The holiday season may be winding down, but the cultural calendar in Vero Beach and the surrounding Treasure Coast is just heating up for the New Year. As we welcome 2026, local galleries, gardens, and museums are offering a diverse array of experiences ranging from Amazonian light displays to educational lectures on our local ecology.
If you are looking for ways to extend the seasonal cheer or simply want to start the year with a dose of culture, here is a guide to the art exhibits and events happening this January.
McKee Botanical Garden: Jungle Lights
For those who aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to holiday dazzling, there is still time to catch the popular Jungle Lights display. This event runs nightly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Saturday, Jan. 3 (closed Mondays and holidays).
The garden has been transformed with thousands of lights and decorations inspired by the flora and fauna of six Amazonian countries. It offers a perfect evening stroll through tropical pathways accompanied by themed music.
Location: 350 U.S. 1, Vero Beach
Contact: 772-794-0601 or visit McKeeGarden.org
Vero Beach Museum of Art: Exhibitions and Classes
The Vero Beach Museum of Art (VBMA) is kicking off the year with three major exhibitions that are ending soon, making early January the critical time to visit.
- Picasso and the Progressive Proof: Linocut Prints: This exhibit from a private collection offers a unique look into Picasso’s later printmaking processes. It remains on view through Jan. 4.
- Recent Acquisition Highlights: Running through Jan. 11, this features new additions to the museum’s permanent collection, ranging from early American to contemporary pieces.
- Double Portraits: Also closing on Jan. 11, this photography exhibit features works by 34 artists exploring themes of identity and connection.
For those looking to get hands-on in the New Year, the museum’s Winter 2026 class schedule begins on Jan. 5. The museum offers weekday and weekend sessions in a wide variety of mediums, including:
- Photography (including cell phone photography)
- Ceramics (tuition includes a 25-pound bag of clay)
- Children’s book illustration
- Impressionism, Surrealism, and Archeology
- Yoga, Writing, and more
Additionally, the “Cork, Canvas and Company” series returns on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. For $45 (materials provided), participants can create artwork under the guidance of instructor Barry Shapiro while enjoying their own brought-from-home beverages and snacks.
Location: 3001 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach
Admission: $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (65+), $5 for students. Free for members, children under 17, and military.
Contact: 772-231-0707 or visit VeroBeachMuseum.org
The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery: Glory in Glass
Just south in Fort Pierce, the A.E. Backus Museum is hosting Glory in Glass: The Art of Conrad Pickel Studio through Jan. 4. Founded in 1947, the Conrad Pickel Studio is renowned for blending traditional craftsmanship with modern design.
The exhibit showcases the intricate process of creating stained glass, featuring both finished masterpieces and educational examples of the medium.
“Created from the finest mouth-blown antique glass, their leaded stained-glass windows for religious, secular, and public projects throughout North America embody the art and science of light.”
Location: 500 North Indian River Dr., Fort Pierce
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Sunday (noon to 4 p.m.)
Admission: $5 (Free for members, students, active military, and children under 18)
Contact: 772-465-0630 or visit BackusMuseum.org
Center for Spiritual Care: Splash and Bloom
A new exhibit titled Splash and Bloom: Pools, Plants and Places by artist Madeline Long opens on Friday, Jan. 2, with a reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The exhibit runs through Jan. 30.
Long, a trustee and ambassador for the Vero Beach Museum of Art, trained at Columbia University and the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. She is celebrated locally for her colorful contemporary paintings.
Location: 1550 24th St., Vero Beach
Hours: Saturdays (noon to 3 p.m.) and Sundays (2 p.m. to 5 p.m.). The artist will be present on Sundays.
Contact: 772-567-1233
The Emerson Center: E-Series Lectures
The Emerson Center launches its 2026 E-Series lecture lineup on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. with a presentation titled “The Indian River Lagoon Story.”
The featured speaker is Heather Stapleton, community engagement coordinator for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. She will discuss the ecological significance of the lagoon and how citizens can engage in its preservation.
Location: 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach
Admission: Free (suggested donation of $10)
Contact: 772-778-5249 or visit TheEmersonCenter.com
