introduction to art tours

Sample our art collections while learning basic viewing skills.  Introductory tours for elementary grades focus on just a few works from the museum’s collection – masks, chairs, sculptures or other works of art – from a variety of cultures and time periods. For middle and high school students, the introductory tours look at many objects in the museum’s collections. 

Introductory tours are one hour long. Tours are available in your choice of English, Spanish, or bilingual (English/Spanish). Cost is $3.50 per student; free for teachers and adult chaperones.

Grades K–2

Imagination Games

7–100 students

Tuesday–Friday at 9:45 am & 11 am

In this active tour, students sharpen their looking skills by imagining themselves in the world of a painting, holding the pose of a sculpture, or comparing two objects from their own point of view.

CMCS: Visual Arts 1, 2, 4, 5; Reading/Writing 2, 4; Geography 6; Science 1; Math 3, 5

Grades 3–6

Perception Games

7–150 students

Tuesday–Friday at 9:45 am, 11:15 am & noon

We learn 80 percent of what we know through our eyes. Each child will discover the unique quality of his or her own perception through games that teach looking skills.

CMCS: Visual Arts 1, 2, 4, 5; Reading/Writing 2, 4; Geography 6; Science 1; Math 3, 5

Grades 6–12

Collection Highlights

7–100 students

Tuesday–Friday at 9:45 am, 11:15 am & noon

Teachers have three options for a one-hour tour:

1) see the collections in the Hamilton Building which include Modern & Contemporary; African, Oceanic and Western American art; or

2) see some of the artworks in North Building including European & American, Asian, pre-Columbian, Spanish Colonial and American Indian art; or

3) choose a combo of art from both buildings.

CMCS: Visual Arts 1, 4, 5; Reading/Writing 2, 4; Geography 6; Math 3, 5; Science 1.