Hartwick College Yager Museum to Host Film Screening and MLK Day Programs.

The Yager Museum of Art & Culture at Hartwick College will present two special programs in January.

ONEONTA, NY On Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m., the Yager presents a screening of the documentary The Great Museum. Featuring unprecedented access to the multifaceted Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s most influential art institutions.

Widely known as the palace that houses works by Rembrandt, Diego Velazquez, Pieter Brueghel, Peter Paul Rubens and Caravaggio, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is also home to a dedicated and dynamic staff. As the camera moves through its grand galleries, director Johannes Holzhausen reveals an institution adapting to the marketing and funding realities of the 21st century while remaining faithful to its core mission.

The film is part of a documentary series examining notable museums. Upcoming screenings at the Yager Museum will include Close to Vermeer in February, which explores Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, followed by Museum Town in March, which focuses on MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts.

On Monday, Jan. 19, the Yager Museum will be open in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

At 11:30 a.m., Harry Bradshaw Matthews, curator of the current exhibition Memorializing the Underground Railroad, will present a talk titled “Building a Community With Truth and Understanding.” Matthews will highlight key individuals and organizations that worked over generations to support the Underground Railroad and abolitionist efforts in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Matthews retired from Hartwick College in 2020 as associate dean and director of the Office of Intercultural Affairs. During his tenure, he researched the College’s historical ties to the antislavery movement and mentored diverse student affinity organizations. In 2024, Matthews was awarded the College’s Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Memorializing the Underground Railroad features Matthews’ extensive collection of rare books and images documenting the journeys of enslaved African Americans seeking freedom. The exhibition marks the first public presentation of this collection, which represents a critical period in American history.

Memorializing the Underground Railroad: The Harry Bradshaw Matthews Collection will remain on view at the Yager Museum through Jan. 23, 2026.

During January, the museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., through Friday, Jan. 23. The museum will also be open Monday, Jan. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Quentin Lewis, museum curator, at 607-431-4481 or lewisq@hartwick.edu, or Douglas Kendall, museum director, at 607-431-4423 or kendalld@hartwick.edu.

ABOUT HARTWICK COLLEGE

Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success-both professionally and personally