NEW ORLEANS – On Saturday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Ogden Museum of Southern Art will host a Free Family Day for the New Orleans community. The free admission day will include a “Passport to the South Scavenger Hunt,” take-home art activity bags with supplies and music by DJ Heelturn. In conjunction with Free Family Day, COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered in the museum’s library building from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This vaccination opportunity is made possible thanks to Ogden Museum’s partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families and CORE.

Free Family Day art activity bags for all ages will include: Abstract Geometric Collage, Inspired by Wendo Brunoir; Nature Watercolor Painting, Inspired by Walter Anderson; Kinetic Sculpture, Inspired by Lin Emery and MaPó Kinnord; and Expressing Emotion Through Portraiture, Inspired by Kathleen Blackshear. These activities will be available in a take-away bag with supplies included. Free Family Day access is available through Ogden Museum’s main entrance at 925 Camp Street.

Important event guidelines for attending Free Family Day: Anyone 12 years of age and older must provide proof of at least one dose of an approved COVID vaccine or a negative PCR test within 72 hours to access. Ogden Museum will accept original vaccine cards, the LA Wallet app or high-resolution photos of both sides of your vaccine card as proof of vaccination. Physical copies or a photo of a negative PCR test will also be accepted. Masks and online ticket reservations are required for this event. Reduced capacity is implemented.

Guests may enter the vaccination event at the library entrance on Andrew Higgins Blvd. Those who receive their vaccination will receive four free admission tickets to Ogden Museum to use at a later date, a 20% off coupon to use in the Ogden Museum Store and the first 15 people to get vaccinated get a free family membership (Value: $125). Vaccination appointments can be made at www.ogdenmuseum.org. Masks required.

“We’re excited to present this safe, interactive and free event to our community,” says Ellen Balkin, Director of Education at Ogden Museum. “Escape the heat and use your own “Passport to the South” to explore a tranquil landscape, get lost in a vibrant abstract or delight in an energetic sculpture. Plus, along with the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families, we’re thrilled to offer a special vaccine opportunity on the same day. Get your shot at the Ogden Museum and pick up a free art activity bag. Plus, the first 15 people to get a shot will receive a free family membership!”

About CORE

CORE is a rapid-response, nimble emergency relief organization that partners with communities to address both the immediate and long-term needs of the marginalized communities most vulnerable to disaster. We focus on building sustainable infrastructure and expanding essential wraparound services, including shelter, food, water, physical and mental health, and economic support services.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CORE is supporting heavily impacted marginalized communities across the U.S., in partnership with local governments, medical providers, and community organizations in multiple cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Napa Valley, Navajo Nation, New Orleans, North Carolina, Oakland (Alameda County), and Washington D.C. Since March 2020, CORE has been providing free testing and essential services at fixed and mobile sites nationwide, and has been operating community vaccination sites in Los Angeles and Atlanta since December 2020. We have also been conducting contact tracing through an innovative home visit program and providing wrap-around services to communities in need. To date, we have successfully provided close to 5 million tests, over 550,000 vaccinations, and more than 2,000 contact tracing and resource coordination home visits.

About Ogden Museum

Located in the vibrant Warehouse Arts District of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana since 1999, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art welcomes 85,000 visitors annually to experience and learn about the artists and art movements of the American South. It is home to a collection of more than four thousand works, making it the largest and most comprehensive repository dedicated to Southern art in the nation, with particular strength in the genres of Self-Taught art, Regionalism, photography and contemporary art. The Museum is further recognized for its original exhibitions, public events and educational programs, which examine the development of visual art alongside Southern traditions of music, literature and local craft. Museum admission is free on Thursdays for Louisiana residents, courtesy of The Helis Foundation. The Museum is located at 925 Camp Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. For more information, visit www.ogdenmuseum.org.