Dear Friends of the HRM,

Holiday wishes to all! I come bearing tidings of joy and an artful prescription for good health. Here’s some uplifting news: according to a new medical study that was published this week in the British Medical Journal, visiting museums can increase your longevity. “A trip to the theater, museum, or art gallery could help you live longer. And the more often you get that culture fix, the better,” states CNN.

It’s fair to say that researchers are catching on to what Hudson River Museum-goers already know. Engaging with the arts can act as a buffer against stress, while building creativity and empathy that allows people to adapt to changing circumstances. The arts help us build social capital—accessing emotional support and information that helps us age more successfully—while science provides reason and reassurance.

Escape the cold and explore your interests at the HRM all week long with art-making and science workshops, tours, special demonstrations, gallery activities, and more. During School’s Out, Stars Are In, take in a free planetarium show, included with general admission—a mindful way to step out of your routine and experience the starry skies.

The artists on view this season have taken different but complementary approaches to exploring the Hudson Valley landscapes to create evocative works of art that are keenly attuned to the environment around them. Explore the work of the founder of the Hudson River School through the remarkable paintings in Thomas Cole’s Refrain and decide for yourself what the enigmatic figures and evocative landscapes mean to you. Contemplate the relationship between humans and nature in Janelle Lynch’s Another Way of Looking at Love, and commune with the awe-inspiring Hudson and Palisades, made intimate in James McElhinney’s Discover the Hudson Anew. We’re proud to present a performance by Turtle to Turtle, in which members of the Ramapough Lenape Nation will share their native history and deep relationship to the Hudson River through stories, music, and drumming.

For me, a holiday visit to the HRM is not complete without a stroll through Glenview, our beautiful historic home, where every period room has been adorned to delight. We invite you to allow yourself to imagine celebrating the holidays in Gilded Age style.

It’s a busy season and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Indulge in some quality time with those you hold dear, and give yourself the gift of self care during the holidays. We’ve got your restorative Rx here and ready for pick up. See you soon!

Best wishes,

Masha Turchinsky
Director