Huntsville Museum of Art’s new vision, fresh exhibits + reimagined experiences

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I’ve been telling everyone I know about the punk puppet show I attended at the Huntsville Museum of Art earlier this month inspired by the Michael Grecco “Days of Punk” exhibit. The unique blend of local and national artistry is a taste of the museum’s evolving vision under direction of Chief Curator Natalie Mault Mead.

Keep reading to see how Natalie is challenging what you expect from a museum visit and what exciting exhibits are coming up (spoiler, I audibly gasped when I saw the sneak peeks!).

Natalie’s outside-the-box vision to unite people + art

Every gallery is made of tiny decisions, from the color of the walls to the works placed on them. At Huntsville Museum of Art, Natalie leads those decisions. A creative storyteller with experience from art museums in Chattanooga and Baton Rouge, she joined the team in 2022.

Natalie strips back typical high-brow museum energy to tell interactive stories through art, pique curiosity and give patrons a feeling of ownership over the work they see.

“My goal is to break some of those barriers of what you expect art to be, while bringing in major names and local artists alike.”

Natalie Mault Mead, Chief Curator

A new era for Huntsville Museum of Art

We all remember last year’s HVAC renovations that closed the museum for countless months. Natalie described it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fully revamp the museum.

She and the team refreshed permanent installations and implemented interactive elements like detailed maps, a video selfie screen, audio descriptions, QR code scanners and more to enhance the viewing experience.

As the museum begins its second life, Natalie is eager for what’s to come:

“We’re featuring lots of artists on the forefront of the art scene, meaning you don’t have to travel to a larger metropolitan area to see internationally acclaimed works.”

Natalie

Curating galleries for Huntsville

Only around 10% of the museum’s collection is on view at any given time. (Elizabeth Hobbs / Hville Blast)

Years of planning and research go into curating an exhibition. Natalie aims to bring highly relevant themes to our community, including military and nature.

“My approach is audience-first. I want you to have a good time and walk away feeling something. The works you see are much more than pretty pictures—they’re political and identity-focused content that should move you.”

Natalie

Once Natalie has an exhibition theme in mind, she takes to the museum’s archives to see what can be incorporated. In some cases, she sources from regional and national museums to bring acclaimed works right to Huntsville.

Exhibits to look forward to

I can’t wait to see this cool 3D shadow and light exhibit, plus some Andy Warhol originals! (Elizabeth Hobbs / Hville Blast) (Huntsville Museum of Art)

Check out some upcoming exhibitions:

💡 A Beautiful Despair, coming March 21
👉 An immersive light + shadow exhibit from an internationally acclaimed Pakistani artist

📌 Coming Home, coming July 4
👉 Themes of home + identity from three artists with Huntsville ties, including UAH alum Toyin Ojih Odutola (named on Time’s list of the world’s most influential rising stars)

🥫 WARHOL coming July 31
👉 Iconic imagery + rarely seen works from pop artist Andy Warhol (yes, including the soup cans + Marilyn Monroe!)

🇺🇸 Valor Exhibition, coming late 2026
👉 A first-of-its kind exhibit featuring artists whose work reflects their military experience

Experience the Huntsville Museum of Art for yourself—plan your visit today.

• Where: 300 Church St SW, Huntsville, AL
• When: Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-5PM (til 8PM on Thursdays) | Sunday 12PM-5PM
• Admission: $12
  • $5 after 5PM on Thursdays (featuring wine tastings, live music + events)
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