Guided tours of the Museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions are available for School Groups. These tours are led by trained Docents and are available Tuesday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Due to the high demand for guided tours, it is suggested that reservations be made at least four weeks in advance.
Founded in 1912, the Delaware Art Museum holds a world-renowned collection that focuses on American art and illustration from the 19th century to the present as well as the British Pre-Raphaelite movement of the mid-19th century. Guided tours of the Museum’s permanent collection are divided into themes for distinct educational levels. Teachers determine which theme to pursue, and if they wish, they can customize the tour to their specifications (e.g., the works, artists, or styles of art to be presented). Tours last 60–90 minutes, depending on grade level and the needs of the group. School Theme Tours meet Delaware Department of Education Curriculum Standards in a variety of subjects, including Visual Arts, English Language Arts, and Social Studies.
Glory of Stories Glory of Stories introduces children to the Museum through storytelling and hands-on art projects. Following a story reading, Museum guides lead students to select works of art in the collection. Following a tour, children create their own work of art in the Bank of America Studio Wing. Limited to 25 students. Glory of Stories is also offered for large Groups.
Meet the Museum This tour is designed to introduce children to the collections of the Delaware Art Museum. Stories, gallery games, and other learning aids are utilized to help young visitors better understand art and art museums.
The Artist’s Language Learn how the basic elements of design (line, color, shape, and texture) work together as a visual language.
NEW! Community and Creativity Visually connect students to a variety of communities through art. This tour is designed to help children identify what characteristics make up communities by looking at different types of places and people that are depicted in art.
Face to Face What can you learn from a portrait? A portrait can tell us a great deal about the life and times of the subject. This tour guides students through the genre of portraiture, discussing various uses of a portrait and how the artist presents the subject using surroundings, clothing, facial expressions, and gesture.
Learning to Look How can we learn to see more when we look at art? Students explore the Museum’s collections through activities and discussions focused on looking at, thinking about, and responding to works of art.
Painting with Words In this lesson students build their vocabularies and stretch their imaginations while responding in writing to works of art. Students will enhance their knowledge of literature and hone their own language and writing skills with the creation of poems and stories in the galleries. Ideal for language arts students.
Delaware’s Artistic Heritage The Brandywine Valley has a rich artistic legacy. This tour focuses on artists from the Brandywine area, including Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, and Frank Schoonover. Viewing images that present universal themes and historical events, students will create their own stories in addition to deciphering those of Howard Pyle and his students.
Highlights of the Permanent Collections Students will enjoy discussing key works of art highlighting the Delaware Art Museum’s permanent collection. The History of American Art Explore the extraordinary variety and richness of the histories and cultures that make up our country’s past and present. The nation’s diversity is revealed through discussion of works of art, their themes and styles, and the cultural values they represent. Contemporary Art and Sculpture Students will explore the many diverse art movements and mediums of the twentieth century. Howard Pyle: The Artist and His Legacy Universal themes and historical events are central to narratives in pictures created during the Golden Age of American Illustration (1880-1920). Students taking this tour create their own stories in addition to deciphering those of Howard Pyle and his students. Heightened critical thinking and language arts skills are among the many benefits of this tour.
Traveling exhibitions visit the Museum for a limited time period throughout the year.
Hispanic Lives, Latin Worlds—Simple Complexities Gifted: Recent Additions to the Permanent Collection Bare Witness: Photographs by Gordon Parks Masterpieces in Miniature The Invented Worlds of Alida Fish Frank E. Schoonover: An Artist for All Seasons For more upcoming temporary exhibitions, click here.
Following your tour, students can create an art project in the Museum’s studio wing. Additional cost: $1 per student. Offering is based on size of group and requested date. Art activities are only available for grades K–6.
Guided Tour Each Student: $5.00 Each Chaperone: Free Chaperone/Student ratio for grades K-3 is 2:10 Chaperone/Student ratio for grades 4-12 is 1:10
Guided Tour with Art Activity Each Student: $5.00 Each Chaperone: Free Chaperone/Student ratio for grades K-3 is 2:10 Chaperone/Student ratio for grades 4-12 is 1:10
Schools from any state may apply for a School Tour Grant through the Delaware Art Museum’s Red Apple Fund. These grants help subsidize the cost of a School Tour. If interested, please submit a Red Apple Fund Application form along with the form below.
To schedule a School Tour, please fill out entire form.
If you have any questions, please contact Cynthia Smith, Group Tour Manager, at 302.351.8514 or via e-mail at csmith@delart.org.s
