Whether you want to hone your baking skills, learn a language, explore your artistic side, plant a garden, or master meditation, the start of a new year is the perfect time to dive in. Here are 26 Memphis adult education classes that promise to stimulate your mind, stretch your creativity, and challenge your body.

FOR ARTISTIC EXPLORATION

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

More Info: brooksmuseum.org

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s mission is to inspire creativity, and it’s off to a strong start with its slate of winter programs. On the second and fourth Thursday of each month, it is bringing back its popular figure drawing classes, with drawing boards, pencils, pens, and a nude model supplied. It also hosts Super Saturday art workshops for all ages and skill levels, with themes ranging from collage-making to crafting miniature masterpieces from everyday objects.

For adults over 55, the museum offers free Inspired Aging courses that teach watercolor, mixed media, and sculpture classes throughout the week. Stay tuned because it will soon be adding adult art classes in partnership with the former nonprofit Arrow Creative!

Five in One Social Club

More Info: fiveinonesocialclub.com

If you were one of those kids who lived for arts and crafts time in school, don’t miss the Kindergarten for Grown Folks classes at Five in One Social Club, which hosts creative workshops and sells handmade goods by local artists. Even if you don’t think of yourself as creative, these engaging and fun classes may change your mind!

Learn to crochet, make a stained-glass flower frame, turn empty wine bottles into upcycled glassware, or needle felt your favorite animal. Classes are typically three to four hours long, and supplies are provided. Students are welcome to bring their own drinks or snacks.

Memphis Photo Space

More Info: memphisphotospace.com

Take your photography skills to the next level at Memphis Photo Space, a professional studio with equipment, space rentals, and classes for beginner and aspiring photographers. Master the basics of lighting, flash, and posing; discover how to use editing software to make your photos picture-perfect; or learn the secrets behind taking great headshots, product photography, and family portraits.

Interior of Memphis Photo Space studio.Pin
Level up your photography skills at Memphis Photo Space. Image: Facebook

Metal Museum

More Info: metalmuseum.org

Got an appreciation for fine metalwork? Create some of your own! One of the few institutions in the world devoted to advancing the art and craft of metalwork, the Metal Museum offers studio classes in blacksmithing, casting, welding, enameling, and other metalsmithing techniques. No experience necessary!

Classes range from beginner to advanced, and all tools and materials are provided. Learn how to forge everything from belt buckles, jewelry, and bookends to weather vanes, bird feeders, and ornamental art, or take a shorter Make Your Own class to experiment with gold leafing and other introductory concepts.

Classes sell out quickly, so register before they fill up or email [email protected] for more info. Prefer to learn from home? Check out the museum’s online instructional videos to see metalsmithing processes in action and follow along with step-by-step tutorials.

Seize the Clay

More Info: seizetheclay.net

Are you a kinesthetic person who loves getting your hands dirty? Give pottery a whirl! For $100, you can take a two-and-a-half-hour private class at Seize the Clay, a pottery painting studio in Chickasaw Oaks Plaza. In this introductory lesson, you’ll learn how to center the clay on the wheel and throw bowls that you can paint and glaze later. Hone your pottery skills further at Belltower Coffeehouse and Studio in the University of Memphis district, which offers pottery intro and mug-making classes for $65 and an eight-week wheel-throwing class for $325.

Memphis Piano Studio

More Info: memphispianostudio.com

It’s never too late to learn how to tickle the ivories! Memphis Piano Studio in Germantown offers 30-minute private, introductory piano lessons for just $10 through January. Lessons cover basic note and rhythm reading as well as proper posture at the piano. If you love it, you can return for more lessons, which are tailored to all ages and levels, from beginner to advanced. Want to try your hand at several different instruments? Memphis Music Academy offers 30-minute trial lessons in piano, guitar, drum, violin, and voice for just $40.

