The Butler Institute of American Art

09/16/2026

FAMILY DAYS IS BACK!

This Sunday Family Days returns to the Butler for a new season of family fun. 💛 Join us for an afternoon of tours, gallery scavenger hunts, and artmaking!

September 20 | 1:30pm

Free & open to the public – all ages welcome 🎨

09/15/2026

Youngstown’s spirits are coming back!
 
Join us October 9 & 10 for the 4th Annual Historical Youngstown Ghost Tour — a family-friendly, live-action journey through Youngstown’s history.
 
Meet the “spirits” who helped build our city as we travel from the Wick House down Wick Avenue, ending at The Butler Institute of American Art, where you’ll encounter the museum’s ghostly founder Joseph G. Butler. 👻🏛️
 
Oct. 9 & 10 | 5–8pm
🎟️ Tickets required: youngstownghosttour.com
 
While the spirits roam, Butler North will be hosting the Second Friday event featuring artisans, vendors, and live music from Humbles County! Free and open to the public.
 
Come for the ghosts. Stay for the history, art, and music.
 
youngstownghosttour
downtownyoungstownpartnership
 

09/15/2026

Read more about our new Director, Anastasia James ⬇️

In the six weeks since she took the helm of the museum, Anastasia James has been familiarizing herself with its collection and the city.

09/11/2026

NOW ON VIEW—On the Surface: Works From the Permanent Collection

On the Surface is a salon-style installation devoted to pastel, charcoal, conté, and other loose media. The arrangement deliberately favors visual conversation over chronology, inviting unexpected encounters across generations, styles, and approaches to drawing.

Fragile and sensitive to light, these works often require careful conservation and limited exhibition, making their appearances in the galleries especially meaningful.

Highlights of this presentation include works by Yayoi Kusama, Charles Dana Gibson, Edward Hopper, and Joseph Stella. Many have rarely been exhibited; several are on view at the Butler for the first time.

✨ You won’t want to miss this rare showcase from the collection! On view through March 14, 2027.

Helpful Tip: 📋 Check out our comprehensive gallery guides while touring Giffuni Gallery. Each artwork is numbered so you can easily find artist names and details.

09/09/2026

💫 NOW ON VIEW—Streams of Light: Selections from the Permanent Collection
 
Step inside Flad Gallery and experience light as an active force. Each artwork on view explores light in remarkably different ways.
 
Recently acquired for the Butler’s contemporary new media collection, Sally Weber & Craig Newswanger’s popular installation “Entangled Attraction” is back on display.
 
Immerse yourself in an exhibition filled with fascinating arrays of light, sound, and sensory magic. 🪄✨

09/02/2026

🎨 September Art Classes are here! 🖌️
 
From painting and jewelry making to photography and more, our hands-on classes are designed to inspire artists of all skill levels. We also offer creative classes for children, making it the perfect opportunity for the whole family to explore, learn, and create.
 
Spots are limited, so don’t miss your chance to be part of our next session.
 
🔗 Visit butlerart.com/programs for detailed class descriptions
 
📋 Register today and reserve your spot.
Call: 330-743-1107 ext. 1155
Email: [email protected]
 

09/02/2026

We loved welcoming YSU international students to the Butler during their orientation week! 💙

It was a wonderful day filled with art, conversation, and time together. Students explored the collection on docent-led tours, shared lunch, and got to know a little more about the museum and the Youngstown community.

Did you know if you’re a student you can get a FREE museum membership? Students who sign up to become members will receive Butler posters of previous exhibitions and prints of artwork in the collection while supplies last 🎨 Your membership gets you discounts in the café, museum store, and Butler art classes.

We hope to see more new faces around the museum again soon!

YSU Penguin Experience
YSU First Year Programs
YSU Arts

09/01/2026

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08/29/2026

LAST CHANCE—89th National Midyear 🔆 This is the last weekend to come see this exhibition featuring contemporary artists from across the nation. Talent runs deep in this show. Don’t miss out!

On view through Sunday, August 30th.