Book your visit
Our Guided Gallery Visits and Virtual Gallery Visits offer students opportunities to build their critical thinking skills and make connections between visual art and history, current events, and their own lives, either in-person or virtually. All our Guided Visits are led by professional museum educators who connect our collections and special exhibitions to your classroom curriculum through discussion, close looking, and creative expression.
We’re excited to offer a limited number of free lessons for NYC DOE Title 1 and District 75 schools throughout the 2023–24 school year, as space permits. Fees will automatically be waived for applicable schools before your booking is confirmed.
Guided visit offerings:
Guided Gallery Visits: Our 60–75-minute in-person lessons focus on a variety of themes using two or three artworks in our galleries. Guided Gallery Visits are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 10 am and 1 pm.
Virtual Gallery Visits: These 30–45-minute lessons invite K–12 classes to engage with artworks from our collections and special exhibitions via Zoom. Visits are offered on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 am or 1 pm.
Learn more about themes for grades K–12.
What we teach:
We start with the art. The Brooklyn Museum is known for its many collections of various types of art. Our lessons feature artwork connected by themes that span time, geography, and cultures.
We help students build skills and connect with standards. Lessons support Common Core Learning Standards; New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts (Visual Art); and New York State Learning Standards for the Arts, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science.
The way we teach:
We take an anti-oppressive approach. We recognize the effects that cultural and social inequities have had on our society and others, around the world and throughout history. We recognize that oppression takes many forms and that it shapes the histories we are taught, the policies we live by, and the language we use. Taking an anti-oppressive approach means we take special care to use language, research, and images that help students explore works of art with thoughtfulness, empathy, and cultural fluency. We make choices to reduce harm to our community members and expect teachers, students, and families to do the same. Together we can:
We believe less is more. Lessons focus on two to three objects to develop observation skills and critical thinking.
We recognize that people learn differently. We engage students through a range of learning strategies, including open-ended and guided questions, conversation, storytelling, drawing, writing, sensory learning, and movement, to support every learner.
We are a community of learners. Lessons employ inquiry-based approaches, which include discussions between students and adults to foster respect for all individuals and their perspectives and identities. Together, we create a brave space where all are welcome to learn, listen, and play.
Other helpful information:
We have what you need. Students will receive any necessary handouts and art-making materials during Guided Gallery Visits. Virtual Gallery Visits are hosted on Zoom by a team of educators who are able to facilitate various modes of student engagement.
We need to know you’re visiting. All school groups must make advance reservations. Learn more and book your visit.
We are accessible. Closed captioning is provided upon request during Virtual Gallery Visits. American Sign Language interpretation is also available upon request for all Guided Visits. Indicate any accommodations your class may need on the booking form.
We support English Language Learners. Bilingual lessons in Spanish are available upon request.
Questions? Email us at youth.tours@brooklynmuseum.org.