Heritage Museums & Gardens Announces an “Up Close and Personal” 2017 Season
Contemporary landscape art, unique visitor experiences, garden and fall festivals, and more head the line-up for the 2017 season
March 1, 2017 (Sandwich, MA)—Imagine having a concierge-style tour of expansive gardens and exceptional exhibits, the opportunity not only to see a classic automobile, but actually to ride in it, to take classes with art experts, and to have exclusive after-hours access to a great exhibit and food truck cuisine. These and other experiences are available to visitors during the 2017 season at Heritage Museums & Gardens.
“We’re taking our mission of exploration, discovery, and learning to a new level in 2017,” said Ellen Spear, President and CEO at Heritage Museums & Gardens. “From the moment visitors arrive, there are multiple options to experience Heritage in fun and engaging ways. Because there’s so much to see and do, this season our visitors can enjoy personalized, behind-the-scenes tours that cater to their interests and get them up close and personal with our collections, gardens, and exhibits. They’ll even have the opportunity to ride in one of our historic cars.”
Heritage opens for its season (April 15-October 9) with a special exhibit, Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views. Featuring the work of Alex Katz, one of the most widely recognized American artists of this century, Paul Resika, Sam Cady, April Gornik, and others, the exhibit offers a range of styles, subjects, and approaches which, when taken together, form an intimate, contemporary, and startlingly beautiful collection that addresses what landscape painting is today. Each artist featured takes acute notice of the physical world at a time of heightened awareness of the landscape, informed by today’s concerns, including climate change, environmental health, conservation and the green movement. Guest curator of the exhibit is New York art expert Lauren Della Monica.
To complement the exhibit, Heritage will offer a panel discussion with artists whose work is on display, as well as Plein Air Painting and Pastel Workshops throughout the season, led by renowned Cape Cod artists.
Heritage’s 2017 outdoor installation, Points of View (June 3-October 9), features art set within the gardens and grounds of Heritage, in which artists play with the concept of point of view. A variety of materials are incorporated that enhance the viewer’s appreciation of the gardens and grounds while challenging them to think about what a point of view can be. As an added bonus, visitors get the chance to talk with the artists as they install their sculptures during Artists in Action Days (May 20 and 21).
Also part of Heritage’s 2017 season are a number of new events and activities, for an additional fee, including concierge-style tours—90-minute tours that provide behind-the-scenes views and “inside” information about the exhibits, gardens, and more—which will be offered twice daily, June 17-September 17.
Food Truck Fridays, which take place on June 2 and 23, run from 5-8 pm and feature a wide selection of tasty offerings as well as after-hours, exclusive access to Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views. Visitors will savor some of the best food truck offerings on the Cape and New England, and beer and wine will also be available.
Fall activities include a Halloween Fest as well as the Heritage Hoppy Fall Festival on September 23, from 10-5 pm. Hoppy Fest features beer tastings from local Massachusetts breweries—including Cape Cod Beer, Cisco Brewers, Independent Fermentations Brewing, Castle Island Brewing Company, and more—along with a presentation on the history of beer brewing, a demonstration of home brewing techniques, and a talk and book signing with Lauren Clark, author of Crafty Bastards. Visitors can also enjoy fall-themed treats and take photos under an archway of living hops grown at Heritage.
Heritage’s focus on family-friendly activities and entertainment throughout the season includes Family Fun Fridays, which begin on Friday, June 30, and take place on Fridays through August 18, the popular two-acre Hidden Hollow™ outdoor family discovery space with a gigantic treehouse, free rides on the vintage carousel, and special programs throughout the season. Also opening, on April 13, is The Adventure Park at Heritage, which includes aerial trails in the treetops and interpretive nature trails below.
As the largest public garden in southern New England and home of the most comprehensive collection of rhododendrons and hydrangeas in the country, Heritage’s renowned gardens will be in bloom for The Rhododendron Festival (May 27-June 4) and The Hydrangea Festival (July 7-July 16). During these festivals, a number of informative workshops and walking tours of the gardens, led by horticulture experts, will be available. Special horticulture events include Hydrangea University (July 7) and The Standard Flower Show (July 11-13).
Heritage is home to gems of the automobile world that celebrate America’s love of automobiles as well as technological innovation, featuring vehicles that convey excellence in restoration and historical significance. This season’s “Collector’s Corner” features rarely seen autos on loan from private collections, includes a 1965 Cadillac with 1,700 original miles, a 1964.5 Mustang Convertible, and a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350. The Heritage Annual Auto Show (June 10; rain date June 11) is a family-friendly event that highlights antique and classic automobiles, hot rods, custom cars, and—new this year, motorcycles—in excellent original or restored condition. Throughout the season, Behind-the-Scenes Auto Tours provide visitors with an exclusive peek at Heritage’s automobile collection in storage and inside information.
Heritage is grateful for the support of the 2017 lead sponsor, the Arbella Insurance Foundation. The 2017 season runs from April 15-October 9. Open daily, 10 am-5 pm. More information is available online at heritagemuseumsandgardens.org or by calling 508-888-3300.
###
Contact:
Amy Dean, Director of Marketing & Communications
508-888-3300 x115
adean@heritagemuseums.org
About Heritage Museums & Gardens:
Set on 100 stunning acres of gardens, nature trails, and open spaces, Heritage Museums & Gardens is the only place where you can browse through rare works of art, fly through the trees on a zip line, and see iconic antique automobiles all in one day. Explore Hidden Hollow™, an interactive outdoor discovery area for kids of all ages. Take a ride on the vintage carousel. And find your own special spot on Cape Cod.
About the Arbella Insurance Group and the Arbella Insurance Foundation
Established in 1988, the Arbella Insurance Group (www.arbella.com) is a company with more than $850M in revenue with over 1 billion dollars in assets, headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Arbella is a customer-focused regional property and casualty insurance company, providing personal and business insurance in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and business insurance in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Arbella Insurance Group founded the Arbella Insurance Foundation in 2004. The mission of Arbella’s Foundation is to engage in activities and to support not-for-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities served by Arbella.