School Tours
Overview
Support your students’ critical thinking, creativity, empathy development, and visual literacy skills with a tour of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Tours are designed to enhance curriculum in accordance with state and national standards for learning.
School tours are available Wednesday through Friday year-round. During the spring months of March, April, and May, tours are offered Tuesday through Friday. In the summer, from Memorial Day (May 26, 2025) through August, tours are available on Monday, and Wednesday through Friday.
Have questions? Email grouptours@mam.org or call 414-224-3842.
Guided tours
Request an on-site tour-
Request a guided tour 6–8 weeks in advance.
-
Schedule buses or transportation early, allowing travel time to and from the Museum.
-
The Museum does not have lunch facilities; please plan accordingly.
-
Guided tours are one hour long unless otherwise stated.
-
Prepare students and chaperones; review our preparation guide prior to the tour.
-
All students receive a Family Pass for free admission for two adults and up to four children under age 17.
Experience the Museum guided by a docent educator. Get more information to plan your visit and choose a theme from the menu below. Confirm student attendance and final payment with the Tour Administrator two weeks before the tour.* |
|
| Student | $8 |
| Required chaperones/teachers | Free 1 chaperone is required per 10 students |
| Student aides | Free |
| Additional adults | $20 |
*No changes to headcount or tour theme will be accepted after the two-week deadline. The Museum cannot offer a refund if your head count decreases after your payment has been made. |
|
Guided tours and studio
Request an on-site tour-
Guided tours and studio workshops are each one hour. This combination is a two-hour Museum experience.
-
Studio workshops can be paired with the following tour themes:
Exploring Art through the Senses; Line, Shape, and Color; and Communities and Traditions -
Studio workshops are currently sold out for the 2024–25 school year.
-
Request a guided tour 6–8 weeks in advance.
-
Schedule buses or transportation early, allowing travel time to and from the Museum.
-
The Museum does not have lunch facilities; please plan accordingly.
-
Prepare students and chaperones; review our preparation guide prior to the tour.
-
All students receive a Family Pass for free admission for two adults and up to four children under age 17.
Enhance your tour experience with a studio workshop led by a Museum Educator. Workshops are available October–May, Wednesdays–Thursdays 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays have limited availability. Confirm student attendance and final payment with the Tour Administrator two weeks before the tour.* |
|
| Student | $16 |
| Required chaperones/teachers | Free 1 chaperone is required per 10 students |
| Student aides | Free |
| Additional adults | $20 |
*No changes to headcount or tour theme will be accepted after the two-week deadline. The Museum cannot offer a refund if your head count decreases after your payment has been made. |
|
Self-guided tours
Request an on-site tour-
Request a self-guided tour at least 4 weeks in advance.
-
Schedule buses or transportation early, allowing travel time to and from the Museum.
-
The Museum does not have lunch facilities; please plan accordingly.
-
Prepare students and chaperones; review our preparation guide prior to the tour.
-
All students receive a Family Pass for free admission for two adults and up to four children under age 17.
Guide your group through the Museum with activities and resources from our Teacher Resources. Confirm student attendance and final payment with the Tour Administrator two weeks before the tour.* |
|
| Student | $8 |
| Required chaperones/teachers | Free 1 chaperone is required per 10 students |
| Student aides | Free |
| Additional adults | $20 |
*No changes to headcount or tour theme will be accepted after the two-week deadline. The Museum cannot offer a refund if your head count decreases after your payment has been made. |
|
Tour themes for grades K–3
A Is for Art
Take a tour with the alphabet! Inspired by the book A is for Art by Marjorie Nelson Moon, this experience explores art from many cultures while reinforcing language development.
Animals in Art
Discover a menagerie of friendly animals and fantastic beasts in paintings and sculptures from different cultures and times.
Art from Many Places and Times
Explore highlights from the Museum’s collection and discuss the making and meaning of art from different cultures while honing art vocabulary and critical-looking skills.
Exploring Art through the Senses
Studio workshop available
Take a journey with art using your senses and imagination. Explore how works of art might smell, taste, feel, and sound.
Line, Shape, Color
Studio workshop available
Learn how artists begin to create masterpieces by getting to know the building blocks of art: line, shape, and color.
Storytelling in Art
Engage visual and verbal language skills to imagine, tell, and listen to stories that artists portray in their work.
Tour themes for grades 4–12
American Stories
Hear about stories, places, and people from across the United States, as represented by paintings, sculptures, and decorative artworks in the American art collection at the Museum.
Art by Artists of the African Diaspora
Take a closer look at artists of African heritage in the Museum’s collection. Through paintings and sculpture, explore connections between Africa, Europe, North America, and beyond.
Art from Many Places and Times
Explore highlights from the Museum’s collection and discuss the making and meaning of art from different cultures while honing art vocabulary and critical-looking skills.
Communities and Traditions
Studio workshop available
Investigate the customs of people who live both near and far, discovering the differences, similarities, and cross-cultural influences portrayed in their art.
Modern and Contemporary Art
Get to know distinct art movements (the “–isms”), from Realism to Abstract Expressionism, while comparing works from the mid-1860s to the present day.
Portraiture
Discover stories of people and animals by looking for visual clues in portraits from diverse times and places.
Social Concerns + Social Justice
Use a social justice lens to examine concerns such as poverty, racism, gender inequality, and representation while considering the perspectives of the artists and the impact of their stories.
Writing + Art
Discover works of art as inspiration for writing with activities from our book Look, Write, See: Activities for Teaching Writing and Learning About Art. For on-site tours, students receive a sketchbook for this 90-minute experience ($12 per student).
