"Guests are invited to become food and art connoisseurs for the day," said Hillary Cooper, the Mint's director of communications and media relations. "They can explore a food tasting tour at two remarkable restaurants and then satisfy cravings for art at our world-class art museum."
The experience, lasting roughly three hours, begins at 4 p.m. at e2 emeril's eatery at 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts with a small plate and beverage pairing, accompanied by a talk from a restaurant expert about the food. After approximately 45 minutes, guests will then proceed up one floor to Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth, where they will receive another small plate and beverage pairing and presentation. Finally, they will enter Mint Museum Uptown for a customized tour of the groundbreaking new exhibition Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft, and Design. With museum hours lasting until 9 p.m. that night, guests can continue to journey through extraordinary works of art from the museum's American, Contemporary and Craft + Design collections.
Guests can reserve a spot in "Taste of the Mint" by contacting Kacy Harruff at kacy.harruff@mintmuseum.org or 704.337.2018, or registering online atwww.mintmuseum.org/happenings/events. The program costs $40 per person or $35 for Mint Museum members.
The Mint developed this program in cooperation with Visit Charlotte, which is responding to an increased nationwide demand for "experiential tourism," combining sightseeing with participatory experiences, among tour groups. Beginning immediately, the Mint and the two restaurants will accept reservations on demand for "Taste of the Mint" experiences from group tours of up to 25 people. "'Taste of the Mint' is aimed at fostering community engagement and bolstering Charlotte's tourism efforts. We look forward to introducing new audiences to each unique venue," said Cooper.
The program will again be offered to the public in conjunction with the upcoming Mint exhibition F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, and Design), scheduled to be on view from March through July 2013 at Mint Museum Uptown.
ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM
As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, with one of the largest collections in the Southeast, The Mint Museum offers its visitors inspiring and transformative experiences through art from around the world via innovative collections, groundbreaking exhibitions, and riveting educational programs. The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph.
Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte's Eastover neighborhood as the state's first art museum. Today, in a beautiful park setting, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, fashion, European and African art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 18,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a museum shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions.
Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Craft + Design collection, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with cutting-edge exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte's burgeoning center city, Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, a cultural campus that includes the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Duke Energy Center. Mint Museum Uptown also features a wide range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop. For more information, visit the NEW mintmuseum.org.
