Programs throughout the summer will help bring depth to exhibition experience
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 18, 2026) — The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce will open this Saturday, June 20, at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA). The Sense of Beauty has been organized by the Museo de Arte de Ponce in collaboration with the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
This summer exhibition will be on view on the Museum’s third floor and is organized into five sections: Religious Inspiration, The Life of the People, The Natural Landscape, Human Sensibility, and Cult of Beauty. Visitors will experience works by European and American artists like Lucas Cranach the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Francisco de Goya, William Merritt Chase, and John Singer Sargent side by side with works by contemporary Puerto Rican artists such as Francisco Rodón, Myrna Báez, and Waldemar Morales Lugo. The works included in the exhibition span 600 years.
Tours, classes, and other programs will accompany this exhibition throughout the summer.
“We’re excited to strengthen the experience of our summer exhibition by offering programming that inspires deeper learning and creativity,” said Director of Education and Visitor Experience Bryon Chambers. “OKCMOA is committed to creating welcoming and accessible experiences for all, and we encourage visitors to share accommodation needs during the registration process or contact the Museum in advance so we can best support their experience.”
PRESIDENT’S TOUR: LANDSCAPES THROUGH TIME
In this intimate tour of The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce and OKCMOA’s permanent collection, President & CEO Dr. Michael J. Anderson will explore the evolution of landscape painting from the 17th through 19th centuries, highlighting examples from both Europe and the Americas. Bringing together key artists such as Claude Lorrain, Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, Gustave Courbet, and George Inness, this guided tour in the Museum’s galleries will consider the genre’s modern beginnings in Northern Europe, before moving into the 19th century when competing forms of realism, inspired by the advent of photography and the publication of Darwin’s Origin of the Species, contended with forms of knowledge that derived from religious faith.
A private reception will follow the tour. For questions regarding the program or registration, please email Senior Programs Manager Neely Simms at nsimms@okcmoa.com.
PAINTING THROUGH THE CENTURIES: AN EXHIBITION TOUR
Join Museum staff for in-depth tours, exploring major themes and highlights from the exhibition The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce.
Reservations are required. Group rates and tour guides are available for groups of 10 or more people.
Free admission for students ages 17 and under. Groups may choose between a self-guided tour or a guided gallery experience followed by a hands-on related artmaking activity in the classrooms.
Transportation and substitute teacher reimbursement are available for all Oklahoma PreK-12 grade school groups. Call 405.724.9740 for more information.
Explore the galleries through an inquiry-driven experience with a museum educator designed specifically for your group. All PreK-12 virtual field trip sessions align with Oklahoma Academic Standards. Classrooms may opt to receive a pack of materials to participate in a virtual guided art activity, free of charge.
Reservations are required. Call 405.724.9740 for more information. Make a reservation at okcmoa.com/tours
Led by Museum educator Tori Waldron, each session features a specially selected book that complements the themes of a current exhibition. Enjoy refreshments—including a themed snack and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages—in the Museum Store. This Museum Book Club will feature a guided discussion of Puerto Rico: A National History by Jorell Meléndez-Badillo in the Museum Store and exhibition galleries
Thursday, July 16 | 5:30-7 p.m.
OKCMOA CLASSES
Adult Classes (18+)
Saturday, July 25 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Flor de Maga Crepe Paper Flowers
Sunday, August 23 | 1-4 p.m.
Saturday, September 12 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Atmospheric Landscape Paintings
Saturday, September 12 | 2:30-5 p.m.
Oleanders & Glow: Floral Paintings Inspired by Flaming June
Sunday, September 13 | 3-5 p.m.
Kids’ Classes
Saturday, July 11 | 2-3:30 p.m.
Fanciful Framed Faces (Ages 5-7)
Sunday, September 13 | 12-1:30 p.m.
Layered Garden Collages (Ages 8-12)
These come-and-go activities are suitable for all ages and provide an opportunity for visitors to connect with the galleries and tap into their creativity. Pre-registration is not required. This program is free with admission and for Museum members.
Saturday, June 20 | 11a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 | 11a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, August 15 | 11a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, September 19 | 11a.m.-4 p.m.
Offered on the second Thursday and Saturday of each month, Babies at the Museum is designed for ages 0 to 24 months and their caregivers.
Thursday, July 9 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, July 11 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 8 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 15 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Thursday, September 12 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 10 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Offered on the fourth Saturday of the month, Playdate & Create is designed for children ages 2 to 4 years and their caregivers.
Saturday, July 25 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 22 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 26 | 9-10:30 a.m.
Thanks to the generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program, visitors of all ages will receive access to the Museum for FREE on the second Sunday of each month from 12 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 12
Sunday, August 9
Sunday, September 13
Making Memories is OKCMOA’s program designed for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and their caregivers. The program connects participants with art—and with one another—through conversation and creative artmaking inspired by the Museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions.
Monday, June 29 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Space is limited. For more information or to register, please call 405.278.8201 or email jnelson@okcmoa.com.
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Join the Education and Visitor Services staff at OKCMOA as they teach history with art from The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce. Virtual and in-person options are available for all activities.
Saturday, August 1 |10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Additional details and registration links for The Sense of Beauty programming can be found at okcmoa.com/events.
Exhibition tickets are available online at okcmoa.com/thesenseofbeauty, in person, or by calling the Museum’s main number at 405.236.3100. Members and children 17 and under always receive free admission, and members receive discounts on most programs. For more information on membership, please visit okcmoa.com/membership.
The Sense of Beauty will run through September 20. The exhibition is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Image Credit:
James Tissot (France, 1836-1902), In the Louvre (L’Esthetique) (detail), 1883-1885, oil on canvas, 58 1/16 x 39 3/8 in. (147.4 x 100 cm), Museo de Arte de Ponce. The Luis A. Ferré Foundation, Inc.
