Appointments are required of all school groups visiting the Museum.
A limited number of introductory "Exploring Art" guided tours are available for grades 4–12 through January 31, 2010. Self-guided appointments for student groups of all grades are currently available for visits through January 31.
Guided tours for grades 1–3 and collection-specific guided tours for grades 4–12 are almost fully booked through January 31.
Please select as many alternate times and dates as possible when submitting your request; this will improve our ability to accommodate your group. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
See About Your Visit for information about requesting a visit, including links to the Guided Tour and Self-Guided Visit Request forms. If you have any questions, please call 212-570-3711.
Mark your calendar: The online request forms for guided tours and self-guided visits to occur in the spring (February–June 2010) will be available December 7, 2009.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's school tour program is made possible by the generosity of Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman.
Students and teachers may explore the collection with a Museum staff member, who leads discussions and exercises
designed to encourage critical thinking in response to original works of art. Tours are appropriate for the
group's grade, level of ability, and subject of interest. Guided tours are offered and recommended for students
who are at or above first-grade level.
Group Size
A group may have no fewer than ten students and no more than fifty students, with one
chaperone required for every ten students. Special Education groups may have fewer than ten students and require
one chaperone for every nine students.
Group Fee
All fees are waived for schools located within the five boroughs of New York City.
Schools outside New York City pay $14 per student. One adult chaperone for every ten students receives the student
rate of $14. Each additional chaperone is charged the adult group admission rate of $24. One teacher or group leader
per reservation receives complimentary admission.
Tour Schedule
Guided tours are conducted Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Special Education Classes
Guided tours are adapted to the varying needs of the students. The staff-to-student ratio is one
to nine. The tours are available 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and last approximately one hour.
Grades 1–3
These thematic tours introduce primary grade students to a variety of art from different
cultures. Sketching is included. All materials are provided by the Museum.
Topics
A Look at Animals
Includes a discussion about how art from various cultures portrays members of the animal kingdom as well as the different materials used to make the works.
Communities Around the World
Looks at and discusses works of art that depict families and communities around the world.
Comparisons: Paintings and Sculpture
Compares paintings and sculptures that are similar in subject matter, composition, or technique.
Discovering the World of Art
Begins the process of looking at a work of art and initiates a visual vocabulary.
Exploring the Five Senses
Combines the senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste in an exploration of objects from around the world.
Faces, Masks, Hats, and Headdresses
Views a wide variety of objects that cover, adorn, or depict the human image.
Observing the Four Seasons
Examines paintings, the role of the artist, and the use of color in portraying seasonal motifs.
Shape, Line, and Color
Explores how artists' use of shape, line, and color affects two- and three-dimensional works.
Stories in Art
Observes narrative in works of art.
Please note that the Islamic Art galleries and the Musical Instruments galleries are currently closed for renovation.
Grades 4–12
If your students are first-time visitors to the Museum, we strongly suggest the
introductory tour "Exploring Art: An Introduction to the Met's Collection." Culture-specific tours that
correspond to school curricula are also available.
Topics
African Art
American Art
Ancient Egyptian Art
Ancient Greek and Roman Art
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Art of the Ancient Americas
Art of the Ancient World: Egypt, Greece, Rome, and
the Ancient Near East
Art of China
Art of India
Art of Japan
Art of Native North America
Asian Art: China, Korea, Japan, and India
European Art
Exploring Art: An Introduction to the Met's
Collection
French Painting
Italian Painting
Medieval Art
Modern Art
Oceanic Art
Renaissance Art
Spanish Painting
Please note that the Islamic Art galleries and the Musical Instruments galleries are currently closed for renovation.
Teachers and their students may explore the Museum's encyclopedic collection independently.
Please note that self-guided visits also require appointments.
Group Size
A self-guided group may have no fewer than ten students and no more than fifty students,
with one chaperone required for every ten students.
Group Fee
All fees are waived for schools located within the five boroughs of New York City.
Schools outside New York City pay $8 per student. One adult chaperone for every ten students receives the student rate.
Each additional chaperone is charged the adult group admission rate of $16. One teacher or group leader per reservation
receives complimentary admission.
Self-Guided Visit Schedule
Self-guided appointments are available Tuesday through Thursday, and Sunday from 9:30 a.m.–4:00
p.m.; and on Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
The Museum cannot guarantee access to all galleries at all times.
Museum Gallery Choices
American Art
Ancient Greek and Roman Art
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Arms and Armor
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Asian Art
Egyptian Art
European Decorative Arts
European Paintings
Medieval Art
Modern Art
Nineteenth-Century European Art
Please note that the Islamic Art galleries and the Musical Instruments galleries are currently closed for renovation.
About Your Visit
To Request a School Group Visit
Please complete a Guided Tour Request Form or a Self-Guided Visit Request Form.
The Museum welcomes students and student groups of all abilities. When requesting your
visit, please let us know of any accommodations that the Museum can provide in order to make your visit more successful.
Visit Preparation
We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the Met before bringing your students
for a visit. This website includes several valuable resources, including a listing
of curatorial departments, the
Collection Database,
and the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. You may also participate
in one of our
teacher programs or visit the
Nolen Library. All teachers who have confirmed self-guided appointments are
invited to attend a workshop to help plan their class visit. Materials are provided.
Please see Group Responsibilities and Guidelines before bringing your group to the Museum.
Cancellation Policy
If you must cancel a school tour, please email schoolvisits@metmuseum.org. In the
email include your name, your telephone number, the six-digit confirmation number, name of the school, and date and time of the visit.
You may also call us at 212-570-3711. Fees cannot be refunded to groups that cancel with less than 2 weeks' notice. Please submit
another form if you are interested in rescheduling your visit.
Lunch facilities not available within the Museum
Students are welcome to eat in neighboring Central Park. Bag lunches will be stored while you are in the galleries.
The Cloisters Museum and Gardens
School groups are also welcome at The Cloisters Museum and Gardens. All group visits require reservations.
Please call 212-650-2280 to schedule a group visit. You may also download the group
visits brochure (PDF; 53.57 K) for more information.
