The Wichita Art Museum (WAM) gave Wichita citizens an early holiday present: free admission to the museum all day and every day.

On Thursday, Dec. 22. the museum made the announcement that it would be granting free admissions to the artwork in the galleries that showcase WAM’s permanent collections — as it’s owned by the city of Wichita.

“The museum’s founder, Louise Caldwell Murdock, wanted Wichita to have an art museum,” Anne Kraybill, WAM director/CEO, said. “Her will established the collection of art by American painters and sculptors as a gift to the city. We want everyone to have access to this incredible collection every day the museum is open.”

Kraybill started working at the Art Museum in August. One of her first goals was to give free access to the permanent art to the Wichita citizens.

“This collection belongs to (Wichita citizens),” Kraybill said. “I think it’s really important that, you know, they be able to access it on their own terms, anytime that we are open.”

Kraybill said visiting an art museum can help people realize that they’re an artist.

“You think about how a lot of artists who have these very formative experiences in museums when they’re very young.” Kraybill said, “For me, it’s part of creating the future … artists of our town.”

New and temporary exhibitions will have a special ticket price for adults; however, WAM members will have free access to special exhibitions through 2023.

2023 Temporary Exhibitions:

From Feb. 18 through May 14, the exhibition, “Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper,” will explore over 300 years of fashion history.

From June 11 through Sept. 11, the exhibition, “Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass,” will feature 115 works of art by 29 Native American artists and four Pacific Rim artists.

From Oct. 8, 2023 – Jan. 14, 2024, the exhibition, “Portraits of Hope featuring William H. Johnson & Barbara Earl Thomas,” will showcase heroes of the past and present.