School Tours
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National Gallery of Art school tours for students in kindergarten through grade 12 are designed to foster conversation about works of art. During four or five stops, students are given the time and space to explore original objects in an informal learning setting.
Less really is more: by slowing down and looking carefully at a few works of art, students have the opportunity to think creatively and critically. They will question, puzzle, reason with evidence, compare and connect, developing their own interpretations and ideas about works of art.
Our tours are led by skilled docents who work with teachers to facilitate a student-centered learning experience that supports and expands classroom learning.
On our museum tours, students will…
- have their curiosity piqued and their imaginations sparked. You're never too young or too old to start loving art.
- see that questions seldom have a single answer and that works of art can possess multiple levels of meaning.
- examine objects and discuss them with classmates and educators, building vocabulary in context, and skills in reasoning and debate.
- engage with original works of art—the ultimate primary source—that might be 10 years or hundreds of years old.
- learn in an informal environment conducive to multiple learning styles.
- Tours must be scheduled at least four weeks in advance.
- Foreign-language tours must be scheduled at least eight weeks in advance.
- Tours are offered at 10:15 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., and 2:00 p.m., except where noted.
- Groups must contain at least 10 students.
- Requests for tours in fall 2010 (October 4–December 10) will be accepted August 2 through November 12, 2010.
- Requests for tours in winter and spring 2011 (January 10–May 27) will be accepted from December 1, 2010 through May 1, 2011.
To begin the scheduling process:
- Browse the school tour themes to decide which tours meet your curriculum needs.
- Decide on dates and alternate dates for your visit.
- Select "request tour" to access the online Tour Request Form.
- Fill out the form completely, then click "submit." You will receive an automated response acknowledging receipt of your request.
Alternatively, you may mail or fax the school tour request form.
You will hear from us within seven business days (14 days for foreign-language tours) regarding your tour request and will receive written confirmation once your tour has been scheduled.
Pre-visit materials are available (online) for some tours; see program descriptions.
Questions about Tours
Our tour scheduler is available to answer questions on Monday through Wednesday between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. (September through May).
Please contact Jennifer Cross at (202) 842-6249 or schooltourrequests@nga.gov.
Canceling or Changing Your Tour
To cancel or change a tour, please call (202) 842-6249 at least seven days before your tour date so that your slot can be made available to others.
Chaperones
Tour groups must be accompanied by one adult chaperone for every 10 students. Chaperones must remain with the group at all times. It is the
responsibility of chaperones to maintain orderly student behavior at the Gallery. Chaperone information cards outlining Gallery visitor
policies will be distributed on the day of your tour.
Scheduling Large Groups
If the number of students in your group exceeds the number that we permit for your tour, you may consider:
- scheduling the same tour theme at different times on the same date
- scheduling different tour themes at the same time
- scheduling the same tour theme on different dates
Tour Length
All tours for students in kindergarten through grade five are 60 minutes. All tours for students in grades 6 through 12 are 75 minutes, except where stated.
Museum Tours for Ages 4–6 and Elementary School Students
These hands-on tours introduce the art museum to our youngest viewers, cultivating their curiosity and imaginations as they begin their journey of exploring and discovering art.
Art Tales: "Little Cloud" by Eric Carle
Art Tales provides an engaging three-step experience for exploring works of art. Through children's literature students are introduced to different themes in art in a familiar way; students are then encouraged to connect these themes with art they observe in the galleries. An art activity at the end of each tour helps students make hands-on connections to the art works and themes discussed.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Art Tales: "Matthew's Dream" by Leo Lionni
Art Tales provides an engaging three-step experience for exploring works of art. Through children's literature students are introduced to different themes in art in a familiar way; students are then encouraged to connect these themes with art they observe in the galleries. An art activity at the end of each tour helps students make hands-on connections to the art works and themes discussed.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Color, Line, and Shape
How are color, line, and shape used to make works of art? In this tour, careful looking exercises and hands-on activities help students understand the basic elements of art while developing personal connections and ideas about works of art.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Faces and Places
Students will explore portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes as a way of telling stories about people and places from the past. Students will be encouraged to make personal connections and interpretations, using evidence from the works of art.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Color, Line, and Shape
How are color, line, and shape used to make works of art? In this tour, careful looking exercises and hands-on activities help students understand the basic elements of art while developing personal connections and ideas about works of art.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Nature in Art
If you could walk into a landscape, what would you hear or feel? This tour explores how artists depict the natural world and invites students to use their imaginations while carefully exploring art and nature too.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Every Picture Tells a Story (Grade 3 only)
This tour looks at paintings as unfolding stories with multiple perspectives. Students learn to "read" works of art, identifying characters, setting, and plot, and creating dialogue. Through careful looking and conversation, students are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
American Art
How does art send messages about a new nation and its national identity? Students explore works of American art and their historical and cultural connections. Through careful looking and conversation, students will develop their own ideas and interpretations about American art.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Exploring the Elements of Art
What are the different elements that make up a work of art? This tour examines color, line, shape, form, and texture. Guided looking, together with art making, writing, and discussion activities, helps students understand how artists consciously manipulate and combine these elements to achieve particular effects.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Every Picture Tells a Story
This tour looks at paintings as unfolding stories with multiple perspectives. Students learn to "read" works of art, identifying characters, setting, and plot, and creating dialogue. Through careful looking and conversation, students are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Mythology
Which dramatic moment in a mythological story did an artist choose to depict, and why? This tour unravels Greek and Roman myths, which have been imaginatively and dramatically portrayed by artists through the ages. Students explore representations of character, plot, and setting, as well as underlying messages that the artist was conveying.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Sculpture and Sketching
What are some of the characteristics of sculpture? Looking at works ranging from figurative bronze and marble sculpture to objects that challenge traditional definitions of sculpture, students investigate materials and techniques as well as sculptures' subjects, function, and effect on the viewer.
