Family Day at the Mattress Factory #Pittsburgh

This post is in collaboration with The Mattress Factory.

In case you’re not down with long lines and waking up super early to take advantage of all the deals this weekend, I wanted to take a minute today to let my Pittsburgh fam know about a cool event going on this weekend in the Burgh.

It’s called Family Day, and it’s happening at the Mattress Factory–which is a place all Pittsburghers should check out if they haven’t already. It’s probably my favorite museum in the city.

Family Day is free with the price of admission (and don’t forget that admission is heavily discounted if you or someone in your party has an ACCESS card!) and will highlight some of the museums art programs for all ages. All the programs are going to be free with the price of admission.

Mini-Factory

Here’s the Mattress Factory’s description of this program, which typically runs from 10a-12p on the second and fourth Saturday of every month:

“Let your early learner’s creativity run wild, with art and play activities, designed specifically for children ages 3-5. From confetti cannons to turntable drawings, Mini-Factory activities emphasize experimentation and encourage children to explore ideas inspired by Mattress Factory Artists.”

Normally this program costs $5 per participating child, but this weekend you’ll be able to participate for free.

ARTLab

This program runs from 1p-4p on the first and third Saturday of each month, and is included in the price of your admission always. This is the program is more geared towards adults than the others, but anyone can participate:

“ARTLab is a hands-on, drop-in, interactive program designed for visitors of all ages. During ARTLab, participants are invited to explore, play and experiment with projects inspired by current exhibitions, artists and ideas. “

INSTALL: Afternoons @ The Factory

This free program runs every Wednesday from 4p-6p and is geared towards kids in third to fifth grade. While the program is free, you do have to register beforehand in order to participate:

“Spend your Wednesday afternoons hanging out with the fabulous folks at the Mattress Factory! Meet artists, explore the museum’s galleries and create your own art installations. Put your creativity helmets on and get ready for fun at the Mattress Factory!”

Teen Art Cooperative

This is a super structured program for teenagers–especially those who want to go into the arts professionally. It runs on a year long schedule between October and May, meets every Thursday and regular participation is a must:

“TEEN ART COOPERATIVE is a year-long program for teens focused on collaboration, creative practice and exploration. This program is for self-motivated students who are interested in learning about how a museum operates as well as how to sustain a life of creative practice [translation: be an ARTIST].

Teens are given the support and space they need to develop new ideas, experiment with new materials and collaborate with each other. They will work closely with local artists and museum staff to learn about contemporary art in a direct, hands-on way, developing new skills and exploring creative resources and careers.

Over the course of the year, Co-op members become artists in residence, guest curators, exhibition installers and event planners. Students utilize the resources of the museum and Pittsburgh’s creative community to culminate in a collaborative art event of their own design.”

Guess what? This program is 100% free. But since the time commitment is such a strong part of the program, it isn’t a bad idea to get out to Family Day this weekend to check it out and make sure it’s a good match for your teen.