Visiting art museums with children doesn’t have to be stressful! These tips can help you reduce the stress and actually enjoy an art museum visit together!
Exploring art museums with children can be a wonderful way to expose them to great works of art; these visits allow them to experience art in a way that simply can’t be mimicked elsewhere. That said, art museums also tend to be a no running, no touching, and soft speaking experience — you know, all the things that don’t exactly come naturally to children.
I’m happy to say that I never let any of those things keep us from visiting! It’s been ten years since we visited our first art museum. We started as a family with a five year old and a little one in a stroller and we’ve never looked back. My kids aren’t so little these days, but we still love each art museum visit and are always looking forward to the next!
Tips for Visiting Art Museums with Kids
Here are the tips that have helped us the most on our art museum visits throughout the years.
1. Respect the etiquette.
It’s important to discuss museum etiquette with your kids before you go. They need to know in advance that they’ll need to speak softly, walk slowly, avoid touching anything on display, and maintain distance between themselves and the artwork.
Many art museums have their rules posted on their website, so you should be able to check in advance and discuss with your kids ahead of time. If you can’t find them posted anywhere, feel free to use this list from Dartmouth’s Hood Museum of Art as a guideline.
2. Have realistic expectations.
Realistic expectations are a big part of experiencing art museums with children. It’s natural to want to make the most of your visit, but adjusting your expectations will go a long way in making the trip enjoyable for you and your kids.
Know that you may not be able to see all or even half of the works on display during your visit. You may also need to move along pretty quickly because of short attention spans or disinterest in an exhibit. Even so, art museum visits are still worth the trouble.
We cannot measure the influence that one or another artist has upon the child’s sense of beauty, upon his power of seeing, as in a picture, the common sights of life; he is enriched more than we know in having really looked at even a single picture. – Charlotte Mason, Home Education
Only viewing some of the collection isn’t a problem because the goal is to provide the opportunity for kids to see the works in person. If you need to save some works for another visit, so be it.
3. Don’t overthink it.
Speaking of realistic expectations, it’s important to not overthink your visit. You don’t have to see it all, discuss every work, or read every bit of signage on display.
You can certainly do those things if it works out that way, but consider focusing on a few rooms or exhibits if you’re visiting with younger kids or time is limited.
Similarly, you’ll need to give them grace if you refer back to the trip in a month and they don’t remember that Camille Pissarro piece you saw together. It’s not up to us to determine what stands out on these visits; again, the important thing is to provide the opportunity for children to engage with art.
4. Research the collection online.
Researching the collection in advance can be a big help when visiting art museums with kids. Taking time to check the museum website can let you know if there are any time-sensitive exhibits to see during your visit or featured exhibits you may need to avoid.
Art sometimes reflects mature or heavy subject matter and downright scary events. It’s helpful to know what to expect so you can avoid pieces that could cause a negative reaction during your visit or because of the visit.
This quick bit of research also makes a big difference if you’re learning about a specific artist, art movement, or art from a particular region around the time of your visit. For example, if you’re studying fauvist artists, you can email in advance to see if there are any works from that genre that will be on display when you visit.
You won’t be able to familiarize yourself with everything that’s on display, but being aware of topical exhibits and featured pieces goes a long way.
5. Check for kid-friendliness.
All museums aren’t equal when it comes to kid-friendliness and that’s okay. Even so, it’s nice to know in advance what, if anything, is available for kids before you visit. You can usually find this information by reading the “Plan your Visit” section on the museum website.
If you don’t see anything there for families or visitors with children, check for the learning or education section on the website. Between these, you can usually learn if there’s a kids area at the museum, if they offer family days, or other special events designed for children.
6. Lay the groundwork.
Visiting (and revisiting) art museums with kids is a lot easier when they’ve already got a foundation in art appreciation. Being familiar with a variety of artists, works, and movements helps children of all ages make connections as they view museum exhibits. In turn, these new connections enrich future museum visits and pave the way for more connections. It’s really a beautiful cycle.
Need more help teaching art appreciation? We’ve got you covered! Check out our Masterpiece Makers podcast and our open-and-go art appreciation units to learn more.
In closing, remember that art museum visits can be incredibly rewarding for all ages. By approaching your visits with realistic expectations and some prior research, you can be sure that everyone — including young kiddos — will benefit from the experience.
