KIMBELL ART MUSEUM’S FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THIS FALL
There’s something for everyone, from celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month to the new exhibition Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
September 1, 2026
FORT WORTH, TX—The Kimbell Art Museum will host free programs for the entire community this fall, including activities, films, lectures, happy hours, and more. Many programs throughout the season offer interesting ways to learn more about the new special exhibition Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS
The calendar of events below is accurate as of September 1, 2026. The most current information can always be found at kimbellart.org/calendar.
Ongoing Programs
In addition to the free programs listed below, the museum also offers a range of regular, free Public Tours exploring the museum’s permanent collection, special exhibitions, and architecture.
Kimbell Kids Drop-In Studios introduce children (ages 12 and younger) and their adult companions to fun and inspiring ways to enjoy art through gallery explorations and related studio-art projects on selected Saturdays from 1 to 1:45 p.m. The themes are Earth, Water, Fire: Clay in September, Skeleton Scramble in October, and Rhythm, Color, Music in November. Sign-up begins at noon in the Kahn Building.
Happy Hours on Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Kimbell Café feature live music and a selection of beverages and snacks available for purchase. No reservations are required. Members receive a 10% discount on beverages during Happy Hours. Note: The Kimbell Café will not be open for Happy Hour on October 2 due to special exhibition opening member events. There will be a special Día de los Muertos Happy Hour on October 30.
For Adults
Wednesday Series: Art in Context
These lectures, part of a continuing series, introduce the permanent collection and selected exhibitions on view at the Kimbell.
SELECTED WEDNESDAYS, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Piano Pavilion, Auditorium
No registration required
Space is limited.
SEPTEMBER 16
The View from Parma: Parmigianino and a Life in Art History
Mary Vaccaro, distinguished research professor of art history emerita, University of Texas at Arlington
OCTOBER 14
Affinities and Echoes: Passages in French and American Photography
Charles Wylie, curator of photographs, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth
NOVEMBER 11
“The Architecture of the Land”: Louis I. Kahn’s National Assembly Complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nubras Samayeen, assistant professor of architecture, University of Texas at Arlington
Evening lectures by distinguished guest speakers address a range of topics relating to the appreciation and interpretation of art.
SELECT FRIDAYS, 6–7 p.m.
Piano Pavilion, Auditorium
No registration required
Space is limited.
SEPTEMBER 18
Vilhelm Hammershøi: Pictures from Home
Emerson Bowyer, chief curator, Kimbell Art Museum
NOVEMBER 13
“From Today, Painting Is Dead!”:Photography’s Impact from Delacroix to Matisse
George T. M. Shackelford, deputy director, Kimbell Art Museum
What does the art of the past mean to the artist of the present? In this ongoing program, moderated by Kimbell staff, artists and architects discuss works in the museum’s collection, share the special insights of the practicing professional, and relate older art to contemporary artistic concerns, including their own.
SELECTED SATURDAYS, 11 a.m.–noon
Kahn Building, Galleries
No registration required
SEPTEMBER 19
OCTOBER 17
NOVEMBER 21
Bring friends and a sense of adventure for interactive gallery experiences that mingle Friday night vibes, collaboration, and creative expression. This free, forty-five-minute program occurs once a month during the Kimbell Café’s regular Happy Hour.
SELECTED FRIDAYS, 5:30–6:15 p.m.
Kahn Building, West Lobby
No registration required
SEPTEMBER 25
OCTOBER 23
NOVEMBER 20
Films
Films feature expert commentary and high-quality cinematography to complement special exhibitions, architecture, and the Kimbell’s permanent collection.
SELECTED SUNDAYS, 2 p.m.
Piano Pavilion, Auditorium
No registration required
Space is limited.
SEPTEMBER 27
A Celebration of Filmmaker and Playwright Luis Valdez
The Kimbell is pleased to partner with the Reel House Foundation to present a special two-part screening in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month. A post-screening panel conversation with experts and community leaders will explore the films’ impact and cultural resonance.
