The springtime Family Day returns 10 am-noon Saturday, April 21 to the Albany Museum of Art—just in time for kids to start working on Mother’s Day cards for mom’s special day next month.
 
About 200 people are expected to turn out for the event, which has been a nine-year partnership of the Albany Recreation & Parks Department and the AMA.
 
“We started it as a collaboration between Recreation & Parks and the Albany Museum of Art in 2009,” Kristin Caso, marketing and special events coordinator for the Albany Recreation & Parks Department, said. “We did it as a one-time event.
 
“We were blown away because in a four-hour period we had about 450 people show up here at the museum. It was a really diverse audience, which was great.”
 
Chloe Hinton, director of programming and education for the AMA, said Family Day is a great opportunity for families to engage in time together and to view museum art exhibits, which will be open during the event.
 
“Everything’s open,” she said. “We want everyone to come in and have a great time. And while they’re here, we encourage them to walk through and enjoy our exhibitions.”
 
No reservations are required and the event is free to participants, Hinton said.
“Admission to the museum and its exhibits always is free, too,” she noted. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
 
Coming up Saturday will be activities and projects aimed at spring fun. Many of the events will be on the museum grounds
 
“The weather’s supposed to be fantastic,” Caso said. “We’re going to keep the weather forecasters at their word. We’re going to have sidewalk chalk outside and some games, also probably some tattoos inside. Kids love the tattoos.”
 
With the observance of Earth Day falling on Sunday, April 22, some activities will reflect that, she said.
 
“We have a salute to Earth Day,” Caso said. “They’ll be making Earth Day tote bags that they can use. We have these cute lady bug buckets that are sort of our little note to spring.”
 
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, children—and their dads—can make personalized cards as tributes to mom.
 
“They’ll be able to make as many Mother’s Day cards as they want in the classroom,” Caso said. “There’s nothing like a homemade Mother’s Day card.”
 
Caso and Hinton say Family Day, which is conducted each spring and fall, is a perfect time for families to enjoy time doing things together and also enjoy great art.
 
“It’s a fun event for families to just get together and have a great time, and it’s always free of charge,” Caso noted.