“Art has the power to build empathy.”
This simple sentence conveys a powerful concept that is, in the opinion of Michele Huggins (Associate Director of Marketing and Communications), at the core of what The Mint Museum in Charlotte NC offers its visitors. Empathy stitches together the fabric of societies. It’s what empowers neighbor to be kind to neighbor, family to show grace for family, nation to honor nation. And while we’re born with the ability to empathize, it’s nevertheless an ability that has to be practiced and strengthened. The magic of art is its ability not only to activate this skill, but also to grow and reinvigorate it.
When the Mint Museum opened in 1936, it became the very first fine art museum in the state of North Carolina. Now, The Mint has two Charlotte locations. One is in Eastover and one is in Uptown at the Levine Center for the Arts. It has grown its collection to one of the largest in the Southeast. In fact, the Mint’s collection includes works in a variety of media. And it includes works not just from around the country, but from around the world.
NC’s Oldest Museum Meets Timeless Needs
The magic of The Mint extends beyond its collection to its physical spaces. Cynthia Moreno, Senior Director of Learning and Engagement at The Mint explains further: “The secret about museums is that they are flexible environments that welcome people to come often and use them in various ways.”
In service of fostering open and flexible environments, The Mint works hard to dismantle barriers to experiencing the collection. This includes offering free admission for all visitors every Wednesday evening. It also means providing exhibition label text in Spanish as well as English. Plus, it manifests through offering multilingual translation on The Mint’s website. The Mint also joined the app Bloomberg Connects. Through Bloomberg, users can access digital content guides for the space and the art on display, as well as audio messages from Mint staff.
As intentional as The Mint is about providing visitors with the means to access the art and join the museum’s community, the museum is equally purposeful about showcasing art from a diverse array of cultures and representing myriad narratives in history. This ensures that all corners of the Charlotte community are considered during curation. It also sparks critical yet thoughtful conversations in pursuit of that ever-important byproduct of art: empathy.
The Next Generation of Empathizers from the Mint Museum in Charlotte NC
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Mint Board of Trustees Member Charlotte Wickham and Charlotte Ballet dancer Humberto Ramazzina, children in grades K-12 can visit The Mint free of charge, any day, any time.
Additionally, family programming like Drop-In Art, when families are invited to visit the Art Room in The Mint’s Randolph location for an afternoon of self-guided creation; Wild Wednesday, which occurs on select Wednesdays during the summer and meet an animal from the Stevens Creek Nature Center and take part in nature-themed art experiences; and the Free Art Kit program, which offers free, take home art projects on a routine basis that are inspired by the museum’s collection.
On the whole, there’s a conscious effort to invite even the tiniest of Queen City residents into the conversation. “We hope that, starting with our youngest visitors, people feel welcome, use the museum as a place of inspiration, and develop the habit of lifelong museum learning and connection,” says Moreno.
