School Programs

We offer a number of teaching materials & workshops for educators that we hope are valuable resources for teaching and learning.  Our education team offers tours for school groups of both our permanent collection as well as special exhibitions; teaching resources that can be used in the classroom in advance and following your students' tour; teacher workshops focused on a variety of topics related to arts education; evenings for educators, where teachers meet, discuss ideas, and find ways to incorporate the Museum's resources into their classrooms; and The Scholastic Art Awards, which offers students grades 7-12 across Mississippi the opportunity to receive regional and national recognition for their artwork. 

Medgar Evers Student Art Competition

Medgar Evers: Honor His Life, Live His Legacy Student Art Competition

The Mississippi Museum of Art, in partnership with The Links, Inc., Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter presents How Will You Choose to Make Your World a Better Place? Medgar Evers: Honor His Life, Live His Legacy, an exhibition and online gallery of artwork and writing created by young Mississippians in response to the life and legacy of Medgar Wiley Evers (1925-1963). During his lifetime, Medgar Evers set an example of how one person can take a stand for what he believes in and be a powerful force for change in the world. Evers sought to peacefully work for justice so that all citizens, regardless of race, might experience the same inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Now it is up to our next generation to build on Mr. Evers’ legacy and make the world a more equitable place to live. How will you choose to make your community and the world a better place? Submission deadline: May 1, 2013.

Click here for submission guidelines.

School Group Tours

Visits to a museum present a wonderful opportunity for students to synthesize their classroom learning, as well as the chance to learn in a way that is unique and challenging.  See below for information about current tours and to view recommended pre- and post-visit lessons to maximize your classroom's museum experience.  Click here for information about scheduling your tour. 

The School Program Planner has everything you'll need to plan your visit to the Museum. Click below to access.

Tours Currently Available:

Highlights from The Mississippi Story
Recommended Ages: All Ages
Bring your students to explore The Mississippi Story, an exhibition comprised of artwork from the Museum's permanent collection that reveals the remarkable history of our state through the visual arts.  The installation includes more than 200 objects and is divided thematically into four sections: Mississippi's Landscape, Mississippi's People, Life in Mississippi, and Exporting Mississippi's Culture.

Access resources for self-guided tours of The Mississippi Story.

Need-based Field Trip Grants available
Click here for more information.

Information about School Tours:
FAQ for Teachers

Evening for Educators

Evening for Educators is an opportunity for educators-of all ages and all disciplines-to look, learn, and connect with the education team at the Museum.  Held in conjunction with the opening of each new installation in the Museum's Barksdale Galleries for Changing Exhibitions, we invite all educators to join us for a chance to walk-through of the new exhibition and learn new ways to integrate the Museum into the classroom.

Teaching Resources

Resources can be used in conjunction with a visit to the Museum, which we strongly encourage, and also on their own in the classroom.  For more information about scheduling a visit, please click here.

Current exhibition Guides for Educators:
To Paint and Pray: The Art and Life of William R. Hollingsworth, Jr.

Past exhibition Guides for Educators:
The Orient Expressed: Japan's Influence on Western Art, 1854-1918
Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Freedom Riders
Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey.

Curricula for Educators:
Digging Deep: Exploring Science and Language Arts through the Visual Arts
(Click image below to access)

We'd love to hear your suggestions on how we can best serve educators.  Please e-mail comments and suggestions to education@msmuseumart.org!

Teacher Workshops

Teacher Workshops are open to educators of all grade levels and disciplines. All workshops are standards-based and interdisciplinary in nature, making explicit connections with many subject areas. We also offer teacher workshops through our partnerships with Parents for Public Schools and through the Mississippi Arts Education Association (MAEA).  Check out their websites for upcoming teacher workshops at the Museum!

Saturday, February 23, 2013
Teacher Workshop: Old Masters to Monet
Mississippi Museum of Art, Yates Community Room
9 AM – 3:30 PM
Content Areas: Art History, Language Arts, and Visual Arts
Educators are invited to explore the outstanding artworks in the upcoming exhibition, Old Masters to Monet: Three Centuries of French Painting from the Wadsworth Atheneum. These works provide a history of French painting, ranging from the 17th through the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th century and include religious and mythological subjects, portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes. Educators will also be introduced to Visual Thinking Strategies, a research-based method that will help use visual images to trigger engaging dialogue and writing with students. This workshop is presented prior to the opening of Old Masters to Monet, on view March 23 through September 8, 2013.  This workshop is standards-based and interdisciplinary in nature, making explicit connections with many subjects of study. Teachers will receive .6 CEU credits as well as educational resources for the classroom. Pre-registration is required; lunch is included in the cost of registration and will be served from 12-12:30. Cost: $40 non-members/$35 members. Click here for registration form. Registration deadline is February 15, 2013. Class size is limited, so be sure to register early!