This two-building tour (with five or six stops) includes careful observation, sketching, and discussion. Participants are encouraged to develop their own ideas and interpretations.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Museum Tours for Middle School Students
American Art
How does art send messages about a new nation and its national identity? Students explore works of American art and their historical and cultural connections. Through careful looking and conversation, students will develop their own ideas and interpretations about American art.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Every Picture Tells a Story
This tour looks at paintings as unfolding stories with multiple perspectives. Students learn to "read" works of art, identifying characters, setting, and plot, and creating dialogue. Through careful looking and conversation, students are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Exploring Modern Art: Breaking the Rules
What is modern about modern art? Students investigate the ways artists "break the rules" when they depart from realistic representation, use innovative techniques, and engage the viewer as a partner in the creation of meaning. Through careful looking and conversation, students are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
French Art
This tour is temporarily unavailable due to gallery reinstallations.
Mythology
Which dramatic moment in a mythological story did an artist choose to depict, and why? This tour unravels Greek and Roman myths, which have been imaginatively and dramatically portrayed by artists through the ages. Students explore representations of character, plot, and setting, as well as underlying messages that the artist was conveying.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Portraits and Personalities
How does a portrait reveal the life and time of its sitter? This tour explores portraits and self-portraits from multiple points of view, examining works of art that reveal the sitters' personalities, status, and social and historical environments.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Renaissance Art
What radical changes in art (and life) marked the period known as the Renaissance? Original works of art provide students with firsthand answers to this question. Students will explore such artistic developments as perspective and the naturalistic representation of the human figure, and how these stylistic developments were influenced by scientific discovery and the rise of humanism.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Sculpture and Sketching
What are some of the characteristics of sculpture? Looking at works ranging from figurative bronze and marble sculpture to objects that challenge traditional definitions of sculpture, students investigate materials and techniques as well as sculptures' subjects, functions, and effects on the viewer.
This two-building tour (with six stops) includes careful observation, sketching, and discussion. Participants are encouraged to develop their own ideas and interpretations.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Museum Visits for High School Students
American Art
How does art send messages about a new nation and its national identity? Students explore works of American art and their historical and cultural connections. Through careful looking and conversation, students will develop their own ideas and interpretations about American art.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Every Picture Tells a Story
This tour looks at paintings as unfolding stories with multiple perspectives. Students learn to "read" works of art, identifying characters, setting, and plot, and creating dialogue. Through careful looking and conversation, students are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Exploring Modern Art: Breaking the Rules
What is modern about modern art? Students investigate the ways artists "break the rules" when they depart from realistic representation, use innovative techniques, and engage the viewer as a partner in the creation of meaning. Through careful looking and conversation, students are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
French Art
This tour is temporarily unavailable due to gallery reinstallations.
Portraits and Personalities
How does a portrait reveal the life and time of its sitter? This tour explores portraits and self-portraits from multiple points of view, examining works of art that reveal the sitters' personalities, status, and social and historical environments.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Renaissance Art
What radical changes in art (and life) marked the period known as the Renaissance? Original works of art provide students with firsthand answers to this question. Students will explore such artistic developments as perspective and the naturalistic representation of the human figure, and how these stylistic developments were influenced by scientific discovery and the rise of humanism.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Sculpture and Sketching
What are some of the characteristics of sculpture? Looking at works ranging from figurative bronze and marble sculpture to objects that challenge traditional definitions of sculpture, students investigate materials and techniques as well as sculptures' subjects, functions, and effects on the viewer.
