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School Field Trip FAQ for Educators

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will be closed Monday, May 13, to prepare for the visit of Antiques Roadshow. We will return to normal hours of operation Wednesday, May 15.

On-Site School Field Trip FAQ

  • How early should we book an in-gallery guided tour?
    We encourage you to schedule your school tour visit as early as possible. In-gallery guided tours should be booked two weeks in advance. Slots fill quickly.
  • Are private schools and charter schools eligible for reimbursement and lunch?
    Yes! Any K-12 group, of any state, is eligible for the funding. Please, complete and submit the reimbursement form. Organizations associated with the school, such as an art club, also qualify. Community groups such as scouts do not qualify.
  • How early should we arrive for our tour?
    Arrive 20 minutes ahead of your scheduled tour time. You need to have your group in the museum and ready to go at your appointed time. Remember to factor in time for getting students off the bus, bathroom breaks, hanging up jackets, etc. If you arrive late, the time available for your tour will be cut short. If chaperones are not arriving on the bus, they need to arrive before the students or at the same time or they may not be able to join the tour.
  • Will our entire group take the tour together?
    To provide a more personal experience for the students, groups are normally divided up into four or more smaller groups for the tour. You will be asked to pre-divide your students into those groups, but changes may need to be made upon your arrival, so please be flexible.
  • Are School Tours inclusive of all student learning styles?
    Crystal Bridges’ School Programs team welcomes all school groups. This includes students with disabilities, English language learners, and alternative learning students. We are happy to make any accommodations necessary. Please let us know in advance if any of your students have special needs.
  • Will we be making art in the studio?
    There is no art making component with the School Tours program.
  • What’s for lunch?
    Lunch includes a turkey and cheese sandwich, SunChips, fruit, and bottled water. With prior notification, our kitchen can prepare vegetarian sandwiches of cheese, lettuce, and tomato, or turkey sandwiches without cheese. Other special requests, such as gluten-free meals, cannot be accommodated. Because our kitchen is used for a variety of events, we cannot guarantee allergen-free meals.
  • Will students taking a self-guided tour receive lunch?
    No. Lunches are provided only for guided School Tour groups. Your group will still be able to receive reimbursements for bus expenses and substitute teachers, however. You are welcome to bring lunches and eat outside if you are a self-guided group.
  • During what hours may groups take self-guided tours?
    Self-guided tour groups may be in the museum during public hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays (except Tuesdays when the museum is closed). Pre-opening tours are for guided groups only.
  • Does the tour include the whole museum?
    School groups discuss 4-5 specific works of art related to the theme of the chosen tour. No museum overview is included. Temporary exhibitions also are not included, unless the tour focuses specifically on the exhibition.
  • Are activities planned for after lunch?
    No facilitated activities are scheduled after your group has lunch. School groups take part in an hour-long tour, and then have 30 minutes in a classroom for lunch. Your group is welcome, however, to stay to explore the galleries and trails with their chaperones.
  • Can students explore the galleries on their own after the tour?
    If your group decides to explore the museum after the educational program they are welcome to do so, but they need to remain in their groups and must be chaperoned throughout the museum. School groups must be chaperoned at a 10:1 student to chaperone ratio.
  • Will outdoor tours be canceled if there is rain?
    Nature tours will take place rain or shine. If there is a real storm, the program will be moved inside. Please remind your students to dress appropriately. Wear closed-toe walking shoes, and bring rain gear if it may be needed.

Virtual School Field Trip FAQ

  • How early should we book our virtual tour?
    Virtual tours are flexible but should be booked two weeks in advance. Slots fill quickly. Please let us know your preference via our registration form.
  • What platforms are virtual tours available on?
    Virtual tours are typically offered on Zoom or Google Meet. If you need a different platform, please include that information in your application or email us at School.Programs@CrystalBridges.org.
  • Are School Tours inclusive of all student learning styles?
    Crystal Bridges’ School Programs team welcomes all school groups. This includes students with disabilities, English language learners, and alternative learning students. We are happy to make any accommodations necessary. Please let us know in advance if any of your students have special needs.
  • How early should we login before our tour?
    Please test your platform well before the start of the tour to ensure starting on time; however, you all need to login 5 minutes before the actual tour time.
  • Is there an ideal group size for virtual tours?
    We recommend keeping groups around 15-30 students. If you have a larger group you can schedule multiple tour dates and times.
  • Does the virtual school tour include the whole museum?
    Each virtual school tour includes 3-4 works of art on the requested theme.