Audio tours have been part of the Museum world for a while, but now you no longer need a shoulder strap when exploring the DMA’s collection. Visitors to the DMA can use their web-enabled devices to access information about the collection, including video interviews, images, geographical information, and responses from the community through the DMA smARTphone tours. Some special exhibitions even have a free smARTphone tour. Right now, discover oral histories tied to Hotel Texas: An Art Exhibition for the President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy (on view through September 15, 2013), and this October you can learn more about the Jim Hodges: Give More Than You Takeexhibition from artist Jim Hodges and co-organizing curator Jeffrey Grove, senior curator of special projects & research at the Dallas Museum of Art.
Visitors using audio tour, circa 1960s [Photography by Pat Magruder]
Visitor using smARTphone tour, 2012
Hillary Bober is the Digital Archivist at the Dallas Museum of Art.
John F. Kennedy’s legacy is continuously remembered and honored nation-wide, especially this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of his tragic death. If you were alive in 1963, you may have personal memories of President Kennedy’s fateful trip to Texas, or perhaps memories of that time have been recounted to you by family or friends. As you stroll through the newly opened Hotel Texas: An Art Exhibition for the President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy,consider using your smartphone or other web-enabled device to listen to eleven individuals recount vivid memories of JFK’s time in Fort Worth and Dallas.
The tragic ending of that trip often overshadows the excitement and optimism that characterized the Metroplex as the area planned for this presidential visit, a rare occurrence at the time. Hear Kaye Buck McDermott, Jim Wright, or Ronnie Martin recall the preparations made for JFK’s visit to Fort Worth. Or listen to Michael Okon and Jarrold Cabluck remember the crowds waiting to catch a glimpse of the president and First Lady. Certainly, many memories of this trip were sad ones. In a powerful and moving interview, Diane Cody remembers turning twelve on November 22, 1963.
These audio clips are part of an ongoing audio-visual Oral History Project at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (TSFM). Through informal personal interviews, TSFM staff explore the history and culture of Dallas during the 1960s and preserve personal recollections about the life and death of President John F. Kennedy. Learn more about the project and listen to more personal recollections on The Sixth Floor Museum’s Oral History Project page.
Look for this smartphone logo next to a three digit code on labels in the galleries to access more audio and video material about works of art in our collection at www.dma.mobi.
Cindy Sherman,a retrospective exhibition of the artist’s work from the mid-seventies to the present, opened this past weekend. About 160 larger-than-life photographs fill up the Barrel Vault and its adjacent galleries. The majority of the photographs show the artist as model, posing in a variety of costumes and guises.
Sherman often creates her photographs in a series. In this exhibition, for example, you can see Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills, which were created to appear like snapshots of movie scenes, or her History Portraits that stylistically reference Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Neo-classical portraiture.
Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #56
Before, during, or after a visit to the exhibition, check out the Cindy ShermansmARTphone tour. This tour includes audio commentary from MoMA curators and from Cindy Sherman herself about her work. It also includes ten video interviews, with artists and other art-world figures who are asked to discuss their favorite Cindy Sherman photograph. These offer a unique, personal perspective to work in the exhibition. Which Cindy Sherman photograph is your favorite?
The DMA offers free Wi-Fi in the galleries, so be sure to connect before accessing the smartphone tour for optimum access!
Well folks, we have officially broken one hundred degrees, which means that the Dallas summer is really here. You may get a chance to escape the weather with a trip to cooler climates. But I am here to tell you that it is possible to beat the heat and enjoy a fun-filled day of play right here in Dallas! At the Dallas Museum of Art you can travel all over the world, eat any type of food your heart desires, and participate in creative activities without ever leaving downtown.
With over 25,000 works of art at the DMA, chances are that you won’t be able to see everything in one day. But don’t worry, any of our bite-sized tours will show you how to have a quality experience at the DMA instead of a quantity one. You can choose from four different themes to match your interests, either by downloading and printing them at home or by asking the Visitors Service Desk for a copy.
For a more customized experience, use your smartphone to access interactive content specific to each gallery.
Lunch
With a variety of lunchtime favorites, the bright and open Atrium Cafe is a great place to have a meal.
The Sculpture Garden is a perfect spot to relax, soak up some sun, and enjoy your lunch while surrounded by art.
Or try any one of the tasty and affordable food trucks just a couple of blocks away; they have something for everyone!
After Hours
If you are a late-nighter, you are in luck, because every Thursday Night the Museum stays open until 9:00 pm. You can enjoy a cocktail while listening to jazz music in the Atrium Cafe, or create an original work of art in the Center for Creative Connections.
Every third Friday of the month the Museum stays open until midnight, offering a variety of fun and free programs inspired by the Late Night theme of the month.
