Wow! What a transformation of the place. So happy Worcester is changing and what a change…read more Really blown away by the space and the hosts. The event was opening night of the Worcester arts annual largest exhibition of contemporary art. This is truly going to define the gentrification of this downtown with multi diverse and talented people choosing the woo. Visit and enjoy.

An arts community in the heart of Worcester. Clean, bright gallery, welcoming staff and talented…read moreartists. A place to come back again!

Great selection of local art, chocolates, cards & more but the staff is not friendly or welcoming…read moreat all. I wish I could say otherwise because I'd really like to support this place & the local artists represented. While shopping, another guest asked the cashier about if any weaving classes were available in the near future but the only response was a grunted "no." Seems like a friendlier response was warranted so I stopped the shopper on her way out to tell her & her daughter about "A Place to Weave" in Fitchburg, MA. My point is, isn't the Worcester Center for Crafts mission to support the craft community? It isn't hard to do and a friendly word goes a long way.

I discovered this place last year and am so glad I did. This isn't crappity ass crafts. It is a…read moreplace to learn artistic crafts. I took glassblowing and flame work. Glassblowing was very interesting but too hard for me. I'm really glad I took it for the experience and I would probably do it over again just to try it out. It requires a lot of coordination, so if you are as klutzy as me, you might find it too difficult too. As described in their catalog, flamework is: Tthe process of shaping glass rods and tubes into small objects over the flame of a torch. Begin by making beads, pendants and marbles to establish a foundation of technique. As the class progresses, projects will advance to include the creation of solid sculpture and hollow forms such as flowers, holiday ornaments, and perfume bottles. Small class sizes and one-on-one instruction allow students to work at their own pace. I love this class and the instructor, Jake Vincent, is patient and a great teacher. You don't have to be quite as coordinated to do flamework. In addition to glass classes, they have classes in clay, metal, fiber, photography, wood, and design and multimedia. They have a gallery too. I haven't been yet, because the glass studio is in a separate area of Worcester. I've heard its great and intend to go soon. I'll update this post when I get there. Oh, and it isn't as far from Boston as you think. Check out their catalog on their Website.

Lovely museum with a variety of exhibits…read more I was very excited to view the new armor collection they have on exhibit. It's a vast collection with full suits of armor down to the smallest embelishment, cerfemonial or functional. Pieces include European and Asian examples. The exhibit is included with admission and has timed entry so be sure to book ahead to get your desired time slot. A small kids area in the exhibit has art supplies and books in case the adults are taking too long. Directly across from the armor exhibit we viewed the "Peaceable Kingdom" exhibit. Artists around the world have submitted works of their interpretation based on the original painting. Some artist included information explaining their thoughts working on the project. Many of the pieces are very insightful. A recreation of an Italian palazzo courtyard showcases a roman mosiac floor. Gorgeous. Also on this level is a 12th century Charter House moved from France. The museum has adorned this space with period stained glass from England and mimic candle light with electric candelabra to set the scene. A small cafe near the moasic floor offers sandwiches, coffee, tea, water, sweets, soft drinks, soup and salad. The gift shop is by the entrance on this side of the building and offers a large variety of gift items including note cards, ornaments, books, games, kitchen items, hand bags and more. On the next level up in the palazzo are a series of galleries flowing into each other displaying European art from the 11th century to the early 20th. Behind this area you will find egyptian art and more. One exhibit included a kiosk with more information about items in that collection and a comfortable sofa and seating. At the time of this review, the third level is being renovated. The fourth level is modern art (Andy Warhol and Christos for ex.) and collection preservation labs. Fifth level seems to be an event space. Free lockers are available in the coat rooms near the ticketing desk. Class rooms are located near the Lance St. entrance. See their website for available classes. A free parking lot for museum patrons is available across Lance St. There is a cross walk with wheelchair ramps on/off the sidewalks here. An elevator is available to the left of this entrance if you cannot navigate steps. Interior elevators move between levels as do staircases. Restrooms are on a couple of levels and have diaper stations. A water fountain (bubbla) is near the elevator and restrooms. A few wheelchairs are available on a 'first come' basis. Discounted entry is available, see website for details. Most definitely recommend. I very much enjoyed our visit. Plan to possibly spend a few hours. You can easily spend hours looking at all that armor. You can also make a quick run through if you are short on time. On a side note, the Salisbury Mansion is located behind the museum and well worth a look if you have time.

The Worcester Art Museum is packed with memorable exhibits, and I had a great time exploring them…read morefor 2.5-3 hours. I was able to make it through the entire museum at a leisurely pace. The Asian art section, especially the Japanese prints exhibit "Reflections of a Changing Japan: The Evolution of Shin Hanga" was a standout. The Roman mosaics taken from a floor of a home were definitely memorable. They're incredibly well-preserved and shows stories about life, mythology, and religion. I was amazed by the amount of skill and detail it must've taken to puzzle it back together after transporting it across the world. The ancient Egyptian exhibit was super cool, packed with statues, sarcophagi, and other artifacts. They also have some restored European and American oil paintings that were truly stunning, some looked insanely realistic. I spent the most time admiring this exhibit. I wasn't a fan of the contemporary art but one can say that I lack whatever it takes to fully appreciate it. It's a small museum but worthy of a visit.