Collierville Chamber of Commerce

More Info: memphisprofessionalphotographer.com

Calling all aspiring photographers! Blair Ball Photography, a Memphis-based sports, event, and portrait photography studio, is hosting a series of workshops at the Collierville Chamber of Commerce for those wanting to learn more about the mechanics of digital photography. These include a Digital Photography 101 and Adobe Lightroom workshop on January 25 and a Lightroom Masterclass on February 1. Spots are limited, so register early (and receive a 35% discount when you do)!

FOR ASPIRING BAKERS

Muddy’s Bake Shop

More Info: muddysbakeshop.com

Do you dream about the mouthwatering goodies at Muddy’s Bake Shop? Now, you can recreate them yourself! The iconic small-batch Memphis bakery offers several weekend baking classes at its Broad Street location. Students get their own aprons and baking stations stocked with kitchen supplies (as well as ingredients) so they can experiment with making cookies, scones, and other treats.

The beginner-friendly classes are small, interactive, and fun, with help from instructors and time for questions. Also, if you are a cookbook enthusiast craving a greater sense of community in the kitchen, Muddy’s has the perfect event! On February 8, the bakery will host a Cookbook Club Pot Luck featuring the book Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy, Snackable Bakes by Jessie Sheehan. Participants will share their thoughts about the cookbook and a dish they made from it.

A bakery interior with a variety of pies on a central display table, whimsically decorated with a disco ball overhead.Pin
Craving some Muddy’s Bake Shop goodies? Learn to make them yourself! Image: Facebook

DANCE (OR WORK) IT OUT

Ballet Memphis

More Info: balletmemphis.org

Is one of your resolutions to move more in 2025? Ballet Memphis offers several classes to get you active in new ways. Improve your flexibility, posture, and coordination with Pilates classes taught on the mat and with equipment, or explore new forms of movement and creative expression with an adult ballet class led by professional dancers. Adult ballet classes are small and open to beginners; the cost is just $20 for drop-ins. You can sign up for any of these classes virtually through the Ballet Memphis app, which you can download HERE.

Blue Suede Ballroom

More Info: bluesuedeballroom.com

Ready to take your dance moves up a notch? Check out the offerings at Blue Suede Ballroom. Located in the Forest Hill Shopping Center, this dance studio teaches private and group classes to students of all levels of experience and ability. And you don’t even need to bring a partner! Lessons cover different styles of ballroom dance, as well as salsa, swing, tango, waltz, rumba, and cha-cha.

Group beginner classes are held on Friday evenings at 7 p.m., for $12 per person or $24 per couple. Take advantage of its introductory offer for just $195, which includes three private lessons. You can even get your friends in on the fun by booking a private group class for an upcoming birthday, anniversary, or special event.

Theatreworks

More Info: theatreworksmemphis.org

Theatreworks, a nonprofit that provides rehearsal and performance space for local artists and performing arts groups, also hosts dance classes at its Monroe and Poplar Avenue locations. You can get fit with tango or belly dancing, learn tap dance, or tap into your dramatic side with improvisational dance.

Pickleball 901

More Info: pickleball901.com

Whether you are new to pickleball or want to take your game to the next level, Pickleball 901, located at Carriage Crossings in Collierville, has instructors who are eager to help. Sign up for an intro course, private lessons, or one of the facility’s six-week pickleball clinics to learn everything from scorekeeping to basic strokes and court positions.

Clinics are designed for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players. PeaceTree United Methodist Church is also offering 90-minute pickleball clinics for beginner and intermediate players on January 26. The proceeds will support the church’s upcoming mission trip to Rio Bravo Ministries in Mexico.

Wiseacre Brewing Company

More Info: eventbrite.com

Are you curious about boxing? Rumble Boxing is teaming up with Wiseacre Brewing Company to offer a free Saturday morning pop-up workout at the brewery on January 25. The 30-minute workout is for all fitness levels and will focus on shadowboxing and bodyweight strength. All you need to do is arrive 15 minutes early, wear comfortable clothing, and bring water, a yoga mat, and your energy!

