This summer, families are invited to discover how food, art, and culture come together during the Springfield Museums‘ final installment of Summer at the Museums. On weekdays from August 3-14, visitors can enjoy hands-on activities inspired by the special exhibition, Markets, Foodways, and the Essence of Place: Works from the Museo de Arte de Ponce, on view at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition features works by Puerto Rican and Latin American artists that celebrate markets, agriculture, and the landscapes that shape everyday life and cultural identity.
Designed for children and families, the drop-in activities encourage creativity, problem-solving, and exploration while highlighting the journey food takes from the garden to the table and the important role markets play in communities around the world.
Featured activities include:
- Market Basket – Design and decorate your own farmer’s market basket to take home.
- Gardening and Harvesting – Discover how fruits, vegetables, and other foods grow before they reach our plates.
- Design a Market Stand – What would you sell at a farmers market? Create your own colorful market stand and imagine becoming a local vendor.
- Food Transport Challenge – Put your engineering skills to the test by designing a way to safely transport food from farm to market.
- Recipe Cards – Create a keepsake recipe card featuring your favorite meal or a treasured family recipe.
Families will also meet local growers and learn more about fresh, locally produced food through special guest visits during the two-week program. The Nuestras Raices Mobile Market will visit the Museums on August 4 and 11, offering fresh produce and information about its mission to improve access to healthy food while supporting local agriculture. On August 14, Dave’s Natural Garden will share insights into gardening, growing food, and sustainable practices, giving visitors a chance to connect with the people who help nourish our community.
Families are encouraged to extend their experience by visiting Markets, Foodways, and the Essence of Place, where paintings of bustling marketplaces, lush agricultural landscapes, and vibrant still lifes explore the traditions, environments, and foodways of Puerto Rico and Latin America. Together, the exhibition, hands-on activities, and special community partners invite visitors to consider how food connects people, places, and cultures across generations.
“This program invites families to think about food in a new way. Not just as something we eat, but as something that tells a story about culture, community, and place,” said Director of Education Larissa Murray. “By connecting hands-on activities with works of art and visits from local growers and food organizations, we’re helping visitors explore where food comes from, the people who produce it, and the traditions that bring us together around the table.”
All activities are included with museum admission unless otherwise noted. Summer programming takes place weekdays through August 14 and offers new opportunities for families to explore art, science, history, literacy, and hands-on discovery throughout the Museums.
Summer at the Museums is sponsored by Beacon Bank, Country Bank, Eversource, and M&T Bank. Markets, Foodways, and the Essence of Place was generously lent by Museo de Arte de Ponce as part of Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network and is sponsored locally by Connecticut Public. MassMutual is the season sponsor of the Springfield Museums.
Image: San Juan Market, painting by Luis German Cajiga