Mulvane Art Museum Celebrates “Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea” with Free Community Event

Topeka, Kan. - Washburn University's Mulvane Art Museum will celebrate "Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea" with a free community event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, on the Washburn campus as the traveling exhibit nears the end of its stay in the capital city.

Attendees can enjoy indoor and outdoor activities, including a StoneLion Puppet Theater workshop, face painting and the Kansas Children's Discovery Center Mobile Museum. "Washed Ashore's" Zorabelle, the Rockhopper Penguin sculpture, will be on display in the Memorial Union and the monarch butterfly created by students from USD 501 Topeka Public Schools will be on display in the Mulvane Art Lab. The Mulvane Art Museum galleries and Art Lab will be open and food trucks will be onsite.

Support from a group of generous donors who contributed $5,700 during Washburn's annual Day of Giving in February 2026 made the event possible.

"This event is a wonderful opportunity for families and community members to celebrate Washed Ashore as the exhibit approaches its final weeks in Topeka," said Sara Stepp, director, Mulvane Art Museum. "We hope people will come enjoy the activities, see the sculptures and leave inspired by the ways art can spark conversations about protecting our environment."

Visitors of all ages still have time to experience the artistry, creativity and conservation messages woven into each larger-than-life sculpture. Admission is free to view the sculptures at Washburn, the Mulvane Art Lab, NOTO Arts Center and Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. Regular admission applies to the sculptures at Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center and the Kansas Children's Discovery Center. The exhibit closes Sept. 13.

To learn more about "Washed Ashore," visit washedashore.org. For more information about the Mulvane Art Museum, visit mulvaneartmuseum.org.

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For further information, contact:
Lacey Kinder
Content Specialist
Telephone: (785) 670-2154 | Cell: (785) 845-1909
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