Midday Musings
U of A Museums continues Midday Musings throughout the spring and summer. This program series is designed to help faculty, staff, and students relax, connect, and get creative.
Join us from 12:00–1:00 p.m. for engaging sessions that offer a refreshing midday break. Each session features a unique activity inspired by the museum collections on campus, giving you a chance to unwind, spark your creativity, and discover something new.
Registration is required for each session. Capacity will vary by session. Any registrants placed on a waitlist will be contacted if a spot becomes available.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | Drop-In Fossil Sketching
Time: 12:05 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Paleontology Museum, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Building
See our museum objects from a new angle at our Drop-In Object Sketching session!
From seashells to statues to swallowtail specimens, the University of Alberta Museums has a wide range of objects to share, all of which make for great drawing inspiration. At this session, we’ll be visiting the Paleontology Museum to sketch fossils spanning millions of years of life on Earth. Whether you want to quickly draw multiple objects or spend a focused hour capturing one, stop by any time during this Midday Musings hour to try your hand at sketching from observation.
If you have your own sketchbook and drawing supplies, we encourage you to bring them! However, we will have paper, pencils, erasers, and clipboards available for use. Please note that seating is limited for this activity.
All materials will be provided.
[Image credit: Portion of In My Grandmother’s Time, 2025, Installation: digitized image on vinyl; Christi Belcourt: Born Scarborough, Ontario, 1966; University of Alberta Art Collection, University of Alberta Museums; 2025.8.1]
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | Painting Our Lands
Time: 12:05 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: University Commons, Main Atrium
Join the University of Alberta Museums in celebrating Métis Week through public artwork on campus!
Get inspired by In My Grandmother’s Time, a recent addition to the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection by Métis artist Christi Belcourt. We’ll kick things off with a relaxed chat about the artwork and Belcourt’s unique artistic practice, then roll up our sleeves to create paintings inspired by Alberta’s natural world.
Please note that Christi Belcourt will not be in attendance at this workshop, and that it is hosted by the U of A Museums programming team.
Wednesday, December 9, 2026 | Holiday Card Printmaking
Time: 12:05 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Henderson Hall, Rutherford Library South
Get ready to celebrate the holiday season by creating custom holiday cards!
At this Midday Musings, we’ll pull inspiration from artworks in the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection, learn about the printmaking process, and create our own prints. A variety of papers and other artmaking materials will be available so that you can create the holiday cards of your dreams.
All materials will be provided.