No – These visits could not happen for the students if not for the chaperones!

Yes, you must request a School Group visit regardless of whether you intend to do a Self-Guided or Guided Tour. You must request your visit minimum of two weeks in advance of your intended date.

Please note that when you request a visit, it is NOT final confirmation of your visit. You will be contacted shortly after you submit your request by MMA’s staff to confirm the details of your visit before your request is finalized.

Large groups can unload at the main sidewalk of the Museum entrance either on Lamar Street or West Street. Buses and vans can park on Pascagoula Street or Lamar Street. A parking map can be found here.

We recommend that you arrive ten minutes before your scheduled start time to check-in at the Visitor Services desk in the lobby of the Museum.

The largest size of guided tours that we can accommodate is 50 participants. Guided tours will be led in groups no larger than 15, to facilitate a conversation-based tour. If your overall group size is larger than 15, you have the option to divide groups before visiting, or the gallery educators will do so upon arrival.

To be able to navigate the gallery spaces safely, we ask that you have one chaperone per 10 students.

We allow booking of school tours from Tuesday to Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.

Typically, a guided tour lasts one hour, and highlights three to four key works in the exhibitions. Tours can be modified to accommodate any time constraints.

Guided tours involve looking closely at the work of art followed by a facilitated conversation, allowing viewers to make discoveries about the art. Background information about the artist and the historical and cultural context of the work will be woven into the conversation by your trained gallery educator. These tours access the viewer’s prior knowledge and help validate each person’s individual perspective, while encouraging moments of deep thought and self-discovery.

We provide different guided tour themes for Pre-K – 1st and 2nd – 12th grades, and each guided tour is adapted to support the age and grade level of the group.

The Mississippi Museum of Art offers a variety of guided tour themes, see our full list of the themes above. You also have the option to work with a member of the MMA Education team to create a specialized tour to meet your curricular needs. Please contact dhart@msmuseumart.org to learn more about creating a specialized tour.

Yes! Self-guided tours must still request a time for their visit. Please keep in mind that self-guided visits must be split into groups of ten students and one chaperone, with no more than 40 students in the galleries at one time. For additional resources to help plan your visit, check out our online teacher resources for pre- and post-visit activities and our guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, which includes extended information and curator-led audio tours about the exhibition as well as programming and gallery activities.  We ask that you follow our Museum rules and guidelines during your visit.

• No touching the artwork – We value the works on view and want them to be around for a very long time. Please do not touch. There are engagement spaces throughout the exhibitions specifically for hands-on exploration
• No running or horseplay– We have a fantastic Art Garden perfect for running if you feel the urge 
• No food or drink in the galleries – Again, we want to protect the works from critters or damage 
• No flash photography – Photography is allowed without the use of flash 
• No ink pens or markers in the gallery – If you plan to write or draw in the exhibitions, please use pencil only
• No large bags in the galleries – To ensure safe navigation through the space, you can leave large bags behind the front desk.

SHOULD BRING: Students should show up with an open mind, ready to explore and use critical thinking during the conversations in the galleries.

SHOULD NOT BRING: Students will not need to bring anything for their visits in the exhibitions. We will provide any materials needed for their visit.

Please review the MMA rules and guidelines with your students before you arrive. These will be e-mailed to you, along with your tour confirmation.

We ask that the majority of your belongings be left in your mode of transportation. If there are things you will need during your visit, those can be left behind the Visitor Services desk or in the classrooms if you are planning to participate in a studio activity during your visit.

If the timing of your visit allows for a lunch break, we recommend bringing sack lunches. We have tables and chairs in the Art Garden or on the veranda for you to use. Otherwise, there are a few restaurants downtown within walking distance to the Museum. Heads up: Most restaurants downtown close after lunch at 2:00pm.

Yes, if you’re scheduling a guided tour! For $5 per participant, your students can enhance their learning with a hands-on studio experience with activities ranging from exploring with watercolor to crafting clay creatures.

You’ll select if you want a studio add-on to your guided tour when you request your visit.

Please arrive for your guided tour on time. Due to scheduling with our tour guides, groups that arrive late may receive a shortened tour; and if your group arrives more than 30 minutes late, we may need to offer you a Self-Guided Tour option instead. We understand things happen with transportation, so as soon as you are able, please contact the Museum at 601.960.1515 to let us know of your delayed arrival and new expected arrival time. We will make every effort to accommodate your group.

As soon as you know you will be unable to visit at your scheduled date and time, please contact Daleicia Hart at 601.965.9913 to cancel or reschedule for a later date.