In Person School Museum Tours and Art Lessons
Museum tours are grounded in PAFA's collection of American art from the 18th century to the present. Each tour is centered on developing visual thinking strategies and utilizes academic concepts to engage and understand works of art, meeting goals in the National Common Core curriculum standards.
Art Lessons are designed to complement and deepen the Museum tour experience and also can stand alone offering hands-on activities involving variety of artistic media and include instruction and materials.
Museum tours and art lessons must be scheduled in advance. Details are below.
For additional information or questions, email fieldtrips@pafa.org or call 215 972-2054
Tour and Art Lesson Details
|
|||||||||
FREE admission for 1 chaperone for every 10 students. Additional chaperones pay student Museum admission rate |
Available Museum Tours
Titles & Descriptions | Grade Level | Pair with Art Lessons |
Let’s Look Discover a variety of American art masterpieces presented in PAFA’s collection and learn about the museum. Students analyze subject matter, discuss color, line, and shape, and apply a range of techniques to engage with art works. |
Grades K-2 |
|
Telling Tales Immerse yourself in stories from art that draws on mythology, literature, history, imagination, and everyday life. Students analyze visual narratives, observe the use of symbolism and personification, and engage through writing with the ways artists conveyed emotions. |
Grades K-5, 6-8 |
Mixed Media, Printmaking |
Making American Artists: History Connected Through Art (Currently in Special Exhibition) Engage your critical thinking, observation, and discussion skills focusing on the theme of, "Who gets to tell the story?" in American art and history. The tour visits PAFA’s collection, currently presented in Making American Artists exhibition, and explores some of the historic genres of art, namely, portraiture, history painting, still life, genre scenes, and landscape. Juxtaposing artworks from different time periods, the exhibition layout provides striking visual counterpoints that encourage new dialogues about who makes American art, and thus, American history and identity. |
Grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12
|
Mixed Media, Printmaking, Figure Drawing (9-12 only)
|
Innovations and Art Explore how art and science have worked together for centuries to create artistic masterpieces. Students will trace the innovations of art making tools, learn how different pigments are made and the science of why colors in some great artworks last for hundreds of years while others are fading away. |
Grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 |
Mixed Media, Printmaking |
Race, Gender, and Diversity in Art Observe and discuss the diversity of American artists in PAFA’s collection. This tour addresses central social themes such as race, social justice, and gender throughout American History and how a museum challenges dominant narratives in our society. |
Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 |
Mixed Media, Printmaking, Figure Drawing (9-12 only) |
Engaging Contemporary Art Discover the ways artists use new techniques and approaches to translate important social and cultural issues into their art. Students will analyze works to develop their own arguments and interpretations. |
Grades 6-8 and 9-12 | Mixed Media, Printmaking, Figure Drawing (9-12 only) |
Special Exhibition: Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America (March 23rd to June 9th) Come see PAFA transformed! Partnering with the African American Museum in Philadelphia, this new exhibition is full of larger than life and daring sculptures, digital works of art, unique paintings, and more. Students of all ages will be visually and intellectually engaged with contemporary art in exciting new ways. |
All ages | Mixed Media, |
High School Tours |
|
|
|
American History in Art Build on student learning in Social Studies and United States’ history by discussing paintings of William Penn, George Washington, Charles Wilson Peale, and other early American icons. |
Grades 9-12 only |
Figure Drawing (9-12 only)
|
|
School of Fine Arts Tour Learn more about PAFA’s exceptional facilities, faculty, and student life by touring the facilities and studios. Only available for High School students. It is possible to schedule as a short addition to another tour or activity for no additional cost. |
In person only Grades 9-12 only |
|
|
Customizable Tour For high school teachers interested in having PAFA’s team of museum educators customize a lesson to meet specific curricular needs in a variety of subject areas. Please inquire about details and pricing. |
Grades 9-12 only |
|
Available Art Lessons
Titles & Descriptions |
Grade Level |
Pair with Field Trip |
Geometric Cube Art This art lesson utilizes the structure of a cube as a canvas for artwork. Students will learn how “The Cube” can be seen as the space in which art is displayed since about the early/middle of the 20th century, to how innovative this geometric shape is as an art piece all on its own. Students will learn how to create their own geometric cube and make personal connections through the art they choose to display on it. |
Grades 3-8
|
Innovations in Art Telling Tales |
Mixed Media Through experimentation and play, students work with multiple mediums of art to uncover how they react with each other and create a special work of art to take home! Art projects will reflect subject matter related to offered tour topics or based on curriculum connections. |
Grades K-12 |
ANY TOUR
|
Meditative Art through the Continuous Line Through observation and experimentation, students will discover a variety of meditative art practices including the long-standing artistic tradition of continuous line drawings. They will explore examples from PAFA’s collection as well as their own environment and follow along on a series of guided observational drawing activities that are fun for all skill levels! |
Grades 6-8, 9-12 |
Race, Gender, and Diversity in Art, Rising Sun Special Exhibition Tour |
Printmaking Experience the process of relief printing using a matrix, paper, ink, and brayer. Students design and print their own pieces to bring home. |
Grades 3-8 |
ANY TOUR IN PERSON ONLY |
Cast Hall Drawing (Grades 9-12 only, limited to 30 students) Sketch from casts of famous sculptures from antiquity to the present in PAFA’s unique and prized Historic Cast Hall. Availability is limited. |
9-12 GRADES ONLY |
ANY TOUR IN PERSON ONLY |
Figure Drawing Learn about the principles of composition and utilize key drawing skills like shading, perspective, and value. Instructors may focus on still life objects, portraits, or human figures. |
9-12 GRADES ONLY |
ANY TOUR IN PERSON ONLY |
Common Questions
Museum Etiquette
To help students prepare for their museum trip, we suggest to introduce them to our interactive guide on museum etiquette.
Group Size
Reservations up to 60 students. For larger groups, please inquire using the contact form below or emailing fieldtrips@pafa.org.
Scheduling
Allow at least 90 minutes for complete Museum experience.
Lunch
Lunch space may be arranged and must be requested at time of booking. Subject to availability and limited to 60 kids max.
Transportation
Subsidized transportation may be available. Book in advance to secure fund availability.
Chaperones
School groups are required to bring 1 chaperone for every 10 students, however with recent changes to the Pennsylvania State requirements for all chaperones to have background checks and clearances, PAFA understands the financial burden this can have on Parents and Guardians. Please email fieldtrips@pafa.org to inquire in regards to this policy should your school find it difficult to have this ratio. Chaperones are admitted free of charge. (Additional chaperones are welcome and will be charged student museum admission rate.)
Self-Guiding
High school groups are welcome to self-guide, reservation is required. Self-guiding students must be with a chaperone at all times.
Contact Us
PAFA offers programs for artists and art lovers of all ages and skill levels who want to learn about and make art.