Experienced gallery educators, or docents, who interact with students to engage them in detailed looking, discussion, and critical thinking about works of art in the collection, lead guided tours. Please consult the list of tours below to select the docent-led tour that is appropriate for your students' grade level and area of interest. Please be aware that tours must be booked online through our Web site. All pertinent information and a tour application can be found on the Teachers page. Docent-led tours meet all Illinois state goals in Fine Arts and numerous goals and standards in English, Language Arts, Social Sciences, Science, and Math.
Most docent-led tours are one hour in length. Exceptions are tours for younger children such as the ABC's of Art for pre-K through 3rd grade and Museum Introduction tours for grades 1–2, which are 45 minutes in length. High school groups may request one and one-half hour European Art and Art Traditions of the United States instead of one-hour tours. Creative Writing and Seeing through Drawing tours always are 90 minutes in length. Consult the tour list for details.
First-semester docent-led tours will be offered Monday–Saturday from September 29, 2008 through January 30, 2009, with the exception of Thanksgiving break, November 26–29 and Winter break, December 20, 2008–January 10, 2009. Tour times are 10:00, 10:30, 11:30, and noon unless otherwise indicated. All online applicants receive a registration receipt upon submission, and tour applications are processed and confirmed by our scheduling office within five business days; an email tour confirmation is then sent. Emails will also be sent asking applicants to reapply if the tour is unavailable.
Please note that The Art Institute of Chicago is in the process of growing! Due to construction of the Modern Wing, scheduled to open in Summer 2009, some tours and/or galleries may be unavailable during the 2008–09 school year. See below for modified "Teacher-led" tours during October 2008–January 2009:
Introduction to Impressionism; Impressionism–Post-Impressionism
As part of an historic, one-time-only loan, 92 works from our world-famous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection have traveled to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, while our galleries, like many in the museum, undergo renovations. The works will return to richly refurbished galleries just in time for the holiday season., after which time we again will be able to offer Introduction to Impressionism (grades 4–5) and Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (grades 6–12) tours for students. Watch our Web site for booking availability.
Docent-led Tours for Grades Pre-K–5
ABCs of Art: Early Childhood Education
(45 minutes for pre-K–2; one hour for grade 3; offered at 10:00 only)
These thematic, interactive tours bring works of art to life for young children. On the 45-minute tour, students will discover two to four works of art related to the theme by reading a picture book, engaging in looking activities, and doing hands-on projects with such materials as crayons, yarn, pipe cleaners, and wooden blocks. Pre-tour activity bags are available for loan through the Teacher Resource Center.
My Five Senses
We use our senses everyday. When we look at works of art, we can imagine the sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of what we see. Limit: 40 students
Animals in Art
Animals are everywhere! At the museum, you might discover an ancient ceramic cup in the shape of a donkey's head, paintings with fierce dragons and galloping horses, or penguins made of marble. Limit: 40 students
Lines, Shapes, and Colors
What happens when you turn a line into a shape and fill it with color? Learn the answer to this question and more about how artists use these elements to create works of art. Limit: 40 students
Grades 1–5
Self, Family, and Community
(45 minutes for grades 1–2; one hour for grade 3)
Students explore the similarities and differences of individuals and groups around the world through works of art. Limit: 90 students
Clues from the Past
(45 minutes for grades 1–2; one hour for grades 3–5)
Students sharpen observational and critical-thinking skills as they investigate what art can tell us about the people, lifestyles, and beliefs of other times and cultures. Limit: 90 students
Museum Introduction: Art from Many Places
(45 minutes for grades 1–2; one hour for grades 3–5)
Discover basic art elements and vocabulary and develop looking skills while exploring the making and meaning of art from different cultures. Ideal for first-time visitors. Limit: 90 students
Stories in Art
(45 minutes for grades 1–2; one hour for grades 3–5)
Learn how to read stories in paintings, sculptures, and other objects and discover how artists use color, line, shape, and texture to create a visual language. Limit: 90 students
Grades 4–5 (Tours begin at 11:30 and noon only.)
