The Studio at SAM: Member Night

The Studio at SAM is hosting a Member Night on Thursday, October 8, from 4 to 8 PM, on the fourth floor of the Seattle Art Museum. It's part of a larger program that turns the entire floor into an open studio from October 1 through January 10, presented by Microsoft in partnership with Partners in Print, a Seattle nonprofit that preserves the historic craft of letterpress printing.

If you've never been up there, the setup is pretty straightforward: you can watch local artists work, ask them questions, and then step in and create alongside them in the museum's print shop. The featured print artists change every month, and you can run a print to take home. While you're working, the lounge plays music and hosts artist talks and family activities, so you can drift between the making and the listening. The Member Night is one of the museum's member-only events, part of a wider suite of benefits that includes free admission to all SAM locations and exhibition receptions.

There's also a specific installation to see while you're there. The room is home to the 32nd annual tapete by Zapotec artist Fulgencio Lazo, on view from October 3, 2026, to January 11, 2027, which celebrates Día de los Muertos. Lazo helped establish the museum's Día de los Muertos celebrations more than 30 years ago, so this is a long-running connection. The tapete stays up through the end of the Studio's run, so if you can't make the member night, you can still catch it on a regular visit.

Member Night is on Thursday, October 8, from 4 to 8 PM, at The Studio at SAM on the fourth floor of the Seattle Art Museum. Admission is included with your membership, and SAM members get a free drink.