Art museums are the perfect place for students to exercise skills that are essential to achieve success in the 21st century.  Bring your students to CMA for a mediated learning experience that fosters collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.

Spend your day at CMA collaborating, thinking, and creating.  Pick and choose from our many tour experiences and field trips offered below including our new Studio Thinking Workshops.

We encourage students to practice their critical thinking and creativity as they discuss and interpret works of art.  Every tour can be customized to align with grade-level curriculum and across disciplines.  Tours are led by CMA docents, our highly-trained volunteers who facilitate conversations.  Tour offerings include:

Tour Reservation Request Form

Artful Reading

Students exercise their critical thinking skills as they look at a small selection of works of art.  50 minutes in length, grades K-12.  $4 per student.

Art and the Language of Poetry

Students are encouraged to create poetry as they engage with works of art collaboratively.  2 hours in length, grades 3-12.  $5 per student, paper and writing utensils included.

Adventures with Animals

Students create stories and talk about works of art that depict animals.  50 minutes in length, grades K-2.  $4 per student.

Art and the Picturebook

Students use picturebooks to initiate critical thinking and guide their conversations about works of art.  Grades K-1, 50 minutes in length.  Grades 2-6, 90 minutes in length.  $4 per student.

Art and the French Connection

Students will expand their classroom study of French through interaction with authentic works of French art.  50 minutes in length, grades 6-12.  $4 per student.

Tours for Students with Disabilities

Specially-trained guides use props and tactile materials on these highly customizable tours. Length varies, grades K-12.  $4 per student.

Studio Thinking Workshops 

Students think and create in our new fun, hands-on Studio Thinking Workshops.  Take topics and themes explored on a tour and put them into action through one of these workshops:

Creativity Challenge – Students work together to find creative solutions to puzzles and
brainteasers using only limited supplies. 50 minute workshop following 50 minute tour, grades K-12.  Tour and studio together, $7 per student.

Creativity Challenge: Deluxe Edition – Students create an art project that links to topics explored
on the tour and in their classrooms. 50-minute workshop following 50-minute tour, grades K-12.  Tour and studio together, $9 per student.

Studio Thinking Themes:
K and up:  Relationships & Storytelling
3rd and up: Environment & Technology
6th and up: Social Justice & Creative Change;  Rules & Traditions

To book one of our new Studio Thinking Workshops, please call 614.629.0359.

More About CMA School Tours and Field Trips

Lunch: Indoor and outdoor spaces are available to reserve for your brownbag lunch free of charge when a tour is booked.  30-minute slots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for up to 70 students.  Ask to reserve a room when you book your tour.

Explore: Self-guided time in the Museum is encouraged. Activities and resources to direct your self-guided time are available at the desk. Explore the reinstalled thematic galleries or try to Imagine the Possibilities in our first-floor Center for Creativity.

Classroom Pre-Visits  Docent-In-the-School visits are offered free of charge to any Franklin County classroom that books a tour at CMA. During the pre-visit, the docent will talk about what to expect at CMA and introduce your students to critical thinking strategies that will be used during the tour. A docent-in-the-school presentation is available for every tour. Request a Docent-in-the-School visit when you book your tour.  Available on a case-by-case basis for schools outside of Franklin County