The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College will host Frances Day 2026, its annual summer community open house, on Saturday, July 18, from 2 to 6:30 pm in Saratoga Springs, NY. The free, family-friendly event features drop-in art-making activities inspired by current exhibitions, including pinch pots with Saratoga Clay Arts, bandana stamping, mosaics, and a photo booth. Scheduled highlights include curator-led tours of exhibitions such as Kathy Butterly: Assume Yes and All These Growing Things, a rare public tour of the museum's collection storage areas housing over 18,000 works, and a concluding live music concert and barbecue from 5 to 6:30 pm.
Frances Day matters because it exemplifies how small to mid-sized museums can build deep community engagement through accessible, hands-on programming. By opening its collection storage for one day each year and offering free activities for all ages, the Tang Teaching Museum strengthens its role as a cultural anchor in New York's Capital Region. The event also honors the legacy of namesake Frances Young Tang, a Skidmore alumna and philanthropist whose family's donation made the museum possible, reinforcing the importance of private philanthropy in sustaining arts institutions.