This two-building tour (with six stops) includes careful observation, sketching, and discussion. Participants are encouraged to develop their own ideas and interpretations.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
Spanish Art
How did Spanish artists respond to their artistic, historical, cultural, and political surroundings? Students explore and compare the style, subject matter, and technique of artists ranging from El Greco to Picasso. Important influences, such as patronage and politics, are also examined.
For more information and to request this tour, click here.
French- and Spanish-Language Tours
Tours conducted in French or Spanish by native speakers are intended for advanced high school language students. This tour has limited availability. If a foreign-language docent is not available for your requested time slot, the Gallery can make an English-language tour available as an alternative. Please check this option on the Tour Request Form if you are interested.
- West Building Treasures in French*
- Spanish Art in Spanish
For more information, click here.
*French Art tour is temporarily unavailable due to gallery reinstallations.
We are happy to work with you to customize a tour that meets the needs of your class, or create a tour that closely connects to your curriculum. Please provide as much detail as possible on the Tour Request Form. Please note that tours focus on the Gallery's permanent collection only; however, self-guided print and online resources for children for some temporary exhibitions are also available.
School tours with religious art themes can be requested using the Special-Topic Tour Request Form. Please note that the Christmas Story tour is limited to 50 students and the Stories from the Hebrew Bible tour is limited to 30 students.
Logistical Information
Group Size: Up to 60 students
Length: 75 minutes
Meeting Location: West Building, Rotunda, Main Floor or East Building, Entrance (inside)
Museum policies
Student lunches
General information
How was your tour?
Teachers are welcome to guide their students through the museum independently. Please complete the Self-Guided Group Form at least four weeks prior to your visit. This assists museum staff in preventing overcrowding in the galleries. Be sure to indicate whether you would like to receive information about Gallery teaching resources.
Before Your Visit
Preview the museum in person or online, identify learning goals, plot your tour route, and think about curriculum and personal connections for your students. Thousands of images, information, and tour planning tools can be accessed on the Gallery Web site. Learn about the collection, preview the free kids' West Building audio tour, download videos and podcasts, see which exhibitions will be on view, explore floor plans, read visitor information, check the calendar of events, browse online educational materials, and borrow free loan teaching resources.
Try Our New Free Children's Audio Tour for Ages 7–12
Explore 50 paintings in the West Building with an audio tour designed especially for children ages 7 to 12. Handheld digital audio players allow children to move at their own pace and choose from a list of stops that include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Winslow Homer. The audio tour is available free of charge and may be picked up at the Acoustiguide desk located in the Rotunda on the Main Floor of the West Building. For group reservations (10 or more), call (202) 842-6592. The audio tour, with images, is also available on the Gallery Web site at www.nga.gov/programs/family.
After Your Visit
- Continue the museum experience back in the classroom using online or free-loan materials.
- Send us student pictures or letters describing your visit, as well as ideas on how we can further support you.
- Post-Visit Feedback: Has your class or organization taken a National Gallery of Art school tour? Please take a moment to share your experience and comments with us by completing our Online Feedback Form.
Student Lunches
Considering eating lunch at the Gallery? To make arrangements please call (202) 712-7458 three days in advance of your tour to purchase lunches from the cafeteria, or submit an order form. Bag lunches may be stored in the checkrooms but may not be eaten in the Gallery cafeteria. View group meal plan menus and ordering information.
Museum Policies: During Your Visit
Adequately supervise your students. Groups must have one adult chaperone for every 10 students. Chaperones are responsible for monitoring and accompanying students at all times.
Please share the rules with your students and chaperones both before and during your visit.
- Do not touch works of art. A helpful guideline is to remain at least 12 inches away from any work of art.
- Do not lean on the walls, display cases, or pedestals, even to draw or take notes.
- Do not block doorways, aisles, or stairways.
- Self-guided groups may be asked to yield to tours given by school docents or staff; only one group may be in a gallery at a time.
Cameras and Backpacks
Handheld cameras, pencils, and pads are allowed in the permanent collection areas but not in special exhibitions. Students may not wear backpacks in the galleries. Backpacks must be checked at a checkroom. We recommend that students leave all backpacks at school or on the bus to prevent entry delays. Visitors will be asked to present all carried items for inspection upon entering the Gallery.
The use of tripods, easels, and ink or chalk drawing materials is prohibited without special advance permission.
Tips and Resources for Planning Your Tour
Remember that exploring a few works of art in depth can be more rewarding than quickly surveying many works. Also, please be aware that some works of art may be moved or removed from view before the Web site can be updated.
Students learn more during a museum visit when they feel comfortable in the environment. Prepare your students with a virtual tour of the museum and pre-visit activities. Reviewing key vocabulary terms and introducing an artist or theme from the tour can help students come to the museum ready to learn.
