Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration
Family Play Day
- Special Event
Ames Family Atrium

About The Event
Join us on Monday, January 15, when the Cleveland Museum of Art will open its doors for a free daylong celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Art Activity: Make Your Mark
Amplify your artwork with the expressiveness of collage. Explore a variety of materials to create a unique portrait of your own reflection. Featured guest Future Ink Graphics will guide attendees through the screen-printing process, choosing from a selection of Dr. King’s iconic quotes, images, and symbols.
Response Station: Poetry Wall
Immerse yourself and become inspired by the wisdom of Dr. King. Drawing from his legendary speech, craft your own statement by weaving his words into the fabric of poetry.
Family Portrait Booth: Capturing Connection
Step into the booth and celebrate connection. Participants can capture precious family moments against a community backdrop.
Little Library
Stop by our mini reading space featuring picture books that celebrate diversity and explore tales that weave together the threads of unity, fostering a sense of belonging inspired by Dr. King's vision.
Entertainment:
DJ Kristyles (opens in a new tab) 12:00–3:00 p.m.
DJ Kristyles, music director and on-air personality at WOVU 95.9 FM, spins a curated playlist specifically for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Ames Family Atrium.
Humbly Submitted 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Humbly Submitted, one of Cleveland’s most in-demand gospel groups, performs a set inspired by jazz and soul in Gartner Auditorium.
In the Galleries:
Spotlight Talks 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Delve into the museum’s collection to explore artists inspired by themes from the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
Art Stories (ages 3+) 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Discover the colorful connections between art and storytelling, featuring artworks from the museum’s collection.
Sponsors
All education programs at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Education. Principal support is provided by Dieter and Susan M. Kaesgen and Gail C. and Elliott L. Schlang. Major annual support is provided by Brenda and Marshall Brown, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, Medical Mutual of Ohio, the Edwin D. Northrup II Fund, Shurtape Technologies, and the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation. Generous annual support is provided by an anonymous donor, Gini and Randy Barbato, the M. E. and F. J. Callahan Foundation, Dr. William A. Chilcote Jr. and Dr. Barbara S. Kaplan, Char and Chuck Fowler, the Giant Eagle Foundation, Linda Harper, the late Marta and the late Donald M. Jack Jr., Susan LaPine, Bill and Joyce Litzler, the Logsdon Family Fund for Education, Sarah Nash, Courtney and Michael Novak, William J. and Katherine T. O’Neill, the Pickering Foundation, William Roj and Mary Lynn Durham, Suzanne Cushwa Rusnak and Jeff Rusnak, Ellen and Lowell Satre, in memory of Dee Schafer, Betty T. and David M. Schneider, the Sally and Larry Sears Fund for Education Endowment, Roy Smith, Paula and Eugene Stevens, the Trilling Family Foundation, Jack and Jeanette Walton, and the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art.