School Field Trip FAQ for Educators | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

How early should we book a tour? 
We encourage you to schedule your school tour as early as possible. Whether you’re coming on-site or scheduling a virtual tour, we recommend booking at least two weeks in advance, as slots fill quickly.
What accommodations can I request for special needs? 
We welcome all school groups, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and alternative learning students. Some accommodations available include EnChroma glasses, multisensory tours, braille labels, Spanish translations, assisted listening devices, closed captioning, and ASL interpretation. Additional accommodations can be made upon request. Please let us know about any accommodation requests at least one week prior to your visit.

Are private schools and charter schools eligible for reimbursement?
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.

Will our entire group take the tour together?
To provide a more personal experience for the students, groups are asked to divide into small groups of 15-20 students with 1-2 chaperones. Instructions for dividing groups are mailed to your school a few weeks prior to your tour. Occasionally changes to the number of groups may need to be made on arrival, so please be flexible..
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?
We offer a new Workshop Add-On after a guided group completes their tour and lunch, which includes artmaking activities and/or age-appropriate demonstrations. Please indicate your interest in this when you book your tour.
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 small groups and must be chaperoned throughout the museum.

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. If you arrive before the galleries open you are welcome to explore our trails and outdoor sculptures, or wait in the lobby.

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.
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 can accommodate any size group. If you have a larger group, teach several classes, or are on an A/B schedule, we recommend scheduling multiple dates and times for the best experience.
Does the virtual school tour include the whole museum?
Each virtual school tour includes 3-4 works of art on the requested theme.

Need additional assistance? Please reach out to School.Programs@CrystalBridges.org.