The Maguire Art Museum’s education programs will offer visitors transformational art experiences. Empowered to inquire and interpret through one’s own multifaceted lens, you can engage in compassionate discourse, revel in “aha!” moments and deepen your understanding of the human condition.

Affirming Arts Education Program

Our school partner art appreciation program uses a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) framework and multisensory artmaking activities to cultivate critical thinking, respectful communication, and a problem-solving mindset. This program is offered to area public schools in the classroom and at the museum. For more information, please reach out to Jane Allen. 

Field Trips

Visit the Maguire Art Museum with your class for a field trip this year! 

Experience the museum with your students through a guided tour with an educator. Student tours are inquiry-based and explore a variety of works throughout the collection, with an emphasis on visual thinking strategies and critical thinking skills. Come for an introduction tour, choose from one of the grade-level themes below, and/or reach out to tailor your field trip to your class' needs and interests.

Tours last about one hour. A $5 donation per person per field trip is requested. Please reach out to Jane Allen to inquire further and/or to schedule a field trip.

Intro to the Museum

All grades

Immerse yourself in the world of art with our introductory tour! Students will explore the elements of art by using visual thinking strategies to look closely at artworks from across the globe throughout time, while they develop their own thoughts and taste. 

Look! With a Book!

Grades pre-K-1

Discover the elements of art, like color, line, and shape, through a picture book and by exploring artwork up close! Students participate in an artsy read aloud in the galleries, draw connections between the story and the works surrounding them, and experience multisensory modes of engaging with art.

Art Storytellers

Grades 2-5

Explore narratives in art and their connections to mythology, history, and literature! Students will use critical thinking skills to investigate art such as paintings, sculpture, stained glass, and the stories behind them, as well as find examples of symbolism and try writing exercises in reaction to the artworks. 

Art Detectives

Grades 6-8

Investigate the galleries and use close-looking to gather clues and solve a mystery! Students will analyze artworks up close, use critical thinking skills to interpret their meaning, and discover the scientific side of art while seeking answers to the mystery. 

Exploring Careers in Culture

Grades 9-12

Explore careers in museums and in arts and culture as you tour the galleries and engage with select pieces from the collection. Students will analyze works of art through a range of different lens, such as that of a conservator, curator, artist, educator, etc. as they learn about the museum, its functions, and how artists throughout time have balanced creating and working. 

Set on Saint Joseph’s beautiful Hawk Hill campus, the museum is designed to be integral to student life. From events, clubs, and community outreach to interdisciplinary scholarship, the Maguire Art Museum will challenge students to broaden their world views.