Audio Tours
The Director's Tour
The Director's Tour surveys the scope of the West Building collection. Our new free Children's Audio Tour, which explores 50 paintings in the West Building, is designed especially for children ages 7 to 12. Handheld digital audio players allow children to move at their own pace and choose from a list of stops that include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Winslow Homer. For group reservations for audio tours (10 or more), call (202) 842-6592. The audio tour may be picked up at the Acoustiguide desk located in the Rotunda on the Main Floor of the West Building. For group reservations (10 or more), call (202)842-6592. The audio tour, with images, is also available on the Gallery Web site at www.nga.gov/programs/family.
Exhibition-related audio tours are available for rental at the entrances to many exhibitions.
NGAClassroom
Access NGAClassroom, our online compendium of electronic teaching resources. Here you'll find dynamic in-depth studies on individual works, artists, and periods as well as printable worksheets and classroom lesson plans. Teachers can search by artist, topic, or curricular theme to find information on subjects ranging from ancient Chinese art and archaeology to Dada, a World War I–era art movement.
NGA Loan Materials
View a searchable library of 120+ teaching packets, videos, and DVDs on various periods, artists, and the art of specific cultures. All are available on loan, free of charge. Teaching packet titles range from Picturing France: 1830–1900 to Islamic Art and Culture. Packets may include in-depth, illustrated booklets; large color reproductions suitable for posting in the classroom; slides and image CDs; and timelines. Submit requests for loan materials online. Please allow one month for delivery.
Or, request a free printed catalogue of loan materials:
E-mail: EdResources@nga.gov
Fax: (202) 842-6937
Mail: Education Resources
National Gallery of Art
2000B South Club Drive
Landover, MD 20785
NGAKids
Take an animated tour through the sculpture garden or visit a Dutch dollhouse. This treasure trove of interactive, "learning to look" online activities and projects is based on works of art in the National Gallery collection and from temporary exhibitions, with links to other Gallery resources and program offerings for children and families. Tailored for students in prekindergarten through grade six, NGAKids may be enjoyed by children of any age.
Online Tours
Explore an artist, specific work of art, or theme in depth. More than 50 features are available online. Romare Bearden, Alexander Calder, Paul Cézanne, and Julia Margaret Cameron are among the featured artists.
Location and Hours
The National Gallery of Art, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1. See also area
map, public transportation, parking.
Floor Plans: West Building | East Building
The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, located on the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, is bounded by Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive and by 7th and 9th Streets NW.
Accessibility
The 6th Street entrance to the West Building at Constitution Avenue and the 4th Street entrance to the East Building have ramps to accommodate visitors in wheelchairs. Please inform the tour scheduler and docents of any special needs before your tour. A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available at (202) 842-6176. A TDD for use by visitors is located at the public telephone adjacent to the stamp machine near the Concourse Level Sales Shop. This TDD is situated to accommodate wheelchair users.
Parking
Metered street parking for cars and vans is available along the Mall. Buses may let students off at the entrance noted on your confirmation sheet. Parking for buses is usually allowed only on Independence Avenue near the Washington Monument.
Public Transportation
The nearest Metro stops are Judiciary Square on the Red Line, Archives/Navy Memorial on the Yellow/Green Lines, and Smithsonian on the Blue/Orange Lines. Metro bus stops are located on 4th Street and 7th Street NW. Metro bus stops are located on 4th Street and 7th Street NW. DC Circulator bus stops are located at 4th Street and Madison Drive and at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.
Further information about Metrobus and Metrorail routes and schedules is available at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Web site. The WMATA RideGuide Web site provides a fast and easy way to plan your visit to the Gallery.
Security
Visitors will be asked to present all bags and parcels for inspection. All backpacks, luggage, oversized bags, parcels, and umbrellas must be left in the checkrooms. These items will be subject to x-ray screening prior to acceptance. We regret that we are unable to admit any items larger than 17 x 26 inches (43 x 66 cm) into the Gallery or its checkrooms. Checkrooms, located at the entrances to both the East Building and the West Building, are provided free of charge. We recommend that students leave their backpacks at school or on the bus to
prevent entry delays. See further information about cameras, art supplies, and backpacks.
Museum Shops
Reproductions, exhibition catalogues, and books on the collections are available to educators
at a 20 percent discount by mail order only. For more information, call
(202) 842-6002 or (800) 697-9350.
Calendar of Events
To obtain a free bimonthly calendar of events by
mail, call (202) 842-6662, or contact us by e-mail
at calendar@nga.gov.
Please include your mailing address. The current
bimonthly Calendar
of Events is available in PDF format. (Download
Acrobat Reader)
Film Calendar
To obtain a free quarterly film calendar by mail,
contact us by e-mail at film-department@nga.gov.
Please include your mailing address. The current quarterly Film Calendar is available in PDF format. (Download Acrobat Reader)
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