Art museums are great places to teach kids about art. They’re also great places to teach them how to be polite and speak clearly, how to respect authority, and how to appreciate high culture. These are all important skills that will serve them well as adults.

Art museums are also a good place for kids to learn about history, especially American history. Did you know that George Washington sat for a portrait? It’s true! And the museum has one. Did you know that the first flag had a rattlesnake on it, and that the snake was an important symbol of the Revolutionary War? That’s something else you can learn at the museum.

I think art museums are good for kids because I’ve seen my own kids have great experiences there. But I also think about what I learned when I was a kid, and I realize that it wouldn’t have been nearly so valuable if someone hadn’t dragged me kicking and screaming into the museum in the first place, if they hadn’t made me look at all those old paintings of people in wigs, or listen to all that boring music with dead guys playing harpsichords.

Art museums and galleries are a great place for children to learn about art. There is a lot to see, and the exhibitions change often which keeps things interesting.

1. The art comes in many different styles and sizes.

2. The exhibit labels tell you a lot about the artworks like who made them and why they are special.

3. Artwork can be found in every part of the museum including outside of the main gallery spaces (see my post on  sculptures in the park).

4. Many artists use color, line, and shape in ways that are familiar to children like polka dots and stripes.

5. You can make your own art inspired by what you see (my blog post with ideas for making art inspired by an exhibit is here ).

6. The museum has many free activities for kids like games, scavenger hunts, and coloring sheets that you can print out at home or on-line.

7. You can ask the staff questions like how they think works were created or why they think an artist made certain choices when making their artwork.”

As a parent of an art museum lover, I know how many great learning opportunities are available for children at a local museum. Not only does going to the art museum help kids learn about art, it also helps them learn about the world around them.

Touring the Art Institute of Chicago with your kids is a great way to show them what museums are all about. I’ve been visiting museums since I was a child and I still enjoy wandering through the various exhibits. The Art Institute has several exhibits open year round and they have many special events that are perfect for families.

The best way to get your children interested in art is to take them to museums as often as possible and expose them to as many types of art as possible. Take advantage of the free days at your local museum and explore.*

Art is an important part of a child’s education. Art museums are a great place to expose your children to the world of art, while also providing them with an opportunity to learn about the artists who created their favorite works of art.

Touring the art museums in your area can be a great way to educate your kids in fine arts.

Art Museums Introduce Children to Artistic Style

Art museums and art galleries are great places to learn about art. They can be especially fun for kids. The thing that makes them so good is that they have a lot of the elements of a great field trip. They’re usually free, and they often don’t require advance reservations. The exhibits tend to be interesting and engaging, which is important (especially for kids!) since they can get bored easily.

There are lots of reasons to take children to art museums and art galleries, including:

* Learning about art: Kids can learn a lot about different kinds of art; the history of the world’s most famous artists; how paintings are made; and more. One of the great things about learning about art in this way is that it’s very hands-on; young children will want to get up close to the paintings, touch them, etc. This kind of experience can be especially valuable for kids with ADHD or other learning disabilities, who are often frustrated when their education doesn’t allow for more hands-on learning opportunities.*

Developing an appreciation for art: It’s not enough just to learn facts about art. Kids also need to develop an appreciation for it; they need to learn why some pieces appeal to us while others do not.*

Developing an awareness

Art museums are a great place to learn about art. They are quiet, the art is displayed on walls and in frames and you can take pictures of it.

Museums have beautiful art from different periods and many of the kids will be able to identify with what they see. There are pictures that you can look at together as a family or by yourself. You can go back again and again, which is good for you.

If you have children, this is a wonderful way for them to learn about art in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s also a great place to meet other families, who may share your interest in art.

As you encounter the various types of art, ask the children questions such as; What do you see? How does it make you feel? What would it be like if…

You can discuss how the artist might have used color, line and shape to create his picture as well as what he might have painted if he could have painted anything he wanted.

Take lots of pictures! Have fun!!

The first thing that strikes many parents when they visit a museum with their kids is, “Wow! That was really expensive.” And it was! But I think it’s worth every penny.

My kids are three and five years old, and we go to the Art Institute of Chicago fairly often. They love the place. They run from room to room, soaking up information about art, looking at paintings and sculptures they’ve already seen in books. We’ve gone on field trips there, and we’ve also just found ourselves there on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. It’s been great both times.

Tours are available for kids as young as four (and you can always walk through the galleries yourself). But even if your child is too young for a tour, a visit to an art museum is still incredibly educational. My son has learned that artists paint different pictures of the same thing and that they change things like color or size to make them look different. He knows that copies are made by people who take pictures of art and then make their own version of it. He knows what chiaroscuro is. He’s learned that artists sometimes use mirrors to create images in their paintings (as in Miro’s “The Mirror,” one of his favorite paintings).