Norfolk Society of Arts

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Norfolk Society of Arts

Since 1917, the Norfolk Society of Arts has supported arts and culture in the Hampton Roads community.

We offer a world class lecture series, which is free and open to the public, and continued financial support for the Chrysler Museum of Art.

05/12/2026

What a wonderful turnout for our May Lecture and Luncheon featuring best-selling author Meryl Gordon. We enjoyed a full house for the luncheon that followed in The Chrysler Museum of Art Huber Court, complete with live music and a delightful meal.

Thank you to our Norfolk Society of Arts members for your continued support in making this another engaging and memorable season. We look forward to sharing details for our 2026–2027 season soon!

04/29/2026

Don’t miss this captivating lecture with best-selling author Meryl Gordon on Monday, May 4 at the The Chrysler Museum of Art. Please consider carpooling and arriving early in light of limited parking availability. Auditorium doors should open at 10:15 am.

04/16/2026

Don’t miss this captivating lecture with best-selling author Meryl Gordon on May 4 at the The Chrysler Museum of Art.

Her talk, The Woman Who Knew Everyone, brings to life Perle Mesta—the influential Washington hostess who shaped conversations at the highest levels for decades.

📚 Lecture + book signing
🍽️ Optional luncheon to follow

Spots are filling—reserve yours today:
https://www.norfolksocietyarts.org/nsa-spring-luncheon

04/10/2026

Join us for an inspiring morning at the Norfolk Society of Arts’ Annual Meeting & Special Lecture on May 4 at the The Chrysler Museum of Art.

We are thrilled to welcome best-selling author and journalist Meryl Gordon, presenting: The Woman Who Knew Everyone: The Power of Perle Mesta, Washington’s Most Famous Hostess

Discover the fascinating story of Perle Mesta—Washington’s most legendary hostess and a powerful figure behind the scenes with four U.S. presidents.

✨ Book signing to follow the lecture
🍽️ Optional luncheon to follow

Learn more + reserve your spot: https://www.norfolksocietyarts.org/nsa-spring-luncheon

03/26/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our March program! We loved sharing a morning of art, history, and conversation with you while exploring the Florence Griswold House and the legacy of the Lyme Art Colony.

03/18/2026

Coffee. Conversation. Art. ☕️🎨

On Wednesday, March 25, the Norfolk Society of Arts welcomes Jeffrey Andersen, Director Emeritus of the Florence Griswold Museum, for an illustrated lecture exploring A Boardinghouse for Artists: The Florence Griswold House in Old Lyme, CT.

Step into the story of the Lyme Art Colony—a legendary American art colony and the artists who shaped it, including Willard Metcalf and Childe Hassam.

From the collection of the Florence Griswold Museum - Willard L. Metcalf, Kalmia (1905), as noted by the Florence Griswold Museum:

“Encouraged by his friend and fellow Impressionist Childe Hassam, Willard Metcalf first arrived in Old Lyme in May 1905 to spend the summer at Miss Florence Griswold’s boardinghouse. Kalmia depicts the mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) that blooms along the banks of the Lieutenant River each June. Metcalf was so pleased with Kalmia that he chose to exhibit it widely, starting in Old Lyme and continuing across America.”

📅 Wednesday, March 25
📍 Chrysler Museum of Art
☕ Coffee at 10:30 AM
🎤 Lecture at 11:00 AM
🎟 Free & open to the public

We hope to see you there!

03/09/2026

A Boardinghouse for Artists 🎨

Join the Norfolk Society of Arts for an illustrated lecture by Jeffrey Andersen, Director Emeritus of the Florence Griswold Museum.

Discover how the Florence Griswold House became the vibrant heart of the Lyme Art Colony and a center of American Impressionism—welcoming more than 200 artists, including Childe Hassam, Willard Metcalf, and Matilda Browne.

Childe Hassam’s beloved painting At the Florist (1889), currently on view in Gallery 218, is a perennial favorite in the collection of the Chrysler Museum of Art.

📅 Wednesday, March 25
📍 Chrysler Museum of Art
☕ Coffee at 10:30 AM
🎤 Lecture at 11:00 AM
🎟 Free & open to the public — no RSVP required

Bring a friend and enjoy a morning of art, history, and conversation.

02/26/2026

We enjoyed a full house as Sarah Eckhardt of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts shared the story of the Fischer Collection of German Expressionism. Thank you to everyone who joined us for an inspiring morning of art and conversation!

02/18/2026

Just one week until Norfolk Society of Arts presents Sarah Eckhardt, PhD, Associate Curator at VMFA, discussing the Ludwig and Rosy Fischer Collection of German Expressionism!

Discover the journey of these masterpieces, from visionary collectors in Frankfurt to their reunification at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the detective work behind recovering lost works.

*This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is supported, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.

Coffee, conversation, and art await—bring a friend, RSVP not required!

📅 Wednesday, Feb. 25 | 📍 Chrysler Museum of Art
☕️ Coffee 10:30 AM | 🎤 Lecture 11:00 AM
🎟 Free and open to the public

It’s never too late to join the Norfolk Society of Arts, click here https://www.norfolksocietyarts.org/join to become a member and enjoy events like this!

Image: Bei Gruenau (Sand Hills in Grunau), 1913
Oil on canvas
By Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA)

02/06/2026

Step into the world of German Expressionism! On Feb. 25, Norfolk Society of Arts welcomes Sarah Eckhardt, PhD, Associate Curator at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, to discuss the remarkable Ludwig and Rosy Fischer Collection—art that survived war, displacement, and decades apart.

This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is supported, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.

☕️ Coffee, conversation, and art await—bring a friend, RSVP not required!
📅 Wednesday, Feb. 25 | 📍 Chrysler Museum of Art
☕️ Coffee 10:30 AM | 🎤 Lecture 11:00 AM
🎟 Free and open to the public

It’s never too late to join the Norfolk Society of Arts—become a member today!
https://www.norfolksocietyarts.org/join

Address

One Memorial Place
Norfolk, VA
23510

Website

https://www.norfolksocietyarts.org/

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