The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art offers a variety of educational programs that enrich classroom teaching. Our museum tours, studio activities, outreach kits, teacher professional development workshop, Dragon Theatre Puppeteers, and ArtsBridge program serve as arts education resources for students and teachers.
Questions about planning a tour, reserving a tour, or tour pricing? Please mail or fax your K-12 school tour request form to the museum four weeks prior to your desired tour date. No requests can be made by phone or email.
Public tours are offered on the first Saturday of every month at 1 p.m. or public groups (University, community, etc.) can schedule a tour by filling out the non-school tour request form.
SCHOOL TOURS 2008-09
Tours are inquiry-based and encourage dialogue between the students and guide. Select one of the following tour themes that explore both the collection galleries and special exhibitions:
Learning to Look: An Introduction to the Museum
An introductory tour designed to provide students with strategies and vocabulary to discuss paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints, and other art media.
Animals in Art: Multicultural Fauna
The captivating theme of animals in art is the basis for this cross-cultural exploration of the museum.
Explore Asia!
A tour that explores life in historical and contemporary Asia through art and artifacts in the museum's Chinese, Japanese, and Korean galleries and current exhibitions.
Portraits, People, and Places
A tour that investigates art depicting people and places across the times and cultures represented in the museum collection and special exhibitions.
Special Exhibition Tour
Recommended grades: sixth through twelfth grade
An inquiry-based tour that focuses on the special exhibition currently on view.
Fall |
Cuba Avant-Garde: Contemporary Cuban Art from the Farber Collection |
October 4, 2008 - January 4, 2009 |
Discover how contemporary Cuban artists express cultural and historical identity through various media. |
Winter |
Lasting Legacies: The First 75 Years |
January 24 - April 12, 2009 |
Explore masterpieces of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art’s collection in this show commemorating the museum’s 75th anniversary. |
Spring |
MFA Exhibition |
May 2, -June 14, 2009 |
Experience art produced by students graduating from the University of Oregon’s Master of Fine Arts program. |
Optional Studio Activities
A hands-on art activity in the museum’s art studio may be added to any tour. Studio activities are led by an art educator and draw on themes and images from the tour and the museum’s collection.
Scheduling a Tour
Tours are available on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings at 9:15, 10:15, and 11:15, and are approximately forty-five minutes long. Studio activities are an additional forty-five minutes.
- Please fax or mail the included Tour Request Form to schedule a tour. Phone requests will not be accepted.
- Tours are led by specially trained exhibition interpreters (docents).
- Tour fee: $2 per student. Studio activities are an additional $1 per student. Payment is expected a week prior to your tour date. We accept checks, Mastercard, or Visa.
- Our commitment is to make the museum accessible to all. Scholarships are available for schools with 50% or more students on a subsidized lunch program. Please contact the Tour Coordinator at (541) 346-0910 for information.
Before the Tour
- The museum will send a confirmation letter, Tour Planning Guide, and invoice once your tour is booked.
- The lead exhibition interpreter for your tour will contact you to clarify your tour planning needs and arrange to visit your classroom before the field trip, if you wish. The pre-tour visit lasts twenty to thirty minutes and is offered at no additional cost.
- One adult chaperone is required for every six students for kindergarten through grade eight, and for every eight students for grades nine through twelve for both the tour and the studio. Chaperones are admitted for free and are expected to assist with tour and studio activities.
- Tour cancellation requests must be received at least forty-eight hours in advance of a scheduled tour.
After the Tour
- Art activities in the museum’s studio are optional; cost is $1.00 per child.
- Each student will receive a free, one-time family pass to use at a later date.
- To help us serve you and your students better, please return the tour evaluation form in your confirmation packet.
Other Resources
- Outreach Kits: Curriculum materials lent free of charge for classroom use. Contact kaplan@uoregon.edu.
- Teacher Professional Development: Annual workshops for teachers to earn professional development units and learn to incorporate art into classroom curriculum. Contact kaplan@uoregon.edu.
- Dragon Theatre Puppeteers: The museum’s puppet shows, performed in school and community settings, relate to curricular units on Asian and Native American folktales and celebrations. Cost is $1/child. Contact jsmatour@uoregon.edu for more information.
- Children’s Art Classes: Afterschool art classes during the school year and art camps during school breaks held in the museum’s art studio. Contact kaplan@uoregon.edu.
- NewArt Northwest – Kids: Annual K-12 student art show. Contact jsmatour@uoregon.edu.
- ArtsBridge America: An innovative program that pairs University of Oregon student art scholars with teachers to develop term-long continuous art programs that enhance classroom curriculum. Contact abia@uoregon.edu.
- Educator Membership Discount: Educators are eligible for $20 discount on any membership level. Contact debbiews@uoregon.edu to join today!
Information
For more information on school programs, email jsmatour@uoregon.edu, call (541) 346-0910, or visit our Teacher Resource Center at http://jsma.uoregon.edu/education/teachers/