revolution
A plate decorated with a widely distributed political cartoon of the American Revolution was used as commentary on the political, social and economic issues of the time.
Social Distancing on Ceramics
A new gift to the Reeves Museum of Ceramics documents how one artist is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thinking Outside the (Gallery) Box
“To See Color First,” the first comprehensive study of Louise Herreshoff Eaton’s bold and expressive watercolors, opens April 27 as a virtual exhibition.
W&L’s Rainville Featured in Episode of PBS Series
In the “Unmarked” episode of the “Reel South” series, Rainville highlights her research into historic African American cemeteries.
Squirrels and Grapes on the Dinner Table
This plate, a recent gift to W&L's Reeves Museum of Ceramics from local collectors Joan and Jay Crawford, provides a window into Chinese culture and the material lives of one of Virginia’s most prestigious families.
W&L Museums Move Online
For anyone participating in online learning during this time, there are several resources available through the museums that can help enrich the virtual classroom experience.
UPDATED: Staniar Gallery Features Senior Art Theses in Virtual Exhibit
W&L's studio art majors present their senior projects in an online exhibition.
‘A Fragment of a Rare Form’
A jar on display in the Reeves Center is an example of talavera poblana, which is tin-glazed earthenware made in Puebla, Mexico.
W&L’s Director of Institutional History Presents 2020 Founders Day Address
The title of Lynn Rainville’s talk is “Untold Stories of Founders, Leaders and Other Visionaries at W&L.”
When History Strikes a Chord
After conservation next year, the 154-year-old Stieff piano inside Lee House will be playable once more.
W&L Collections Feature Native American Artists
As Native American Heritage Month kicks off, University Collections of Art and History invites you to see artwork by Native American artists and featuring Native American people and cultures.
More Than Meets the Eye
A jar in the Reeves Collection tells the story of an African-American craftsman in Antebellum America.
Lynn Rainville Named Director of Institutional History at Washington and Lee
Lynn Rainville, community initiatives fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities and former dean of Sweet Briar College, will be the inaugural Director of Institutional History at Washington and Lee University.
Images Worth a Thousand Words
On March 1, W&L’s University Collections of Art and History will open its newest exhibit, "Breaking the Chains: Ceramics and the Abolition Movement."
Two for the Price of One
University Collections of Art and History recently purchased prints by iconic American artists Thomas Hart Benton and James Abbott McNeill Whistler, and they are already being incorporated into courses in art and art history.
A Dish Serving Centuries of History
This porcelain dish, which tells a story about the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, will be used in classes ranging from art history to economics.
A 345-Year-Old Bestseller
“An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperor of China" tells the story of a trade delegation sent from the Dutch East India Company to China in 1655-57.
W&L, Mount Vernon Announce Mutual Loan of Washington Portraits
The historic institutions will temporarily exchange iconic portraits of George Washington, which will go on public view in mid-December.
Recent Gift Illustrates Poet’s ‘Twin Obsessions’
Friends and classmates of Jeanne de Saussure Smith ’08 have dedicated an E. E. Cummings painting to W&L in her memory.
A Salad Bowl with a Sordid Past
This elegant bowl, which is part of W&L's Reeves Collection, can be traced back to the Opium War of 1839-1842.
The Story Behind the Art
After Tucker Hall was restored, University Collections of Art & History worked to find the perfect art to adorn its walls — including four bas-relief sculptures that hung on campus more than 100 years ago.