FOR NATURE LOVERS

Dixon Gallery and Gardens

More Info: dixon.org

Known for its innovative programs in the arts and horticulture, Dixon Gallery and Gardens provides loads of inspiration and learning opportunities for art and nature lovers. In monthly workshops and classes, you can plant your own herb pot for the kitchen, master figure drawing, or experiment with Zentangle (an approach to creating patterns using basic mark-making). You can also hear discussions on diverse topics from art history to seed starting at its weekly Munch and Learns, led each Wednesday by local artists, scholars, and Dixon staff.

Dixon also sponsors many free programs, including art classes for seniors, rotating exhibitions, and a monthly book club focused on nature, the arts, and history. Looking for some zen? Venture to the garden for free yoga classes on Thursday evenings, lunchtime meditations at noon on Fridays, or tai chi classes on Saturday mornings.

Memphis Botanic Gardens

More Info: membg.org

Are you suffering from the winter blues? Memphis Botanic Gardens offers a full schedule of events and workshops to ignite your creativity and get you dreaming of spring. Create a ceramic fairy house for your garden, transform a recycled household item into a charming planter, dye silk scarves using found objects, or take a watercolor or oil painting course.

Classes range in cost, with discounts for members! Whether you’re an avid gardener or just an admirer of nature, the garden sponsors programs year-round to broaden your knowledge of horticulture and the environment. Sign up for 90-minute garden workshops for insights on terrariums and container gardening or 45-minute garden talks to learn how to care for different types of plants and attract pollinators. Explore the garden’s rich history and its 30 specialty gardens with a private, docent-led tour.

People making terrariums at Memphis Botanic Garden.Pin
Get your hands in the dirt at any of the adult classes at Memphis Botanic Garden. Image: Facebook

Museum of Science and History (MoSH)

More Info: moshmemphis.com

If you’re into birdwatching or gardening activities, you won’t want to miss The Birds & the Seeds winter workshop on January 25 at the Memphis Museum of Science and History (MoSH)’s Lichterman Nature Center. The free event, held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., includes workshops on beginner birdwatching and native seed collecting, as well as free seed swaps and plant sales.

Bartlett City Beautiful

More Info: cityofbartlett.org

Want to become a better gardener? Bartlett City Beautiful is bringing back its annual Gardening University for beginner and experienced gardeners who wish to develop a green thumb. Taught by master gardeners, the free series includes topics such as ecological gardening, curb appeal, mosquitos, rain gardens, and medicinal plants. It is held on Saturday afternoons through February 15 at the Bartlett Public Library.

FOR LIFELONG LEARNERS

Creative Aging

More Info: creativeagingmidsouth.org

Retired and want to stay busy? You can find a plethora of lifelong learning classes through Creative Aging’s Senior Studio. Dedicated to using the arts to enhance the lives of seniors, the nonprofit offers an ongoing list of in-person and virtual classes taught by local artists and held at museums, libraries, and other community venues throughout Memphis.

Courses cover an array of mediums, including acrylic painting, printmaking, drawing and sketching, jewelry making,  pottery, and beginner tap and ballet (to name a few). Classes are free and typically taught over four to eight weeks.

Meeman Center for Lifelong Learning

More Info: rhodes.edu

Have you ever wished you could go back to college to take a course or two without giving up your day job? You can do precisely that through Rhodes College’s Meeman Center for Lifelong Learning, which just opened its spring semester for registration. Taught by college faculty, courses delve into various themes from film and cinema to the lore of literature to contemporary studies, philosophy, and political science. Classes, which are mainly in the evening, run from mid-January through the end of April and include in-person, Zoom, and hybrid options.

