• Artist and Author Talks:

  Committed to supporting the work of artists in the region, the museum regularly invites artists to discuss their work on view as part of the collection or in conjunction with a special exhibition. Every quarter the museum invites local and regional authors for presentation about their recent publications or a variety of topics related to the Museum’s collection, special exhibitions, and local topics in history.

• Group Tours and Lectures:

  In conjunction with special exhibitions, each month the museum offers walking tours and lectures led by a variety of guests speakers and scholars.

• Studio @ The MATT:

  The Museum values the artistic process and therefore offers hands-on studio art classes to students of all abilities and skill levels. Classes are led by some of Connecticut’s finest teaching artists and are inspired by the collection and special exhibitions.

• MATT by Night:

  Young professionals and the artistic community (21+) are invited to join us for MATT by Night adventures inspired by the Museum Collections and changing exhibitions. The first hour includes open bar with beer, wine and specialty cocktails.

• MATT on the Go:

  Bring the Museum to your site virtually. Tours include a presentation of historical artifacts by a trained museum educator. Sponsored by the Connecticut Community Foundation.

• Day Art Trips:

  Organized every three months, the museum develops chartered bus trips to area museums and other cultural heritage destinations within a 2 to 2.5 hour drive.

• Wellness @ The MATT:

  An initiative designed to reduce anxiety and stress by offering tai chi and yoga in the museum surrounded by art and history.

Community Partnership

• B.R.A.S.S. is a partnership between the museum and Bringing Resources to Action to Service Seniors. B.R.A.S.S. is a collaboration between the City of Waterbury, the Connecticut Community Foundation, and New Opportunities, Inc. This opportunity waives admission fees for B.R.A.S.S. members and makes possible the presentation of music, theater, gallery tours, and art workshops developed specially for members. Events often include full lunches with desserts and beverages. Supported in part by the Connecticut Community Foundation.
• Memories @ The MATT is a collaboration between the Museum and the Alzheimer’s Association, Connecticut Chapter. The program involves engaging gallery tours developed for people with early-to-mid-stage dementia and their caregivers, at no cost. Medical researchers have found that people with early-to-mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease are positively impacted by the therapeutic effects of viewing historical artifacts and discussing art. Complimentary lunch is included. Supported in part by the Alzheimer’s Association, CT Chapter.

• Sensational Self-Portraits:

  Grades PreK-2, 60 minutes
  Engage your senses of sight, touch, smell, and hearing in a guided tour of the art galleries. This program is designed as an introductory museum experience and utilizes age-appropriate exploratory and participatory activities.

• Then and Now:

  Grade 3, 90 minutes
  Visit the Museum’s History exhibit to learn how and why the city of Waterbury has grown and changed over time. Explore colonial features, use maps to identify physical features of the region, and discover what life was like for the original settlers of Waterbury.

• Learning to Look:

  Grade 4, 90 minutes

  Discover the tools of visual analysis through observation, self-expression, and Visual Thinking Strategies through a guided tour of the Museum’s Early American art collection, Modern and Contemporary art collection, and special exhibitions.

• Peoples of Waterbury, 1600s-1800s:

  Grade 5, 90 minutes

  Explore the history of the Brass City, discover Waterbury’s transformation from an agricultural life in the 1600s to an industrial leader during the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will discover new perspectives on the innovations of the waterwheel, immigrants, child labor, factory life and machines, and brass materials produced in Waterbury.

• Highlights from the Collection:

  Grades 6-12, 60 minutes
  Have you ever seen an ornate desk made from rubber, colorful metal mobiles hanging from the ceiling, or 20,000 buttons all in one place? Learn about these things and so much more through this introduction to the Early American art collection, button collection, and historical artifacts ranging from the colonial period to the mid-20th century that are part of the Museum’s permanent collection.

• Access Tours:

  All ages, 60 minutes
  The Museum strives to connect visitors with a variety of disabilities to the world of art and history in the form of specially-designed accessible tours.