Artful Adventures provides opportunities for children ages 3 and older to connect with the art and cultures of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas through engagement with the MFA collections.
Teachers and group leaders work closely with Museum educators to design customized programs that fit the interests and needs of each group. Each visit lasts an hour and a half and combines a gallery tour with an art-making activity. We also offer Artful Adventures to bilingual groups (Spanish).
Support provided by: Michael D. Dingman Fund; Pamela D. Adams Fund for Artful Adventures; Richard W. and Marjorie S. Dammann Fund; Mrs. Charles H. Taylor Fund; William O. and Sally Taylor Fund; Rieka, Samuel, and Renée Rapaporte Fund for Educational Outreach for Youth and Families; Kennedy P. and Susan M. Richardson Fund for Learning and Community Engagement; Bramhall Fund; Estate of Charlotte Brayton.
Programs
Sample Artful Adventures Tours
Teachers and group leaders may choose one of the adventures below or work with a Museum educator to create a customized visit.
Animals in Art
Search for animals in paintings and sculptures in different galleries.
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, masks, painting, or puppets
Asian Art
Walk through a Chinese house and a Buddhist Temple Room, learn about impressive gods and goddesses, and take a closer look at scroll paintings.
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, pendants, or Sumi-e painting
Colors and Shapes
Discover how shapes and colors can be combined to create a masterpiece! Young children learn about the three primary colors and discover how to create secondary colors.
Art Activity Suggestions: Collage or painting
Fantastic Creatures
Dragons, griffins, and sphinx! Find artwork featuring animals and other creatures.
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, masks, pendants, or puppets
Fashion
Examine clothing and accessories worn by people in paintings and sculptures.
Art Activity Suggestions: Drawing with watercolor pencils in the galleries, jewelry, paper dolls, pendants, or puppets
Images of Power
What does it mean to be powerful? Learn about gods and goddesses from different countries, cultures, and time periods.
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, masks, painting, pendants, or puppets
Impressionism
Learn about impressionism from American and European impressionist paintings and compare these to others in the collections.
Art Activity Suggestions: Drawing with watercolor pencils in the galleries or painting on canvas
Masks
Are masks just for holidays? Journey through the Museum to look at masks from around the world.
Art Activity Suggestion: Masks
Reading Adventures!
See below for more information about Reading Adventures!
Stories in Art
There are interesting stories behind every work of art. Take a closer look, hear stories, and create your own!
Art Activity Suggestions: Bookmaking, clay, collage, drawing, masks, painting, or puppets
The Art and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt
Unlock the mysteries of ancient Egypt and hear about daily life in this amazing civilization. Meet our mummies and learn why and how Egyptians prepared for the afterlife.
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, mummy masks, or pendants
Reading Adventures!
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
by Ingri and Edgar D'Aulaires
This book includes popular myths surrounding the pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses. At the Museum children can see mythology depicted in ancient Greek and Roman vases, statues, and other works of art.
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, masks, pendants, or puppets
Katie Meets the Impressionists
by James Mayhew
While visiting the art museum with her grandmother, Katie steps inside Impressionist paintings to gather a bouquet of flowers for Grandma's birthday. Inside the paintings she discovers picnics, friends, art studios, and theaters. At the Museum children will be able to look at Impressionist paintings at the Museum just like those in which Katie finds herself!
Art Activity Suggestions: Drawing with watercolor pencils in the galleries or painting on canvas
The 5,000-year-old Puzzle: Solving a Mystery of Ancient Egypt
by Claudia Logan
Will travels to Giza to help find the next Egyptian burial tomb. Readers help Will solve the mystery surrounding the tomb and learn about various ancient Egyptian customs. See all of the objects mentioned in the book and learn about the real-life archaeological expedition that brought the objects to the Museum’s Egyptian collection during your visit!
Art Activity Suggestions: Clay, mummy masks, or pendants
Visiting the Art Museum
by Laurene Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
A wonderfully illustrated picture book that follows a family during their visit to an art museum. Many of the paintings, sculptures, and artifacts portrayed in the photographs and illustrations refer to pieces from the Museum of Fine Art’s collection!
Art Activity Suggestions: 3D sculptures, clay, drawing with watercolor pencils in the galleries, painting, or pendants
The Hunter and the Crocodile
by Baba Wague Diakite
A West African tale rich in the culture and history of Africa that tells the story of a man and animal working together to survive. At the Museum children can see not only African art, but other pieces that describe the relationship between man and nature.
Art Activity Suggestion: Masks
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