Back-to-school means new friendships, new opportunities, and new experiences! The Weisman is a space for the University of Minnesota community to enjoy and cultivate all of the newness.

The galleries are always FREE. Students are welcome to visit at any time, study at the tables in the Riverview gallery, or eat lunch upstairs on the outdoor terrace.

The summer portion of WAM@20, the yearlong 20th anniversary exhibit that explores different methods of choice, is curated by Minnesotans. This includes input from Minnesota artists, Minnesota “notables,” Minnesota State Fair goers, and University of Minnesota students.

Students had the opportunity to vote for their favorite pieces at two events last winter. They scrolled through images on iPads set up at the Flashback party, and at one of WAM Collective’s study nights, and chose their favorite accession from each year since 1993.

Last Wednesday, April 23, WAM Collective hosted Elements, the third annual design competition and runway show featuring University of Minnesota student designers at the Weisman Art Museum. This year, 16 student designers were asked to take inspiration from the museum's spring exhibition. "Siberia: Imagined and Reimagined." Siberia is as much a mythic construct—associated with vastness, remoteness, and coldness—as it is a physical place that occupies more than 12 percent of the land on earth.

Fashion is in the air at WAM as the museum's student group, WAM Collective, is preparing for the upcoming No White fashion show and student design competition.

Last Wednesday, I stayed up late on a school night. It was the U Choose Student Voting Night Flashback Party at the Weisman! One of the selection methods used for assembling WAM@20, the museum’s special anniversary exhibition, involves students voting on their favorite pieces from all 20 years that we’ve called the Ghery building home. Naturally, we had to throw a party.