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Schools & Educators​​

EXPAND YOUR CLASSROOM

What can art show students about the world? Explore the answers with SAM.

SAM provides creative learning opportunities for students and educators that ignite curiosity, foster critical thinking, and develop environments that are rigorous, inclusive, and collaborative.

Aligned with State and Common Core Standards, SAM’s resources and experiences contribute to building a community of lifelong learners. 

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SCHOOL TOURS

Art Goes To School

SAM offers programs for K-12 schools and educational organizations serving K-12 youth. We engage students in close-looking, critical thinking, and creative art making. Through free tours for all public schools and bus subsidies for Title I Schools we aim to ensure that cost is never a barrier to an authentic art experience.

These inspiring, adaptable programs build direct connections between works of art, classroom curriculum, and students’ own experiences and backgrounds.

Are you a college group? You can find group visit information here.


Thank you so much for a wonderful day! This was truly one of the most organized and age-appropriate fields trips I have ever taken my class on. I hope I can do it again next year.

–Elementary School Teacher


Guided School Tours

Self-Guided Visits

SAM’s school tours are image-focused and inquiry-based experiences for K–12 students. One portion of the visit is led by trained guides, encouraging students to look closely, share personal perspectives, and build connections to their lives and learning. Then students will have a chance to get creative through an art workshop supported by SAM teaching artists, teachers and chaperones, and/or SAM art studio volunteers. Guided visits are free for public schools and $100 for private schools.

Check out our How to Visit SAM video before your guided tour! To learn more about the school tour and art activity, visit School Tour Resources.

Select a location below to view guided tour options and start the booking process.

Guided tours at the Seattle Art Museum are offered between 10 am–12:30 pm. From September 20–December 14, 2023, guided tours at the Seattle Art Museum will be offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays. From January 3–June 28, 2024, guided tours at the Seattle Art Museum will be offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Guided tours are not offered on Free First Thursdays or during Docent Days, which take place on the second Friday of each month. Tour availability may also be affected by other programs at the museum. The booking link below includes the most up-to-date availability for all school tours.

Guided tour types

  • Artistic Elements (K-3): Explore the basic elements of art—such as line, shape, color, and texture—while looking at global art from SAM’s collection! Both independently and together, students learn how artists use these elements to communicate narratives, opinions, and lessons with viewers.

  • Art of Empathy (K-12): Art has the power to elicit empathy! Students will develop close-looking skills that can be applied to recognizing, labeling, and describing emotions while engaging with artworks from varying times, cultures, and artists.

Guided tours at the Seattle Art Museum include an art workshop led by SAM teaching artists and supported by SAM art studio volunteers.

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Guided tours at the Seattle Asian Art Museum are offered between 10 am–12:30 pm on Thursdays from September 21, 2023–June 28, 2024.

Tour availability may also be affected by other programs at the museum. The booking link below includes the most up-to-date availability for all school tours.

Eyes on Asia (K-12): Students will engage with sculptures, garments, and a variety of other mediums connecting them to the stories, traditions, and people of Asia. Students will be encouraged to draw personal connections through hands-on activities, close looking, and collaboration.

Guided tours at the Seattle Asian Art Museum include an art workshop led by teachers and chaperones. This activity is supported by SAM art studio volunteers.

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Guided tours at the Olympic Sculpture Park are offered between 10 am–12:30 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from April 9–June 27, 2024.

Tour availability may also be affected by other programs at the park and/or advance reservations made for our Drawing from Nature second grade partnership with Highline Public Schools. If you are a Highline Public Schools teacher seeking to book a tour in the spring, please email our Manager of School Programs & Partnerships for further assistance. These reservations for Highline schools will be released in Winter 2024. If you are a non-Highline educator interested in booking a tour at the Olympic Sculpture Park before those calendar holds are released, please see our self-guided options below. The booking link below includes the most up-to-date availability for all school tours.

Drawing From Nature (K-12): Students will be immersed in the dynamic interactions between art and nature. Through inquiry-based discussions and activities, students explore contemporary art, observe native plant life, and discover the ways artists are inspired by their environment.

Guided tours at the Olympic Sculpture Park include an art workshop led by teaching artists. This activity is supported by SAM art studio volunteers.

