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UMMA Blog
UMMA mid-floor structure from the front view on main floor.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: UMMA’s Apse Has Been Rebuilt Before — Here’s What It Used to Look Like
May 20, 2026
We closed Alumni Memorial Hall in January to begin a major renovation project on the building’s century-old marble floors. Periodically during construction, we’ll check-in here with construction updates and history tidbits.
UMMA Blog
Ypsilanti International Elementary School students engage with art during a field trip to UMMA
UMMA Expands Its Teaching Model With New Course At U-M Marsal School of Education
May 4, 2026
“TOOT TOOT!” Like any train, this one isn’t getting where it’s going by accident. That sense of belonging is the intentional work of UMMA’s Gallery Educators, a team of teaching artists who guide K-12 students through the museum with an approach rooted in curiosity, conversation, and care.
News
Guests, workshop participants, and supporters gather at UMMA for the closing reception of the Chinese Object Study Workshop on June 13, 2025.
Gift From William C. Weese Establishes Endowed Curator of Asian Art at UMMA, Bringing Lifetime Giving to $10 Million
Apr 15, 2026
UMMA announced a landmark $2 million gift from U-M Alumnus William C. Weese, M.D. (LSA ‘65) to endow the Curator of Asian Art—securing the museum’s leadership in Asian art and advancing its position as a premier destination for the study and public presentation of Chinese ceramics.
News
A campus scene at the University of Michigan features a large red sculpture standing prominently amidst blooming trees with pink flowers. Nearby buildings and a few people walking on a paved path can be seen in the background.
UMMA Earns National Recognition from the American Alliance of Museums
Mar 27, 2026
Reaccreditation affirms UMMA’s leadership in academic engagement, community partnership, and cultural impact.
News
Headshot of Kelly Kivland.
UMMA Appoints Kelly Kivland as Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs
Mar 9, 2026
UMMA announced today that Kelly Kivland will join as Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs to lead the museum’s curatorial vision and exhibition program.
UMMA Blog
Museum visitor looks up at artwork with inspired gaze.
No Flights Required Spring Break Plans
Mar 4, 2026
It’s Spring Break season, and for many, that can mean planes, beaches, and summer sun in the middle of our never-ending Michigan winter.  But if your travel plans this year look more like couch, coffee, and scrolling, art can still take you somewhere!
UMMA Blog
A large atrium room mid construction project - wheelbarrows and torn up tile are littered around.
UPDATE: The Marble Floors In Alumni Memorial Hall Are Gone
Feb 25, 2026
We closed Alumni Memorial Hall in January to begin a major renovation project on the building’s century-old marble floors. Periodically during construction, we’ll check-in here with construction updates and history tidbits.
UMMA Blog
Students participate in Match Day for the "Art at Home" exhibition at UMMA, selecting original artworks from the gallery to take home for the winter semester as part of the Bridge Scholars Plus program.
From UMMA’s Walls to Students’ Homes: Art That Lives with You
Jan 15, 2026
On January 13, a group of U-M students gathered at UMMA to find out something unexpected: which work of art would they be taking off the walls and living with for the semester.
News
People stand on stage in front of a large projection screen with microphone.
University of Michigan Students Decide UMMA’s Next Acquisition in Live “Art Tank” Event
Dec 9, 2025
The Business of Art course helps students understand the economics of the art market by providing real word experience.
News
Tile floor in foreground with people in motion walking throughout the space.
UMMA to Temporarily Close Alumni Memorial Hall for Marble Floor Restoration
Dec 2, 2025
Museum’s Frankel Family Wing will remain open with new exhibitions and programs throughout the project. UMMA will temporarily close Alumni Memorial Hall, the museum’s historic South wing, beginning in late January 2026 for a full replacement of its marble floor.
UMMA Blog
The night featured an artist panel on Indigenous Futurism with Andrea Carlson, Frank Waln, and Debra Yepa-Pappan.
Artist Andrea Carlson Reflects on Three Years of Future Cache at UMMA
Nov 24, 2025
As UMMA’s exhibition Andrea Carlson: Future Cache prepares to close on November 30, 2025, visitors have a few final weeks to spend time with artist Andrea Carlson’s reflections on land, memory, and belonging.
UMMA Blog
The "Feel Good Friday: Queer Night – Halloween Edition" event took place at UMMA on October 24, 2025. The night featured colorful projections by Venusloc, film screenings with Kris McKinney, performances by Baddie Brooks, Cherriel, and Na Bonsai, mini portrait sessions with Ruby Flwrs, Miranda Kyle, Miriam Uhura, and Yhasmin Wilder, and interactive photo and costume booths hosted by the UMMA Student Advisory Board.
Feel Good Friday—Queer Night Halloween Was a Glittering Celebration of Community
Oct 28, 2025
Halloween came early at UMMA with this Feel Good Friday—Queer Night on October 24, where glitter, ghosts, and glamour collided in perfect spooky fashion.
UMMA Blog
Visitors viewing artwork at an exhibition in a gallery. The tour guide is talking with them. They are surrounded by works of art.
Art, Money, and Meaning: UMMA’s Subject Matters Events Unpack the Business of Art
Oct 8, 2025
This Fall, UMMA has teamed up with the Ross School of Business to ask one of the most complicated questions in the art world: What actually gives art value?
News
Image of flames with a gray background.
UMMA and the Labadie Collection Launch Ambitious Exhibition Series on American Protest and Social Movements
Sep 25, 2025
Julie Ault awarded inaugural commission, will open American Sampler: Activating the Archive on January 24, 2026
News
A large red sculpture stands tall over a green lawn. In the background, buildings silhouette a blue sky.
New UMMA Internship Honors Artist Matthew Wong, Provides Hands-On Museum Experience
Aug 1, 2025
Gift From The Matthew Wong Foundation Creates New Museum Internship Fund Supporting The Future of Arts Leadership