Welcome teachers! We are now accepting applications for October 2009–January 2010 group visits for student in grades pre-K through 12. All student groups must have a reservation for either a docent-led (guided) or teacher-led (self-guided) tour. Please apply online using the Student Tour Application Form. First semester guided tours are available on weekdays from October 5 through January 31. This year, groups will enter the museum through our brand new Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Education Center, which houses state-of-the-art classrooms and studios, a new educator resource center, and a family orientation room.

We are currently accepting applications for student group visits through January. We will begin accepting applications for spring 2010 student tours beginning December 15, 2009.

How do I schedule my student group?
We've made it easier for you to apply for a museum visit with our new online tour application. Select the date range in which you would like to search, the grade level, number of students, and tour type, and you will be presented with all of the available tours that meet your criteria. Select the date and tour that suits your needs, fill in the necessary application information, and submit your request. Upon submission of your application, a registration receipt will be e-mailed to the address you provide. If you do not receive a receipt, your application was submitted incorrectly—please resubmit. You will receive a response from the Division of Student Programs in three to five business days either confirming your tour or notifying you that you will need to select another date.

Do you offer guided tours in the summer?
Four guided tours are offered Monday through Friday, June 29 to August 7, at 10:30 only. Summer guided tours are one hour unless otherwise noted. Teacher-led groups are admitted seven days a week year-round with a confirmation from the Division of Student Programs, which determines entry times and dates. Teacher-led groups are scheduled at 11:00 a.m. or later.

What is a docent?
A docent (dough-sent) is a volunteer gallery educator trained to work interactively with students to investigate works of art. Prior to your tour, your docent will call you to find out more about your students and discuss the content of the tour.

How will I be notified if my application has been accepted?
Our new system allows teachers to see exactly what tours are available at the time of application. After submitting the online application, a teacher will receive a reservation number that indicates their application has been sent to our system. This number may also be used as a tracking number to check the status of an application; please remember to write it down. A tour confirmation will be sent by e-mail in three to five business days. If we are unable to accommodate a request, the teacher will be contacted via e-mail to reschedule.

When are tours offered?
During the school year, docent-led tours are offered Monday–Friday, October–May, at 10:00, 10:30, 11:30, and 12:00. Tours are one hour unless otherwise noted. Note: There is greater availability for 12:00 p.m. tours. Preference is given to docent-led tours in scheduling and gallery use. Teacher-led tours are permitted seven days a week, year-round, with a confirmation from the Division of Student Programs, which determines entry times and dates. Please note that the earliest available teacher-led tour entry time is 11:00.

Can my group eat lunch at the museum?
The Art Institute has sack-lunch room space. To reserve, you must mark this option on the tour application. All lunches must be brought in completely disposable bags and containers. Leftover food, drinks, bags, and containers will not be allowed back into the museum after lunch. Sack-lunch space is available on a limited basis, June–September.

Students can also purchase a cafeteria-style lunch in the Garden Cafe during the school year and summer. To do so, mark this option on your application. The menu consists of various sandwiches, salads, pizza, and daily specials for $6–$9. Sack lunches are not permitted in the Cafe.

How many students and chaperones can I bring to the museum?
Group Size: The minimum number of students for a docent-led tour is 15. The maximum for a docent-led or teacher-led tour is 90 students, per school per day, unless otherwise noted on the guided tour description page.

Chaperones: For grades pre-K through kindergarten, one chaperone is required for every four students. For grades 1–2, one chaperone is required for every six students. For grades three and up, the museum requires one chaperone for every ten students. Only the requisite number of chaperones may join the tour; extra adults will be charged $18 each and may meet the group after completion of the docent-led tour. Chaperones are responsible for the students' conduct and compliance with museum policies. Failure to comply will result in the group being asked to leave the museum.

How much will our tour cost?
There is no charge for Illinois school groups that have received a confirmation from the Student Programs Division.

