Education Programs

Kids and Families

Family Programs: March - August 2008 (pdf)

Guides

• Tips for a Family Visit
• Self-led Tours
• Flashlight Tours
• Events
• Learning to Look Guide (in pdf)
• Discussing sensitive subjects with children (in Word)
  by Dr. Debra Crouse, Westminster College

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Tips for a Family Visit

Make a museum your classroom by scheduling a school tour at the Museum of Art and Archaeology.

1. Allow children time to look, ask questions, and discuss the art with you. This will help your child gain confidence in his/her thinking and verbal skills and gives you insight into what your children understand and what their interests are. Here are some questions/statements to help engage the children in conversation:

• Tell me what you see in this painting.
• A good name for this object/painting is … because…
• What does this artwork remind you of?
• What if the artist used ______ color instead of ______ color?
• Why do you think the artist (used that color, placed that object in the center, chose only neutral colors, …)
• How is this artwork like _____?
• If you could talk with the artist, what would you ask about the artwork?
  

2. Avoid Museum Feet. “Museum Feet” are caused by standing or walking through the galleries for too long while trying to see as many objects as possible in one visit. Children can be overwhelmed. Instead, children will enjoy the museum visit more if you focus on seven objects (plus or minus two) while allowing them to sit in one spot for short breaks. Your mind will stay sharp and your feet will remain happy, if you keep your visit to one hour (30 minutes is better for preschoolers).
   
   
3. Visit galleries that coincide with what the children are studying at school or where their interests lie.
   The Museum of Art and Archaeology is a valuable resource that brings history, geography, archaeology, and culture to life.
   
   
4. Play Museum or Gallery Games
   Games are engaging, interactive, and, most important to kids, fun! Try these:

Postcard Detective – At the Museum Store, purchase a few postcards that depict art from one gallery or a few galleries. Hand the postcards to the children and ask them to lead you to the real thing (chaperones are asked to stay with young children). How is the real thing like the postcard depiction? How is it different?

Gallery Guides – look for Gallery Guides near the Guard’s desk to help you travel through the Museum galleries and focus on a few objects.

Seek and Find - Create a list before visiting the Museum of things to look for: paintings or artifacts that have your child’s favorite color or shape; objects that are old, new, tall, short, scary, happy, shiny, dull; objects with animals, faces of people… .

5. After the visit, look for opportunities to continue learning and reinforce the experience.

Model a favorite painting or sculpture at home.

Create a museum at home - Use the postcard artwork and a cardboard box to design your gallery. Invite your family to your museum. Be the docent and tell them about the artwork. No postcards? Use toys or other objects as your museum collection. Why are these objects in your gallery? What is the arrangement of the objects (favorite to least favorite, tallest to shortest, oldest to newest)?

Go online – many museums maintain websites that are abundant in resources, including online exhibits, interactive games and activities, and suggestions for further reading.

Visit the library or bookstore for further information on an artist, time period, or culture.

Use community resources – watch for special events at the Museum of Art and Archaeology, schools, other museums, MU campus activities, or the library.

Self-led tours

Visitors are always welcome to tour the exhibitions independently. Groups of ten or more are, however, requested to schedule their visit at least one week in advance by calling the Museum of Art and Archaeology at 573-882-3591. Gallery Guides for self-led tours can be found at the information desk at the entrance to the upstairs galleries.

Flashlight Tours

Parents and caregivers and their children are invited to attend a Flashlight Tour at the Museum of Art and Archaeology. Flashlight tours are a unique, fun, and exciting way to experience the Museum. With flashlights and clue sheets in hand, visitors carefully explore a darkened gallery for artifacts. Flashlights will be provided, although you are welcome to bring your own. After sufficient exploration time, visitors regroup to confirm their findings while learning about and discussing didactic information about those objects.

Flashlight Tours are free and ideal for preschoolers through fifth grade.

You can request a Flashlight Tour for a group of 10 or more. Contact the Museum at 573-882-3591.

Events

Scheduled events at the Museum of Art and Archaeology are listed on the Calendar. Events are open to the public and free, unless otherwise noted.

Event Cancellation Policy

The Museum of Art and Archaeology reserves the right to cancel events due to poor weather, low registration, or other unforeseen events. Please provide a contact number when registering for educational programs in order to be notified promptly.

Mummy's the Word

Lion King
March 2007: