Posts Tagged 'tours'

That’s a Wrap: 2016-2017 School Tours

Published June 6, 2017 Art & Teaching Closed
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As the school year ends and our outstanding DMA docents take a well-deserved summer break, we want to celebrate another successful year of K-12 visits! The year’s been jam-packed with exciting exhibitions, new learning experiences (did you know we now offer a STEAM tour?), and, of course, a multitude of tours and programs geared to help visitors of all ages feel at home in the Museum and discover art. Let’s take a look at our stats for the year:

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How many groups visited the Museum?

  • 1,284 Visits Scheduled
  • 720 Schools or Community Groups
  • 103 Independent School Districts from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Iowa, and Florida

How many students received docent-guided tours?

  • 36,495 K-12 students
  • Approximately 2,700 hours discussing works of art with students!

What were the most popular tours?

  • A Looking Journey: 17,343 4th graders; 1,166 hours in the gallery
  • Mesquite Week: 2,740 students: 118 hours
  • STEAM: 497 students; 33 hours
  • Stories in Art: 1,596 2-3rd graders; 110 hours
  • Collection Highlights: 2,550 students; 213 hours
  • Arts of the Americas: 4,361 5th graders; 293 hours

How many visitors toured special exhibitions?

What do our visitors say about their experience at the DMA?

“Our 5th graders really enjoyed their visit to the DMA. Our docents were great, and I even learned something new! The tour went well, we had enough time to explore on our own, and we ended up having lunch in the courtyard. It was a wonderful, new experience for them. Thank you!” – Founders Classical Academy, Oct. 28

“We had a wonderful time. All museum staff were friendly. Our docent was outstanding. She spoke directly to the kids, she was animated, energetic, enthusiastic and passionate. She made the tour very interesting. She has amazing storytelling skills. She pulled us all in with her soft spoken mannerism and entertained and educated us all with her knowledge.” – Bennett Elementary,  Jan. 11

“I wanted to take a moment and thank you and your staff for being so professional and hospitable during our Museum visit and tour on February 28th. All of the teachers had glowing reports of how well things went this year and how much our students enjoyed their time. These museum visits are the things our students will remember decades from now and are very impactful to them culturally and artistically. Our teachers and students also enjoyed having the time to walk through and enjoy the museum after the tour. Please pass my thanks and appreciation on to the docents and staff at your museum. PS We are already looking forward to next year!” – Maple Lawn Elementary, Feb. 28

Thank you to all our volunteers, staff, and visitors for an amazing school year!

Lindsay O’Connor
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

Madeleine Fitzgerald
Audience Relations Coordinator

Back to School: 2016 Fall Teacher Programs

Published August 25, 2016 Art & Teaching , Resources Closed
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Arthur John Elsley, Hard Pressed (Any Port in a Storm/Late for School), 1898, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Kim Jordan.

Calling all teachers! We hope your back to school experience bears no resemblance to Arthur John Elsley’s Hard Pressed (Any Port in a Storm/Late for School), so we’d like to help you start the year off on the right note! Check out our Teacher page to discover upcoming opportunities and helpful tips for incorporating the DMA into your lesson plan this year.

We offer a wide variety of resources for educators including information on K-12 Student Visits, Gallery-Guides, Teacher Resources, and more. Be sure to peruse the Types of Student Tours we offer, to get a better idea of the opportunities available to you and your students here at the Museum. As you’ll notice, we’re offering a new STEAM tour this year! You can also schedule a Docent-Guided Tour or a Self-Guided Visit of upcoming special exhibitions, Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt and Art and Nature in the Middle Ages. Helpful tip: be sure to submit your request at least three weeks in advance of your visit to see a paid exhibition for free!

Interested in visiting the Museum with your fellow teachers? You can schedule a Teacher In-Service here at the Museum, or register for an upcoming Teacher Workshop (more on that below!) We’re always looking for new ways to support and celebrate educators, so please be sure to sign up to receive our emails and check the box for Information for Teachers to stay connected.

Spoon with Jackal Handle, ca. 1539-1292 B.C.E., wood, Brooklyn Museum. Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.623E, Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt is organized by the Brooklyn Museum
Sphinx of King Sheshenq, ca. 945-718 B.C.E., Bronze, Brooklyn Museum. Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.586, Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt is organized by the Brooklyn Museum
Cat with Kittens, ca. 664-30 B.C.E. or later, bronze, wood, Brooklyn Museum. Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.406E, Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt is organized by the Brooklyn Museum
Figure of a Cat. From Egypt. Ptolemaic Period–Roman Period, 305 B.C.E.–first century C.E. Wood, gilded gesso, bronze, rock crystal, glass, Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1945E, Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt is organized by the Brooklyn Museum

Here at the DMA, we’re looking forward to the opening of the claw-some new exhibition Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt on Sunday, October 9, and we want educators to take part in the fun with a Teacher Workshop. The exhibition explores the role of cats and lions in ancient Egyptian mythology, kingship, and everyday life, featuring material from the Brooklyn Museum’s world-famous Egyptian collection. Our workshop on Saturday, October 22, will provide educators with the opportunity to enjoy the exhibition before public hours while learning strategies to teach, interpret, and use works of art in the classroom and Museum galleries. Register here–What more purr-suasion do you need? Space is limited, so sign-up right meow!

We look forward to seeing you and your students at the DMA this fall, and we wish you a smooth start to the new school year!

Lindsay O’Connor
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

Friday Photos: Summer Lovin’

Published August 19, 2016 Friday Photos , Just for Fun , People Closed
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The Education team works very hard to make your summer vacation fun and exciting for families and kids of all ages. So it only makes sense that we play just as hard! Some of us had some big art-related vacations, exciting camping adventures, and we had a lot of fun working in between (with or without our pups!). Check out some of our summer highlights!

Madeleine visited Mykonos, an island in Greece known for it’s bright blue skies, windmills and clear water.
Madeleine and her friends at the Basilica of the Annunciation with the US’s mosaic. Each country has one!
Madeleine stayed with her friend’s family in Israel. This is the view of the Mediterranean from her house!
Madeleine finally visited the Acropolis! A dream she’s had since her first art history class in high school.
Emily led a touch tour in the Sculpture Garden for students from DISD with vision impairment.
After Emily’s touch tour, everyone made a Minimalist sculpture inspired by Richard Serra using cookies!
George and his Uncle Cosmo celebrated the Fourth of July in style!
George also prepared a dog-themed nursery for his future BFF. Crib skirt and dog pillow by Leah.
Sarah stayed close to home and visited the Fort Worth Zoo with her son Rhys.
Rhys enjoyed watching the playful penguins and his favorite animal, zebra!
Leah hiking in Utah with her sister.
Leah and her sisters about to do a ropes course at the Olympic Park in Park City, Utah.
Amanda taught at MoMA as part of The Art of Examination forum.
While in New York, Amanda and her mom saw the Broadway musical Matilda.
Amanda saw the Martin Creed installation at the Park Avenue Armory while in New York.
Lindsay took a selfie with this Renaissance-inspired mirror while at an antique store on King Street.
Lindsay visited her parents in Charleston, South Carolina.
Lindsay captured a Gone With the Wind sunset while in the Lowcountry Region of South Carolina.
Lindsay’s pup Hattie celebrated Independence Day (with a bandana from Whitney Sirois)!
Andi visited Epcot and Disney World in June.
Andi went on a safari at Disney World and hung out with giraffes!
Jessica’s family hit the open road this summer!
Jessica’s family camped out, ate s’mores, and hiked through the Badlands.
Jessica’s daughter Julia loved seeing Mount Rushmore up close and personal!

Madeleine Fitzgerald
Audience Relations Coordinator

Teen Ambassadors: Coolest Kids in Town

Published June 14, 2016 Art & Teaching , Family Fun 3 Comments
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We know all too well that this summer’s going to be a scorcher, so the Museum is bringing back our free Summer Family Fun programs to offer families some seriously cool activities. Each day this summer will feature different experiences for families and visitors of all ages, from Story Times to Art-to-Go Family Tote Bags. We’re not alone in our efforts, though – we have a secret weapon to help families beat the heat. Introducing the next generation of museum educators…the DMA Teen Ambassadors!

Formerly the Teen Docent Program, Teen Ambassadors will lead Community Tours, Family Story Times, and visitor experiences at the Pop-up Art Spot and C3 Gallery this summer. These enthusiastic, art-loving teens attended a two day orientation where they learned how to engage with visitors (especially young ones!) to prepare for their volunteer shifts.

Teen Ambassadors perfecting their tour skills
All smiles here!
Fearless leader, Manager of Teen and Gallery Programs Jessica Thompson
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The 2016 Class of Teen Ambassadors

This year’s class of Ambassadors is pretty impressive, so make sure to catch them in action!

Jennifer Sheppard
Teaching Specialist

Friday Photos: 2015-2016 School Tours

Published June 3, 2016 Art & Teaching , Friday Photos Closed
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It’s hard to believe K-12 visits for 2015-2016 school year wrapped up last Friday! We’ve had a busy year here at the DMA welcoming visitors of all ages, leading tours, and helping them make meaningful connections with works of art. Now it’s time to take a look back on all we’ve accomplished!

How many groups visited the Museum?

  • 1,227 Visits Scheduled
  • 711 Schools or Community Groups
  • 96 Independent School Districts from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico

How many students received docent-guided tours?

  • 37,374 K-12 students
  • Approximately 2,698 hours discussing works of art with students!