I Am Joaquin (1969, 20 min.) and Zoot Suit (1981, 103 min.)
OCTOBER 18
Recent documentary films selected for the Arkhaios Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Film Festival highlight international efforts to preserve cultural heritage and promote understanding through ethnological and archaeological research. The complete schedule will be available in early October.
France in the Age of Photography
NOVEMBER 1
Photo: The Inventors and The Early Pioneers of Photography, 1850–1860 (2020, 53 min.)
NOVEMBER 15
The Cinematograph: Birth of an Art (2021, 52 min.)
Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque National de France
Inaugural talks by esteemed experts introduce techniques and artists featured in the upcoming special exhibition.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 10 a.m.
Piano Pavilion, Auditorium; simulcast in Kahn Auditorium
No registration required
Space is limited.
Welcome, Eric M. Lee, director, Kimbell Art Museum; Introductions, George T. M. Shackelford, deputy director, Kimbell Art Museum; Silver Plates and Salted Paper, Stephen C. Pinson, curator of photographs, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Man Ray: The Paris Portraits, Michael R. Taylor, artistic director and chief curator, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
Students and faculty from area colleges and universities are invited to explore the current special exhibition, participate in gallery and studio activities, enjoy light refreshments, and win trivia game prizes.
Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque National de France
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 4–6 p.m.
Piano Pavilion
Registration required
For Kids and Families
Join us for stories, art, and creative play! This free program is designed for children (ages 4–6) and their adult partners. Spanish-language facilitation is available with advance notice.
FIRST TUESDAYS, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Kahn Building, Galleries
Registration required
Space is limited.
SEPTEMBER 1
OCTOBER 6
NOVEMBER 3
Calling all Brownies! Join us for a free workshop to explore the museum and practice problem-solving through artmaking. Participants will earn their Craft and Tinker badge. All materials are provided.
Clay Vessels
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 10:30 a.m.–noon
Kahn Building
Registration required
Space is limited.
Experience dynamic and diverse forms of creative expression during afternoon events hosted in conjunction with the special exhibition Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
SELECTED SATURDAYS, 2 p.m.
Piano Pavilion, Auditorium
No registration required
Space is limited.
OCTOBER 10
Le monde de Verlaine: Exploring French Music from the Long Nineteenth Century, featuring Morgan Manifacier, tenor, and Corinne Penner, piano
NOVEMBER 14
Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth presents “A Century of Sound and Light: From the Belle Époque to the Jazz Age”
SUPPORT
Promotional support for the Kimbell Art Museum and its exhibitions is provided by American Airlines, the Fort Worth Report, and NBC 5. Additional support is provided by Arts Fort Worth. Special thanks to the Nuestro Kimbell committee for their support of our community programs.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Admission to the museum’s permanent collection is always free. Admission is half-price all day on Tuesdays and after 5 p.m. on Fridays.
The Kimbell Art Museum is open Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Fridays, noon–8 p.m.; Sundays, noon–5 p.m.; closed Mondays, New Year’s Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. For general information, call 817-332-8451.
ABOUT THE KIMBELL ART MUSEUM
The Kimbell Art Museum, owned and operated by the Kimbell Art Foundation, is internationally renowned for both its collections and its architecture. The Kimbell’s collections range in period from antiquity to the twentieth century and include European paintings and sculptures by artists such as Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi, Bernini, Velázquez, Gainsborough, Monet, Cézanne, Picasso, and Matisse, as well as important examples of Egyptian and classical antiquities. Also included are significant works of Asian art from China, Japan, the Himalayas, and South and Southeast Asia; notable African sculptures primarily from West and Central Africa; and a wide range of ancient American art representing cultures across Mexico and Central and South America.
The museum’s 1972 building, designed by the American architect Louis I. Kahn, is widely regarded as one of the outstanding architectural achievements of the modern era. A second building, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, opened in 2013 and now provides space for special exhibitions, dedicated classrooms, and a 289-seat auditorium with excellent acoustics for music. For more information, visit kimbellart.org.