CAM Nights & Holiday Lights Returns November 18, 2026

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CINCINNATI — October 29, 2026 — The Cincinnati Art Museum’s (CAM’s) holiday projection light show is back—and bigger—for its second year. In 2026, the new production will feature art by Charley Harper, running in tandem with the exhibition The Art of Charley Harper: Creatures Wild and Tame.

Produced by Lightborne—the same company that created the blockbuster Harper Alive show at Mercantile Immersive during BLINK 2026— Charley Harper’s Wild Wonderland will bring the beloved artist’s work to life through animation and music. Charley Harper’s Wild Wonderland is organized in partnership with Charley Harper Art.

Those who saw Harper Alive might recognize some familiar creatures, but Charley Harper’s Wild Wonderland will be a new, winter-themed show created for CAM visitors!

The four-minute production will play continuously on a loop along three outdoor walls in CAM’s Alice Bimel Courtyard from 5–8:45 p.m., with the museum closing at 9 p.m. The darker it gets outside, the brighter the lights will become. Admission to the museum and CAM Nights & Holiday Lights, Featuring the Work of Charley Harper is free. The projection light show will run on select Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings (no CAM Nights & Holiday Lights on Dec 2, 18, 24, 31; CAM closed November 26 and December 25).

The museum, including the Charley Harper exhibition, will be open in full during the event.

 While you’re here:

• Explore CAM’s galleries.
• Grab dinner in the Terrace Café (open until 8:30 p.m.).
• Reserve covered outdoor seating in the courtyard for dinner. Visit the Terrace Café webpage for details.
• Visit exhibitions:
• The Art of Charley Harper: Creatures Wild and Tame
• Ticketed Wednesday and Friday evenings
• Free admission Thursday evenings
• Nancy Rexroth: Secrets of My Power (free)
• Terence Hammonds: Soul is a Ham Hock in Your Cornflakes (free)
• Find unique gifts for the art lover in your life at the Museum Shop.
• Stop by the Rosenthal Education Center (REC) for art-making activities.

About the Cincinnati Art Museum

The Cincinnati Art Museum features a diverse, encyclopedic art collection of more than 73,000 works spanning 6,000 years. In addition to displaying its own broad collection, the museum conducts extensive research and creates and organizes several exhibitions each year. It also hosts national and international traveling exhibitions. Through these critical projects and art-related programs, activities and special events, the museum contributes to a more vibrant Cincinnati by inspiring its people and connecting its communities.

Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati, as well as its members. Free general admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is made possible by a gift from the Rosenthal Family Foundation. Generous support for the museum’s extended Thursday hours is provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. Exhibition pricing may vary. Parking at the Cincinnati Art Museum is free. Accessibility accommodations are available. Visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

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