Designed for use in the classroom, these online features and printable files (PDFs) help educators introduce to their students the richness and diversity of works in various collections of the Metropolitan Museum. Publications include a variety of illustrations and descriptions of selected works of art, historical and cultural background, classroom applications in the form of lesson plans and activities, and other useful material.

Online Features

		The Art of Ancient Egypt: A Web Resource An electronic version of our vast teacher resource featuring forty objects, a timeline, curriculum connections, and more.

		Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261–1557) This overview of the artistic and cultural flowering during the late Byzantine Empire features magnificent icons and miniatures, frescoes, textiles, mosaics, illuminated manuscripts, and gilded metalwork. Includes essays, a visual exploration of the Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, Egypt, catalogue entries, an exhibition checklist, a bibliography, a glossary, and maps.

		China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200–750 AD A Resource for Teachers and Students Explore exceptional works of art from forty-six institutions in the People's Republic of China. Includes links and references to works of art in the Metropolitan's permanent collection, relevant literary references, maps, and details about how certain objects were crafted.

		Flowers Underfoot: Indian Carpets of the Mughal Era Resources and activities created especially for studying Indian carpets.

		The Glory of Byzantium Materials and techniques, classroom activities, and discussion topics about Byzantine art.

		Shipwreck: An Ancient Sea Trade Game Explore the geography, culture, natural resources, and artistic production of Late Bronze Age civilizations along the eastern Mediterranean trade route. Developed in collaboration with the Institute for Nautical Archaeology (Texas A&M University).

Printable Files (PDFs)

Please note that the following publications represent a selection of our packaged sets, which also include slides and additional activity components.

The full sets are available for purchase by phone, online, or in the Museum Shop. One free copy of each resource is also available to New York City Public Schools. See Teacher Resources for details.

View and print the following publications for educators and students with Adobe Reader.

		The Art of Africa: A Resource for Educators The rich and diverse artistic heritage of sub-Saharan Africa is presented in forty traditional works in the Metropolitan’s collection.
		The Art of Ancient Egypt Educators will find invaluable this comprehensive introduction to ancient Egyptian history and art focusing on works in the Museum's collection.
		The Art of Renaissance Europe Works in the Museum's collection that embody the Renaissance interest in classical learning, fame, and beautiful objects are illustrated and discussed in this publication.
		The Art of South and Southeast Asia Through an exploration of the diverse and rich works of art in the Museum's collection from the subcontinent of South Asia and the Himalayan region as well as from the many lands of Southeast Asia, this resource provides an ideal introduction to the history and culture of this vast region.
		The Arts of Korea: A Resource for Educators Although Korea's cultural connections with China and Japan form a crucial part of its history, Korea also has a visually rich and technically sophisticated artistic tradition that is separate and distinct from that of its larger East Asian neighbors. This publication will assist educators in presenting Korea's distinctive cultural legacy to students of all ages.
		Auguste Rodin: The Burghers of Calais An in-depth exploration of Rodin's renowned late ninteenth-century sculpture commemorating the bravery of Calais's local heroes.
		Greek Art from Prehistoric to Classical This publication is designed not only to introduce the Museum's collection of Greek art, but also to provide a general grounding in ancient Greek culture, from the prehistoric period to the end of the Classical age.
		Islamic Art and Geometric Design: Activities for Learning Examine the principles of geometric design that are the basis for the beautiful and intricate patterns in the art of the Islamic world.
		A Masterwork of Byzantine Art The David Plates: The Story of David and Goliath This learning-activity set provides a closer look at the Museum's spectacular set of Byzantine silver objects, known as the David Plates.
		Medieval Art: A Resource for Educators This resource presents medieval art in the Museum’s collection from western Europe and Byzantium and provides strategies for teaching art of the Middle Ages.
		Nature Within Walls: The Chinese Garden Court at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Focuses on the Chinese Garden Court, one of the most pleasant and popular parts of the Museum's Asian art galleries. Its architectural elements, rock formations, plantings, and pond not only provide a peaceful environment but also offer visitors a window through which they can glimpse how nature was traditionally perceived in Chinese culture and how these ideas influenced the arts of this ancient civilization.
		Roman Art: A Resource for Educators Introduce your students to the rich cultural legacy of Rome through the study of Roman art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a rich variety of programs for elementary and secondary school educators, resources for research and study, and the Nolen Library in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center and Teacher Resource Center. Visit the Events & Programs and Study and Research areas of this site for more information.