The Art Museum with Children

My Tiny Talk post this week involved an adorable quote from a five year old, experiencing her first tour of an art museum.

I wanted to clarify that I don’t think five year olds typically go to art museums. But I think that 5 is a great age to start appreciating art – real art. Kids at this age can typically handle a short “tour” and obey the basic rules of the museum. As they get older, it only gets more enjoyable.

I have blogged about our trips to the art museum for activities before, so I thought I’d some time to offer some suggestions for touring the art museum with children.

A few tips and tricks BEFORE you head to the museum.

1. Determine who is age appropriate to take. If you are like me and have multiple age children, try to arrange the trip so that the youngest child with you is about five. You know your children best, but I can tell you that I am NOT taking my three year old to an art museum yet. Last week I had two 5 year olds and two 7 year olds with me. It was great! We have had a four year old with us and have found that 5 really seems to be the “best” age to appreciate the trip.

2. Seek out some kid friendly activities because most art museums are kid friendly! That may surprise you. It shocked me. I assumed no one wanted children near all of those priceless treasures. But it just isn’t true. Our children are their future art aficionados, so they encourage their attendance. If you look up nearby art museums, you will probably find that they have days or activities created specifically for families and children. The Baltimore Museum of Art has family activities on Sunday afternoons, which is when we plan our visits. The Walter’s Art Gallery in Baltimore has all sorts of family activities and child friendly ways to tour the museum. I even looked up the National Gallery in DC and there are children’s activities. There is an entire separate website for children to enjoy. So do your research on a local museum and go for it!

3. Do your homework! Look up the current collections as well as the upcoming ones. Design your visit around a collection or artist. The BMA was featuring Henri Matisse in the fall and is currently featuring Paul Cézanne. I am NOT an art history major and I didn’t pay much attention in that slide show that was called a college class, so I am learning with the kids. I typically get 1-2 books about the artist to read with them beforehand. We learn a little about the person’s life and work. Then we are all ready to appreciate the artwork in a more thoughtful manner (especially mommy!)

In the next post (after Tiny Talk Tuesday) I will share my favorite books and resources to use with your kids. There are so many GREAT books available to help you do your homework on an artist or piece of artwork! Stay tuned for resources Wednesday!

While at the museum…

4. Plan a short visit. Kids don’t have the tolerance that an adult may have to stare at artwork forever. Don’t expect them to appreciate the art the way you do…yet. Go with the expectation of a 15-20 minute tour of a few rooms. Try to schedule this immediately before or after one of the activities at the museum if you can. Don’t stay until they are exhausted and bored. Leave while they are still enjoying it and wanting more. Then they’ll be excited about the next visit.

5. Sketch. On some of our visits we bring clipboards with blank paper and colored pencils. I suggest erasable colored pencils and NOT markers or crayons. (just in case someone slips and draws on the bench or floor) Find a nice bench to sit on and let your children pick a piece that is interesting to them. Discuss it for a minute (the colors, the objects, the artist) and then encourage them to sketch it themselves. DONT OVER COACH THEM! Just let them draw it the way they see it. Encourage, but don’t dictate.

One of my children sketches very quickly and I have to encourage detail. The other child is happy to sketch for a much longer period. They both enjoy the activity and it helps them develop their own art skills.

*If you happen to homeschool, then take a picture (WITHOUT A FLASH) of the original artwork. Put it in their art section with the picture of their sketch…good stuff!

6. Hunt. Give them a challenge as you walk into a room. Can you find a portrait? When you do, pause and look at it for a moment. Is the person happy or sad? How do you know? Talk about the clothing. Discuss the other objects in the room. Why would someone want that in their portrait? What does it reveal about them? Can you find a landscape? What is the weather like? Where do you think they are? What are the people doing in the foreground? in the background? Can you find a still life? What objects are in this still life? How can you tell what is in front? Can you find a piece that makes you happy? sad? Older kids can scavenger hunt this on paper, but my little ones and I just walk and we talk. (again…for a few rooms, then we leave)

*Many museums will have child friendly guides, audio tours, and helps for this stuff. It is something that will come naturally as you begin to enjoy the museum together.

7. Relax. As much as you can. I will admit that I walk around ready to jump in front of any painting or object that one of my kids is getting too close to. I am most comfortable when I am alone with my daughters. Once I have more children with me than I have hands, we stick to the “safer” rooms or I remain on edge. Once you have been more than once, you’ll find the “safe” rooms. The BMA has a wonderful room of little windows into mini-dollhouse rooms. There are stools for the kids and there isn’t anything you can touch or break! It’s all behind little glass windows. I love this room! But my girls know I am a sucker for the room with Degas statue of Marie and the two Monet originals…sigh…

After the visit…

8. Donate. I just happen to think it is important to contribute to the arts. If your family had a great day and you enjoyed the museum, then allow your children to put $1 in the contribution box on the way out. (This is assuming the museum was FREE. We have only gone to free art museums. AND this is assuming you do have the $1 or $2 to spare. It’s not required.) I teach my kids that this is a way of saying, “Thank you!” and showing our appreciation for all that the museum offers us. (and to the docents for welcoming these sometimes loud, often “standing a bit too close to that” kids)

9. Frame their masterpieces. Tell them why you love what they created and how special it is! My children are constantly drawing, painting, and creating. I’d fill my walls if I kept it all. So, I try to frame or display some of the creations we did on our museum days. It’s nice to talk about our “Matisse” inspired creations as well as our “Cezanne” inspired still life paintings.

The wall down our basement steps…which needs to be painted…

So inspire the little artists in your life. Head to the museum.