Now On View
Temporary Exhibitions
The Dennos regularly presents new temporary exhibitions every 2-4 months. Our exhibition schedule is designed to invite a diverse range of visitors from students and faculty to community members and beyond to explore, learn, and connect with one another.
Reflections on community: 75 years of student voices
July 25, 2026 — January 3, 2027
This exhibition celebrates Northwestern Michigan College's 75th Anniversary by exploring the college's history through the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand—students.
Full Circle: Waste Plastic Transformations
August 28, 2026 — August 8, 2027
In Full Circle: Waste Plastic Transformations the Traverse City raised artist Simon Anton returns to the area with a body of sculpture and design objects built over the last 12 years at his Detroit Studio for his solo exhibit at The Dennos.
Material World: Ten Women
September 24, 2026 — January 3, 2027
Material World: Ten Women, an invitational exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art, features women artists working with non-traditional materials or using traditional materials in non-traditional ways.
Darryl Brown: Bubbles of Love
September 24, 2026 — March 28, 2027
Bubbles of Love is a dreamscape of both primitive and modern juxtaposed color and a whimsical journey that blends Atavistic Animism with a pure discovery in the moment and from different angles.
Drawing to Motion: Contemporary Inuit Art from The Dennos Museum
September 24, 2026 — May 30, 2027
From spiritual and physical transformations to modes of transportation and scenes of daily life, this exhibition provides an intimate view into the hand-drawn and animated-by-hand world of Inuit artists from the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Permanent Exhibitions
In addition to temporary galleries, the Dennos Museum Center curates six distinct permanent collection galleries with something for everyone to enjoy. From modern and contemporary Inuit art to the popular hands-on discovery gallery for children, bring your friends and family or enjoy a quiet moment in the galleries.
Barbara & Dudley Smith Wing for Inuit Art & Power Family Inuit Gallery
Since 1991, the Dennos Museum Center's core collection of Inuit art has been on permanent exhibit. The Power Family Inuit Gallery, named in 1995 for their generous support of Inuit art and the Dennos Museum Center's collection, has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to view, explore, and discuss contemporary Inuit art. With the opening of the Barbara & Dudley Smith Wing for Inuit Art in 2018, this unique collection of over 1,600 objects has additional capacity for exhibition, education, and programs.
Diana and Richard Milock Wing
Thanks to a generous lead gift from Diana and Richard Milock, The Dennos dedicated an additional 10,000 square feet of semi-permanent exhibition space in spring 2018. These galleries see selected rotations several times a year, drawn from a permanent collection of over 1,500 artworks by regional, national, and international artists.
Eugene A. Jenneman Gallery
Janis Family Promenade
Thomas A. Rutkowski Discovery Gallery
The Dennos's 2,000 square foot Thomas A. Rutkowski Discovery Gallery offers over a dozen "hands-on" interactives related to the arts and sciences for children and adults. From Quantum Space and a sound wall to a giant lightbright board, the gallery offers something for kids of all ages. The space undergoes regular updates in response to community interest and needs.
AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS
Dinosaur by William Allen
Friends of the Triassic by Brianne Farley
Zimmerman Sculpture Court
A beautiful sunken courtyard space centrally located in the museum, the Zimmerman sculpture court hosts art installations, highlights from the permanent collection, and event rentals and receptions.
Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Spread throughout the campuses of Northwestern Michigan College, the Dennos Museum Center's outdoor sculpture collection provides visitors with an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and enjoy 14 outdoor sculptures in beautiful Traverse City.
Traverse City Art Banner Project
The Traverse City Art Banner Project was the brainchild of former NMC Art Department Chair Paul Welch. These reproduction banners feature artwork by regional artists, former NMC art students, and the Dennos Museum Center permanent collections.
The project was supported by private donors who provide funding for printing and installation. Services provided by Britten Studios.
View Traverse City Art Banner Project locations in a larger map.
Support provided by:
