Museum Explorations Tour Themes
DISCOVER THE MUSEUM
Introductory Tour
Recommended for Grades PreK-12
• Introduce museum vocabulary including: portrait, landscape, sculpture, gallery, exhibition, curator, docent, and more
• How do we look at and talk about art? How does art make us feel? What is happening in a work of art?
ART AND NATURE
How Artists Interpret and Reflect the World Outside
Recommended for Grades 3 and up
• Explore different kinds of landscapes and their environments in a variety of media
• How does art from different places and times express the natural world? Why do artists paint the land?
MUSEUMS AND ART-MAKING
Elements, Principles, and Processes
Recommended for Grades PreK-12
• Identify elements and principles: line, color, shape, form, texture, space, value, balance, contrast, pattern, rhythm, emphasis, unity, movement
• What are the processes and materials used in paintings, sculptures, photographs, and more? Why do artists make these choices?
WRITE NOW @ VBMA
Look at Art, Write about It!
Recommended for Grades 3 and up
• Write descriptive, expository, narrative, persuasive, and creative reflections in the galleries inspired by specific objects
• How can we transfer images into words? What are ways we can describe art’s meaning?
MUSEUM SENSE
Multi-Sensory Museum Exploration for All Learning Styles
Recommended for Grades PreK-4
• Imagine the sounds, smells, tastes, sights, and textures in a work of art
• How can looking at art connect us with our five senses, our bodies, and our minds?
MUSEUM MATH
Geometry, Measurement, and More
Recommended for Grades 3 and up
• Apply mathematical principles and functions including shapes, symmetry, patterns, ratios, proportion, and more to works of art and exhibition spaces
• How are math and art related? In what ways do artists and museums utilize math skills?
MUSEUM S.T.R.E.A.M.
How Art Connects with All Subjects
Recommended for Grades 2 and up
• Use narrative to make connections between visual images and Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math
• How does art inspire curiosity and imagination? Why is it important to make these connections?
READ, WRITE, AND SKETCH
Visual Literacy and Language Fluency
Recommended for Grades 2 and up
• Read art objects and related text, then document findings with sketches, diagrams, and notes
• How do we “read” a work of art? How can we journal about the main ideas and supporting details we discover in a work of art?
Schedule a Museum, In-Classroom, or Virtual Student Tour
Special thanks to The Circle for funding Museum Explorations, keeping it free for all.