Museum Field Trips

The Saginaw Art Museum is looking forward to welcoming your class or after school program to the museum! At our core, we value educating and enriching students through the use of visual arts. Please review the field trip options below and reach out to plan a visit!

Tours are aligned with Michigan’s Visual Art and English Language Arts State Standards. They are facilitated by staff and trained volunteers. They are 2 hours long and happen Wednesday-Friday, anytime between 9 AM and 5 Pm. We have a minimum of 5 students and a maximum of 60. Field trips must be requested three weeks in advance. Click “register” to send a request and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

K-2 

*NEW” Gardens & Galleries

Coming soon, this summer!

English Language Arts/Arts Integration (K-2) – Art Sparks Stories
Discover the storytelling in art! Students use art to discuss setting, characters, and plot. We will draw, move, and make stories inspired by the collection. Besides a tour through the exhibit, students will also have a chance to use art materials to create their own story-inspired art.

Visual Arts (K-2) – Creative Curiosity: Exploring Why & How Artists Create
Explore all the reasons why artists create and how they do it. We look at a mural, photography, sculptures, old art, and new art, while doing some fun activities along the way. Students also spend some time in the studio expressing themselves with 2D and 3D art!

3-6

*NEW” Gardens & Galleries

Coming soon, this summer!

English Language Arts/Arts Integration (3-6) – Art Sparks Stories
Discover the storytelling in art! Students use the same skills to interpret art in the museum collection as they would to analyze a text. There will be discussion around the setting, characters, plot, and gallery activities that spark imagination. Besides a tour through the exhibit, students will create a story by making their art down in the studio.

Visual Arts (3-6) – Learn to Look: Observing Art from a New Perspective
Students will learn to look at artwork in a whole new way by doing activities that expand their imagination. We will observe abstract and 3D art, discussing the elements of art and the artist’s meaning. We will also do an art activity about symbols, where each student will create a personal flag that represents them and what makes them unique.

7-12

*NEW” Gardens & Galleries
Art and ecology blend together in this field trip, as we explore the gardens and art exhibitions. You’ll use your observation skills in and outside the museum, getting a chance to create and participate in a garden/art activity.

English Language Arts/Arts Integration (7-12) – Art Sparks Stories: Creative Writing Inspired by Artworks
Discover the storytelling in art! Students use the same skills to interpret art in the museum collection as they would to analyze a text. They will cite evidence for their opinions and use ELA vocabulary like, tone, point of view, and conflict to describe artwork. This tour also includes writing ekphrastic poetry (poems written about works of art) and making art in the studio. Students will stretch their creativity through collaborative activities, short story-writing and more.

Visual Arts (7-12) – But What Does It Mean?: Decoding Artworks
Students no longer will have to instantly say, “I don’t get it!” while viewing artwork! We will discuss art criticism techniques and analyze artworks’ meanings, using the elements and principles of design as clues to determine interpretations. For the other half of the field trip, we will discuss one of humanity’s biggest questions, “What is art?” and then have some free exploration time.

Girl Scouts (minimum of 5 and maximum of 20, each program is 2-3 hours long)

Senior: Collage Artist Badge

Cadette: Comic Book Artist Badge

Teacher plans all activities; museum staff and volunteers will be nearby to support. Studio is not available.

Learn more about bus reimbursement for schools here.