Book Now

SELF-GUIDED SCHOOL TOURS

Self-Guided Visits Self-guided school tours are for educators who wish to customize their museum experience by leading their own tours through the galleries. Available at all three SAM sites, all self-guided school groups must register with the museum in advance. Self-guided tours are free for public schools and $40 for private schools.

To prepare for a self-led visit, check out any of our in-gallery activities at the Education Resource Center or email us to brainstorm together!

Select a location below to view self-guided tour availability and booking options.

Create your own museum experience on a self-guided school tour! At the Seattle Art Museum, self-guided groups can visit our galleries filled with art from around the world. Self-guided tours at the Seattle Art Museum are offered at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, and 2 pm on Wednesdays–Fridays.

Self-guided tours are not offered on Free First Thursdays. Tour availability may also be affected by other programs at the museum. The booking link below includes the most up-to-date availability for all school tours.

Book Now

Create your own museum experience on a self-guided school tour! At the Seattle Asian Art Museum, self-guided groups can visit our galleries filled with art from around the world that bridges cultures and centuries. Self-guided tours at the Seattle Asian Art Museum are offered at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, and 2 pm on Thursdays and Fridays.

Self-guided tours are not offered on Free Last Fridays. Tour availability may also be affected by other programs at the museum. The booking link below includes the most up-to-date availability for all school tours.

Book Now

Create your own museum experience on a self-guided school tour! At the Olympic Sculpture Park, self-guided groups can move through the park at their own pace and access facilities in PACCAR Pavilion. Self-guided tours at the Olympic Sculpture Park are offered at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, and 2 pm on Mondays-Fridays.

Tour availability may also be affected by other programs at the museum. The booking link below includes the most up-to-date availability for all school tours.

Book Now

Title I Bus Subsidies

Subsidized School Programs

SAM wants all students and educators to experience creative learning opportunities, regardless of barriers of transportation. We provide bus subsidies for schools with 40% or more students on free or reduced-price lunch programs. For inquiries regarding bus subsidies, please email us.

Accessibility

The Seattle Art Museum strives to be accessible for all visitors and provides a variety of support services to assist with your visit. Find more information on Accessibility here and email us to request accommodations during your visit.

Support for K-12 programs during the 2023-2024 school year is provided by the BNSF Railway Foundation, Foster Foundation, and Hearst Foundations. Partial, sustained support for SAM’s K-12 programs is provided by an endowment established in 1999 by a National Endowment for the Humanities challenge grant and the generous contributions of matching donors, including the Ann P. Wyckoff Education Endowment. The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs at the Seattle Art Museum has supported SAM K–12 programs since 1994.

Book School Tours

All School Tours​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Seattle Art Museum
Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Self-Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Seattle Asian Art Museum
Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Self-Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Olympic Sculpture Park
Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Self-Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Educator Programs

Educator Programs

Educators are at the center of learning and your significant contributions have profound effects on the learning of your students. SAM’s Educator Programs provide teachers with rich opportunities to relate the arts directly to your own lives and the lives of your students.


It has been a while since I really spent time to absorb, interpret, and discuss works of art, and I got so much out of bouncing ideas off of fellow educators. This workshop definitely got me thinking about ways of seeing and guiding that inquiry with students.

Middle School Educator

VISIT SAM FOR FREE

SAM loves educators! SAM is a resource for you and we encourage you to visit in order to expand and deepen your curriculum. Request a free educator ticket by emailing educatorprograms@seattleartmuseum.org with your preferred date and location. Please provide 1-2 weeks' advance notice for processing.

Educator Workshops & Institutes

SAM’s virtual and on-site professional development workshops offer K–12 educators and administrators techniques and ideas for integrating popular culture, art, and cultural objects into classroom learning. Educators from all subject areas will gain strategies for connecting with SAM’s global collection, special exhibitions, and contemporary world issues.

All workshops include free resources and Washington State Approved Clock hours.

Educator Previews

Join us for appetizers, wine, exhibition programming, art-making activities, and free resources at these evenings celebrating educators.

Photo of an adult and child's hands working on a paper and ink art project

SAM offers professional development for educators at any museum location and on-site at schools. Equity is at the heart of what we do and we provide sessions that celebrate student voice while supporting cultural understanding and social justice. SAM’s 2023-24 professional development offerings include:

  • Drawing from Nature: Participants will engage with resources and materials connected to the Olympic Sculpture Park and nature-themed artwork in SAM’s collection. Recommended for grade K-6 educators focusing on Visual Art, Science, and more.