Learning about America through Art
Travel in time through 300 years of American history as works of art introduce students to the people, land, events, and values that have shaped the United States. Limit: 80 students
Docent-led Tours for Grades 6–12
Museum Introduction: Art from Many Places
Discover basic art elements and vocabulary and develop looking skills while exploring the making and meaning of art from different cultures. Ideal for first-time visitors. Limit: 90 students
Arts of Africa
Discover the variety of art developed by the rich and diverse cultures of this continent and their influence on world art. Limit: 30 students
Ancient Worlds
Investigate art from the great empires and early civilizations of Africa, Asia, the Americas, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Ideal for sixth-grade social-science students. Limit: 40 students
Art and Creative Writing
(1.5 hours; offered at 10:00 only)
Focusing on a limited number of works in the galleries, students create poems and narratives that sharpen verbal skills and visual perception. All materials are supplied. Ideal for English Language Arts students. Limit: 30 students
Art of Ancient Egypt, Greece, Etruria, and Rome
Explore the arts and ideas of four ancient cultures and trace influences seen in art of the Renaissance and modern eras. Limit: 30 students
Art Traditions of the United States
Explore the extraordinary variety of the histories and cultures that make up our country's past and present. Limit: 80 students
Asian Art
Explore the art histories, beliefs, and values of China, Japan, India, and Korea. Limit: 40 students
Classical Mythology in Art
Examine classical myths and trace the revival and reinterpretation of these myths in Renaissance and modern art. Ideal for students with a strong background in classical mythology. Limit: 60 students
European Art 1300–1800
Discover historical and cultural changes through the evolution of subject matter, techniques, and the function of art and the artist. Ideal for world-history students. Limit: 80 students
Art of France: Medieval to Mid-19th Century
Please note that from October–December 2008 our overview of French art will cover medieval times up through the mid-nineteenth century only. After the Impressionist collection is reinstalled in December, art in these galleries will again be included on the Art of France tour. Available in English of French (limited availability). Limit: 40 students
Art of Spain
From October 2008–January 2009 we may not be able to provide our usual overview of the art of Spain due to ongoing gallery reinstallations. If you are interested in this tour, we recommend that your book a European tour and ask for an emphasis on Spanish art in the Comments section. Once the tour is confirmed, your docent will contact you with current gallery information and will try to incorporate as many works of Spanish art on your European art tour as possible.
Modern Art 1900–1980
In May 2009 the Art Institute's extraordinary collection of modern art will move to its new home in the museum's brand new Modern Wing. Many of the works of art in this collection are being prepared for this move and may be off view. If you would like a Modern Art tour, please select Art From Many Places and ask for an emphasis on modern art in the comments section. Once the tour is confirmed, your docent will contact you with current gallery information and will try to incorporate as many works of modern art on your Art From Many Places tour as possible. Check the Collection pages for the most current installation information.
Seeing through Drawing
(1.5 hours; offered at 10:30 only)
Sharpen observational skills and gain insight into the creative process by exploring composition, style, and technique through drawing. No prior drawing experience is necessary. All materials are supplied. Limit: 30 students
Special Exhibition Tours and Performances
Special exhibition, studio, and performance programs are offered throughout the year to highlight temporary exhibitions and provide student groups with in-depth experiences in the museum. Studio and performance programs are two to three hours in length and include a docent-led tour. Registration is required for all docent-led exhibition tours, performance and studio programs, and self-conducted tours; click here to apply online. Tickets are required for select programs. See important ticketing and payment information below.
Art From Many Places with Studio
This year we are pleased to be able to offer an Art From Many Places tour in combination with an art-making experience for grades 4–8. These two-hour tour/studio session combinations will be offered on Wednesdays throughout the school year. Reservations must be made online through our website.
Special Exhibition—The Divine Art: Four Centuries of European Tapestries
For the first time in the history of the Art Institute, a major portion of its renowned tapestry collection will be featured in a spectacular presentation in Regenstein Hall. The exhibition will feature masterpieces from the 15th through the 18th century that will cover the gallery walls. One or two stops in this exhibition can be included on most student tours. If you are interested, be sure to tell the docent who contacts you prior to you tour that your class would like to visit "The Divine Art!"
Questions? Please call the Student Tours office at (312) 443-3679.
Illinois Learning Standards
All tours meet Illinois Learning Standards in Language Arts, Social Sciences, and Fine Arts. See below for details.
Language Arts
Goal 1 Reading—All tours
Goal 2 Literature—All tours
Goal 3 Writing—Art and Creative Writing
Goal 4 Listening and Speaking—All tours
Social Sciences
Goal 16 History—All tours
Goal 18 Social Systems—All tours
Fine Arts
Goal 25 Language of the Arts—All tours
Goal 26 Creating and Performing—Seeing through Drawing; Really Big and Really Small; Me and My World; and Lines, Shapes, Colors
Goal 27 Arts and Civilization—All tours
Foreign Languages
Goal 29 Culture and Geography—Arts of France, Arts of Spain, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Introduction to Impressionism
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