Need more ideas for engaging with the collection? Check out our list of 100 Experiences.
Ever since it killed the radio star, video has been thriving. Let’s take a look at three valuable resources with great videos featuring art, art history, artists, and curators. Educators in and out of the classroom just might want to add these to their “toolboxes,” if you haven’t already.
1. Smarthistory– Started as a blog in 2005, this oh-so-smart, multimedia resource makes art history come alive on the web. No more expensive, heavy textbooks to tote around! Smarthistory includes over 360 videos and continues to grow through a recent merger with Khan Academy, which allows founders Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker to focus full-time on expanding content. In addition to the videos, which are easily sorted via thirteen categories ranging from art historical periods to materials, the website includes images and information for over 440 artworks, as well as sample syllabi and strategies for teaching art history online.
2. Artists Documentation Program– This is a new favorite of mine, discovered while surfing the Art 21 blog last year. The Artists Documentation Program (ADP) features twenty-nine interviews with contemporary artists and their close associates discussing the materials and techniques of the artists’ works. Jasper Johns, Mel Chin, Cy Twombly, Ann Hamilton, and Sarah Sze are just a few of the artists interviewed. Conducted by conservators, the videos are intended primarily as research documents to aid in preservation and care of the art. Some of the footage goes back to the early 1990s when the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded a grant to the Menil Collection in Houston. Following this initial grant, the project continued and expanded under the leadership of former Menil conservator Carol Mancusi-Ungaro. The Whitney Museum of American Art and the Center for the Study of Modern Art at Harvard are key collaborators. Note: while viewing of the videos is free, the ADP requires users to register before granting access to video interviews. This acknowledges and supports appropriate use of the videos.
3. DMA.Mobi – Available via mobile devices and the web, this home-grown, Dallas Museum of Art resource showcases artworks in the Museum’s collection and current exhibitions. Piloted in summer 2009, the smARTphone tours re-launched this month with a new design and fifty new artwork stops. Videos featuring DMA curators discussing works in the collection are a key component. Cultural information, contextual images, and audio clips provide additional information about the artworks.
DMA smARTphone tour screen
Anne Bromberg, the Cecil and Ida Green Curator of Ancient and Asian Art, discusses a Roman mosaic in the DMA's collection
Nicole Stutzman
Director of Teaching Programs and Partnerships
Students enjoy Miguel Covarrubias's Genesis, the Gift of Life
Arranging a self-guided visit for your students is great way to explore the Museum. It allows your students to encounter the Museum on your terms, observe art at their own pace, and spend more time in front of objects that interests them. Setting up a self-guided visit is easy, and to ensure that your Museum experience is educational and enjoyable, try these helpful hints:
Getting Started
Sign up for a self-guided visit by filling out an online request form. If you have already arranged a docent-guided tour and would like to add a self-guided visit to your Museum experience, send me an email at Tours@DallasMuseumofArt.org.
Be Prepared
It’s easy to underestimate the importance of logistics. Save yourself some time and energy by preparing before you visit. Once you have a date and time confirmed, start considering the layout of your self-guided visit. If you have a large group, break them up into smaller groups before you visit. Smaller groups make it easier to navigate through the galleries, and dividing them before you arrive gives you more time to spend in the galleries.
Have a Game Plan
Most visitors feel that they need to see everything when they come to the Museum. While every object on display deserves to be seen and appreciated, it’s just not feasible to see everything in our collection, unless you can spare a couple of hours. Instead, challenge your students to focus on a handful of objects that encompass a topic or theme learned in class. Short on inspiration? Check out our online teaching materials for themes used on docent-guided tours.
Students in the European galleries
Be Creative
As teachers, you learn to be creative in just about every situation. Consider your self-guided visit as another opportunity to show off your inventiveness. Try adding some of these activities to your self-guided visit:
Create a scavenger hunt. This activity works great with large groups and can be a fun game for all ages. You can find loads of factual information and teaching tips in our CONNECT teaching materials.
Incorporate a sketching activity. Have students take a closer look by having them sketch an object. You can incorporate this activity in your scavenger hunt, or have a more in-depth drawing session.
Take a smARTphone tour. Don’t have a smartphone? Borrow an iPod Touch from the Visitor Services Desk.
Make the Most of Your Trip
After you’ve had plenty of time to gallivant through the galleries, why not enhance your Museum visit by stopping by Center for Creative Connections. The Center for Creative Connections, or C3, is an innovative space that encourages interactive experiences with art. There are fun activities for all ages, and you can create a make-and-take art project at the Space Bar.
Students Sketching in the Galleries
There are many ways your students can experience the Museum, and as a teacher, you are the architect behind their visit. Remember, encountering art can be exciting and educational, so be sure to have fun!
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