Non-Illinois School Groups
Out-of-state groups with written confirmations pay $5 per student. There is no charge for teachers and for the required number of chaperones. Extra adults must pay the full admission of $18 each and may not join the tour. Payment must be rendered in advance of your visit. NEW! Teachers may pay by credit card through the secure payment portal on our Web site. Your credit card will be charged when your application is submitted. Teachers may also pay by check. Payments by check must be received a minimum of 14 days prior to the tour date. Make sure to include a copy of your confirmation with your check. Groups that arrive without paying in advance or arrive with more students or adults than indicated at the time of reservation will be subject to the full admission cost upon arrival of $12 per student and $18 per adult.

Check Payment should be sent to:
Student Programs Division
c/o Student Tours
Department of Museum Education
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603-6110

Please be aware: Any Illinois or out-of-state group that does not have a written confirmation must pay the full admission of $12 per student and $18 per adult. The policy of admitting children under 14 for free does not apply to student groups.

Free days: The museum is free to all on Thursday evenings from 5:00 to 8:00 throughout the entire year. During the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day), free hours extend to Thursday and Friday evenings, from 5:00 to 9:00.

Are bus scholarships available?
Yes, on a very limited basis. Chicago Public School groups in need of assistance to pay for bus transportation to the museum may apply to the Division of Student Programs for a bus scholarship. Once you have been confirmed for a tour, please e-mail your request for the scholarship to the Student Tours Coordinator at studenttours@artic.edu. If granted, the Art Institute will reimburse your school for the cost of one bus, following your scheduled visit. You must submit proof of payment to the Division of Student Programs to obtain this reimbursement. These limited funds are available to schools in need on a first-come, first-served basis. In your e-mail, please include a short statement about how your field trip supports your classroom learning and why your school needs assistance in bringing its students to the museum.

What if I need to cancel my tour?
To avoid cancellations, check your school's calendar for test dates, holidays, report card pick-up days, special activities, etc., before scheduling your tour. If you must cancel a tour, call (312) 443-3679 immediately. Docent-led tours are in high demand. Once confirmation has been sent, we are unable to reschedule docent-led tours for any reason. Once a confirmation has been sent and payment is received, refunds are not given. We're sorry, but groups that arrive at the museum with fewer people than were paid for at the time of reservation cannot be refunded the difference.

Where do we enter the museum?
All school groups enter through the museum's new school group entrance on Columbus Drive. Due to space limitations, groups are not permitted to enter at the Michigan Avenue entrance. Bus drop-off is accessed from southbound Columbus Drive just south of Monroe Street. Please remember to allow extra time for travel in the downtown Chicago area.

Where can our bus park?
Buses may park at the Soldier Field lot for a fee, one mile south on Lake Shore Drive. Upon receipt of your confirmation, it is imperative that you schedule buses for your museum visit to avoid canceling your tour. The museum does not have bus parking facilities.

How do I prepare my class for our visit to the museum?
Teachers should visit our Web site to view two new, streaming videos, Your Museum Visit and Model Gallery Teaching, with their students. These videos will help students and teachers prepare for their trip to the Art Institute and provide a preview of the museum experience. Model Gallery Teaching will also help teachers planning to guide their own students through the museum to create effective self-conducted experiences. This video demonstrates how to thematically connect objects on a tour and how to engage students in discussion about works of art.

You will also receive a copy of the Planning Your Visit brochure with your confirmation. Discuss the rules and regulations in advance with your students and chaperones to ensure a quality visit for your students and other museum visitors.

You may plan your route in advance by visiting the museum prior to your field trip or by accessing a floor plan of the museum online.

Teachers can also:
Attend a teacher program.
Use materials from the Crown Family Educator Resource Center.
Read the teacher workbook Journey into Art (available in the Museum Shop only).
Download a museum lesson plan.
Download the museum's floor plan.

What accommodations are there for students with disabilities?
When making a reservation, please request a copy of "Museum Access," the Art Institute's guide for traveling through the museum by wheelchair, and indicate your need for any other specialized information or assistance for your students. See the accessibility page for additional information about how the museum accommodates individuals with physical impairments.

_{Paul Gauguin. Day of the God (Mahana no Atua), 1894. Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection.}