How many students completed self-guided visits?

  • 12,275 K-12 students

What were the most popular tours?

  • A Looking Journey: 17,357 4th graders; 1,158 hours in the gallery
  • Arts of the Americas: 5,172 5th graders; 345 hours
  • Collection Highlights: 2,386 students; 160 hours
  • Recipes for Art: 545 K & 1st graders; 37 hours

How many visitors toured special exhibitions?

  • Inca: Conquests of the Andes: 888 students; 60 hours
  • International Pop: 1,312 students; 88 hours
  • Jackson Pollock: Blind Spots: 1,694 students; 113 hours
  • Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty: 370 students; 25 hours

What do our visitors say about their experience at the DMA?

“The students had a wonderful time, and they are already asking when we can visit again!” – Skyline High School, Dec. 6

“The docents were very knowledgeable (as has always been the case in the past three years that our school has been visiting). We thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you again for providing this artistic experience in our Dallas community.”– Urban Park Elementary, Feb. 17

“Thank you so much for having such amazing people working with our kiddos! We LOVED the DMA! So grateful!”– Nathan Adams Elementary, March 10

“Our docent was so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and great with my seniors. I love that I get to bring my kids to the DMA every year, and this year’s trip was made even better because of our docent. See you next year!”– John Horn High School, May 6

Thank you to all our volunteers, staff, and visitors for an amazing school year!

Lindsay O’Connor
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

Madeleine Fitzgerald
Audience Relations Coordinator

Take a Summer Safari at the DMA

Published June 30, 2015 Art & Teaching 1 Comment
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teen docents 2015 2

This year’s class of teen docents.

This summer, bring your summer school students and summer campers to the Dallas Museum of Art for a tour led by one of our teen docents! Our docent-guided tours allow students to form meaningful connections with works of art through close looking and interactive gallery experiences, including sketching, writing, group discussion, and more. Teen docents conduct summer tours for young visitors (ages 5-12) all summer long, during which they encourage critical and creative thinking while addressing all learning styles. If you are interested in scheduling a guided tour with one of our teen docents, the process is easy!

Step 1: Visit www.dma.org/tours. This page includes information about fees–FREE if you are an educational organization and scheduled 2-3 weeks in advance!

Step 2: Click on Docent-Guided Tour Request Form, making sure you already have a few dates approved for a visit.

Step 3: Choose whether you would like the “Animal Safari” tour or the “Summer Vacation” tour.

  • On the “Animal Safari” tour, students will set off on a safari to search for animals in works of art. They will think about how animals look and what they might mean and symbolize in works of art from all over the world.
  • On the “Summer Vacation” tour, students will travel the world without ever leaving the Museum! They will think about how they spend their summer vacation and make connections between their favorite summer activities and those they see in works of art.

Step 4: Choose a date and time. Docent-guided tours are only available in the summer on Wednesday and Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. We can only tour 30 students every hour, but feel free to split them between a few hours! For example, half the students can tour at 11:00 a.m. while the other half explore our collection in small groups or eat lunch in our Sculpture Garden.

Step 5: Once the form is submitted, you will be added to our schedule in the first available time and day.

We have lots of room left in our schedule, and our teens are ready to show your students their favorite pieces! We hope you join us for a Safari or a Vacation soon!

Madeleine Fitzgerald
Audience Relations Coordinator

Friday Photos: Touch But Don’t Look

Published June 19, 2015 Friday Photos 1 Comment
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Blind-folded touch-tour attendees experience Jurgen Bey's "Tree-Trunk Bench" (1999) in our Sculpture Garden.

Blind-folded touch-tour attendees experience Jurgen Bey’s “Tree-Trunk Bench” (1999) in our Sculpture Garden.

WARNING: Do not attempt a touch tour on your own–our trusty Gallery Attendants will stop you! However, on rare occasions (with a staff member present and the Conservation Department’s approval), you may be given permission to touch the art!

One such opportunity occurred this past Monday, June 15, when Amanda led a touch tour in our Sculpture Garden with painter John Bramblitt, who became blind in his late twenties. This tour was in tandem with the Arts & Letters Live program featuring Rebecca Alexander, author of Not Fade Away: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found. Rebecca was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome Type III when she was 19 years old. This rare genetic disorder is causing her to slowly lose her vision and hearing.

Hearing both John and Rebecca’s inspiring stories, we thought it would be a great experience for a few of our visitors to learn what it is like to experience art with more than just their eyes. Amanda led a conversation focused on two different works of art and suggested techniques for exploring them with touch. We got to explore with our fingers Jurgen Bey’s Tree-Trunk Bench and Mark Handforth’s Dallas Snake.

Unfortunately, this is not something we can do all of the time. So don’t get any ideas!

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Madeleine Fitzgerald
Audience Relations Coordinator

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