Memphis Public Library

More Info: memphis.librarycalendar.com

Libraries are known for offering help with tax prep and tech literacy, but the Memphis Public Library goes a step beyond the basic offerings. The library offers various classes focused on health and wellness, finance, arts and crafts, and civic engagement. Experiment with new crafts like crocheting, needlepoint, and calligraphy; take classes in aerobics, yoga, Zumba, and line dancing; learn beginner Spanish, chess, or how to cook healthy meals on a budget; brush up on your writing, podcasting, or money management skills, or gain new gardening insights. The library also hosts writing and book clubs for literary lovers.

Casa De Oración

More Info: eventbrite.com

Now is your chance to speak Korean! Casa De Oración, a spiritual center on Macon Road, will offer free weekly Korean language classes every Saturday afternoon. Classes kick off in January and run through the spring.

FOR HISTORY BUFFS

Elmwood Cemetery

More Info: elmwoodcemetery.org

Whether you are at the beginning of your genealogy journey or want to delve deeper, you are sure to find helpful guidance in uncovering your family history in the Genealogy Tips & Tricks session on January 25. Presented by Memphis Public Libraries historians Bonnie Pinkston and Verjeana Hunt, the session will focus on how genealogists can use cemeteries to research their roots. You’ll also get a tutorial on how to use Elmwood Cemetery’s online database from its staff. The cost is just $10 to attend.

If you are a fan of Victorian-era fashion, you won’t want to miss Memphis-based mourning jewelry expert Virginia Shelton’s talk on Victorian Mourning Customs & Jewelry on February 15. Held at Elmwood’s chapel, Shelton will share her personal archive of rings, brooches, lockets, and necklaces from the era and decode the meaning behind her favorite pieces. Admission is $23.18.

GET WELL

Sundara Wellness

More Info: sundarawellness.com

Detox from the week and kick the weekend off right with transformative reiki and sound healing sessions at Sundara Wellness in Midtown. Held the second Friday evening of January, February, and March, the $35 sessions combine deep, therapeutic relaxation from the healing vibrations of singing bowls with reiki treatment — an experience that can help alleviate mental stress and physical pain. Call (901) 321-5803 to secure your spot.

Sessions start January 10. Sundara is also hosting a Meditation and Vision Board Workshop on January 19. The cost is $40 and includes all the materials needed. To register, contact Heather Jordan at [email protected] or call (901) 574-1378.

The Broom Closet

More Info: eventbrite.com

Searching for deep relaxation and rejuvenation? The Broom Closet, a metaphysical shop in downtown Memphis, is hosting several Sound Bath experiences through January for those interested in this meditative practice. Certified sound therapist Matt Petty will lead the sensory sessions, using crystal singing bowls, gongs, chimes, and multiple instruments to immerse participants in healing sound vibrations. Space is limited, so reserve your spot ahead of time! The shop will also host a free wire wrapping jewelry class on February 17.

Memphis Drum Shop

More Info: memphisdrumshop.com

Soak up more mind-body relaxation through the deep tones and vibrations emanating from Memphis Drum Shop‘s Gong Chamber, which features an extensive collection of Paiste gongs, Meinl singing bowls, and bronze bowls. The shop will host Community Sound Journeys several Saturdays through January and February for $45 a person. Contact [email protected] or (901) 276-2328 to snag a spot or to schedule a private session with Reiki Master Nancy Pettit.

Crosstown Concourse

More Info: eventbrite.com

Hoping to kick the new year off to a calmer, more intentional start? Check out a series of mindfulness meditation classes led by Robert Dove, a clinical social worker with a psychotherapy practice in Memphis. The 30-minute classes, held each Friday through January in Crosstown’s Church Health Chapel, will guide participants through different forms of meditation and how to use them to live more deliberately and with greater compassion for ourselves and the world around us.

Stay curious, Memphis!

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Author: Emily McMackin
About the Author
Emily McMackin

Emily McMackin Dye is an Alabama native and Tennessee transplant, who recently moved to Memphis from Nashville. A freelance writer, she enjoys exploring history, culture, and the lifestyle scene surrounding her new home in The Bluff City.