BMA : Educational Programs : Guided Tours

School Tours

The permanent collection of the Beach Museum of Art contains work by regional artists, including John Steuart Curry, Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, Birger Sandzen, Kansas print makers, and contemporary mid-western artists. Works by these artists will be on display in the John Help Gallery. In addition, the Museum will host traveling exhibitions.

The Generic Tour

School tours will focus on aspects of visual literacy, using methods of aesthetic criticism developed by Edmund Burke Feldman, and recent research on object-based learning by Harvard University's Project MUSE (Howard Gardner). A Generic Tour is available using the Museum's exhibitions and can be customized. This tour will include an interactive tour and gallery activity. We invite teachers to work with the staff to choose artworks and activities to create tour programs to serve their needs. Art projects may be developed for some exhibitions. Teachers will have the option of whether or not to include the project with their tour. There will be a $1 per student project fee to cover the expense of supplies.

Thematic Tours

Some exhibitions may have thematic tours designed for them. Information on theses programs will be listed in the exhibition programming releases sent to the local press and the MBA newsletter. Please call to inquire about these programs.

Highlights Tours for Adults

Tours highlighting objects in the exhibitions are available on a reserved basis. These tours last approximately 45 minutes and emphasize a major theme and related objects. Highlights tours are available for both the permanent collection and special exhibition. They are most appropriate for high school-age audiences or older.

Summer Vacation Art Tours

"Summer Vacation" is a selection of art from the Museum's permanent collection chosen especially for families and children. Tours for children and family groups are available and will focus on line, shape and form, color, and texture. Each tour will feature art objects, children's books, and art activities.

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