  • Eyes on Asia: Participants will learn about resources and materials connected to the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Recommended for grade K-6 educators focusing on Visual Art, Language Arts, and World History.

  • Art of Empathy: This workshop focuses on artwork at the Seattle Art Museum that relate to social-emotional learning. Recommended for grade 2-8 educators across subjects.

  • Stories We Carry: This workshop introduces educators to the reinstallation of SAM’s American Art galleries and related themes. Recommended for grade 5-12 educators focusing on Social Studies, History, Visual Art, or related subjects.

Email us to inquire about professional development offerings for your school.


Share Feedback

What topics would you like to see covered in a future educator program? Fill out the form below to share ideas!

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Educator Resources

educator holding a resource document in their hand at a workshop

Find lesson plans, video playlists, and other materials to connect the art at SAM with your classroom. Access resources for exhibitions that are currently on view, as well as past exhibitions and SAM’s collection.

Learn More​​


EARLY LEARNERS

Child holding their hands, which are covered in paint, towards the camera

Art Adventures

Bring SAM to your Early Learning space! In Art Adventures, SAM educators lead culturally-responsive art making workshops that explore SAM’s art collection by utilizing learning methods inspired by Visual Thinking Strategies for ages 3–5. We also offer Parent and Early Learner Teacher Professional Development sessions related to these strategies.

Themes include:

  • Self-portraits: The Colors of Us

  • Printmaking: Exploring Shapes in Nature

  • Drawing: The Colors of my Feelings


Art Adventures programs are 30-45 minutes long and SAM provides all materials. These programs are free and based on staff availability.

Interested in having SAM visit your Early Learner’s classroom or organization? Email FamilyPrograms@SeattleArtMuseum.org for more information and availability.

SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

SAM is expanding the role of cultural institutions in K–12 education through advocacy, collaboration, and the development of innovative partnerships and programs.

Collaborative Partner Schools

Collaborative Partner Schools

SAM’s school partnerships are designed to support arts integration in local K-12 classrooms and expand entry points for the school community to grow and learn together. Benefits of being a partner school include free curricula and resources, professional development for a teaching team or the entire staff, field trips to one of our three museum sites, subsidized bussing, and free student admission.

SAM prioritizes partnering with Title 1 schools and availability is based on staff capacity.

Seattle Public Schools

The Creative Advantage
The Creative Advantage is a city-wide partnership led by Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. Their goal is to make quality arts education accessible to every student in SPS, with a focus on lower-income communities and communities of color that have been shown to have less access to arts learning opportunities. SAM is proud to partner with this initiative to provide professional development training and resources for schools and community organizations. For more information, visit Creative Advantage Seattle.

Naramore Art Show
Since 1985, the Naramore Art show has been an annual tradition celebrating the excellence of the middle and high school artists of Seattle Public Schools. Seattle Art Museum is a proud partner in Naramore. Each year we look forward to the installation of art in our Community Gallery, and honoring artists in the award ceremony. 

Eyes on Asia
Beginning in 2019, SAM created a program for upper elementary students throughout Seattle Public Schools focused on the recently renovated Seattle Asian Art Museum. In collaboration with SPS teacher advisors across different schools, SAM developed a curriculum focused on K–5 Literacy standards, as well as identity development and student voice. Through this partnership, teachers have received professional development, curriculum for pre- and post-visit lessons, art kits, and more. This program includes museum visits to the Seattle Asian Art Museum as an annual experience for SPS students across the district, with subsidized bussing for all schools.

Highline Public Schools

Highline Partner Schools
Since the 2000s, SAM has partnered with schools throughout Highline to create arts-integrated lessons for teachers across subject areas.

Drawing from Nature
Beginning in 2016, SAM created an annual program for all second graders throughout the Highline School District to receive an in-depth exploratory visual arts program. Created with teacher advisors, this program targets the social, emotional, and developmental stages of students while giving them first-hand experiences with art and ecosystems at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Teachers receive professional development and strategies to incorporate pre- and post-visit lesson plans into their curriculum. This program is free and includes subsided bussing for all schools.

Become a Partner School

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Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

Learn more about Equity at SAM