The Nevada Museum of Art is announcing an exciting new experience for students who attend Truckee Meadows Community College and the University of Nevada, Reno through the Free Student Admission Program sponsored by the Wayne Prim Student Admission Endowment. Students will now have free admission to the Nevada Museum of Art, which means they will have free admission to Museum galleries every day of the year and free admission for every exhibition on view. That’s not all—thanks to this new program, students will also have free access to singers/songwriters who showcase at First Thursday, and the opportunity for up-close conversations with artists, art and ideas through Art Bite talks offered most Fridays at noon.

The program was made possible by the Free Student Admission Endowment, a gift from Philanthropist and longtime Museum Trustee Wayne Prim. The $2 million endowment enables the program to continue in perpetuity and accompanied the long-term loan of two pieces of sculptural artworks that will reside on the TMCC and UNR campuses. These sculptures were donated to the Museum’s permanent collection by the Grellman family, longtime Reno residents, in the memory of their son. 

Students at TMCC’s Dandini Campus will welcome a plasma-cut rolled steel and mixed media scuplture Guardian of Eden. Created by New York-based artist Kate Raudenbush, the piece is inspired by a cross-pollination of Hindi and Egyptian creation myth, Buddhist symbolism and the ancient Flower of Life. The sculpture debuted on the Black Rock Playa during the 2007 Burning Man gathering. According to artist Kate Raudenbush, the work is a gathering space that allows visitors to consider their role in this turbulent age of ecological crisis. 

Shadow of the Sun will reside on the University of Nevada, Reno main campus. This circular piece by artist Ilan Averbuch was created in 1989 out of stone and water, and was also a gift to the Nevada Museum of Art by the Grellman family. Averbuch is known for using elements of the earth and water to create large sculptural works. “All my works are a dialogue between the intimate and the monumental,” said the artist in an interview in 2010.

Education in the Arts

The Free Student Admission Program sponsored by the Wayne Prim Student Admission Endowment forms the latest chapter in the Museum’s nearly century-long commitment to education in the arts. Providing rich cultural programming for the community and region has been a central focus of the Museum’s mission since its founding. “The Museum has long been invested in programs which, at their core, are focused on education. We’ve offered free admission to the Museum to high school students for more than 10 years, and with this significant gift, we will extend our unique experiences to UNR and TMCC students,” said Museum CEO David B. Walker. “It is critical for students to understand that arts and culture play a fundamental role in our lives. We are extremely pleased to announce this level of access.”

Throughout the year, the Museum offers professional development opportunities for educators across the state and provides essential arts education for students from kindergarten to college. TMCC and The University of Nevada, Reno are the latest additions to the Museum’s long list of educational partners, which includes the Desert Research Institute (DRI), the Nevada Department of Education and the Nevada STEAM Committee. These educational partnerships have been the major impetus and launching point for the Museum’s multi-phased expansion project that will include an Education and Research Center scheduled to open in early 2025, which promises to strengthen the Museum’s ability to serve larger audiences in Nevada and beyond.

For TMCC and University of Nevada, Reno students, however, this partnership will enable them to encounter sculpture in their daily lives on these respective campuses, while also offering an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the visual arts through free access to the Museum and select programs in the years to come. 

Students need only present their Student ID at the Membership + Admissions Desk to participate in the Free Student Admission Program.

For more information, visit the Nevada Museum of Art Free Student Admission Program webpage.

The program was made possible through a generous endowment by longtime Nevada Museum of Art Trustee and Philanthropist Wayne Prim.