Investigate the intersection of art and social studies during this half-day educator event featuring interdisciplinary conversations, teaching labs, and art making inspired by communities (past and present) around the world. Discover unexpected connections and leave with at least one new idea for supporting student learning in and through the arts. Register online by Thursday, April 20 for this free event. Humanities, social studies, and visual arts educators from all backgrounds are encouraged to attend.
K–12 Educators:
University Professors and Instructors:
Enter at Fifth Avenue and 81st Street; our staff will greet you in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education.
Schedule of Activities
Enjoy coffee in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education.
10 am–1 pm (Drop in anytime)
Ground floor, Uris Display Corridor
Ground Floor
Teaching Workshop: Art, Identity, and Belonging
Investigate the ways that works by Glenn Ligon, a contemporary artist based in New York, can provide a catalyst for thoughtful discussions about race, identity, and belonging in our globalized world. This session is led by Adam Strom, Director of Scholarship and Innovation at Facing History and Ourselves.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Art Study Room
Teaching Workshop: Bringing the Past to Life
Learn how observation, description, and dramatization of American paintings can deepen our understanding of historic events. This interactive session is led by Joanna Hefferen, Director of Professional Development at ArtsConnection.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Bonnie J. Sacerdote Lecture Hall
Teaching Resources: Nolen Library
Browse K–12 curriculum resources and informational texts supporting investigations of the collection. Learn about borrowing materials and scheduling a class orientation.
10 am–5 pm
Nolen Library
Floor 1
Curatorial Talk: Art and Community in Sub-Saharan Africa
Discover artistic expressions at the core of community building in West and Central Africa during this informational talk led by Yaëlle Biro, Associate Curator for the Arts of Africa. Featured selections range from family altars honoring revered ancestors to collective creations that signify the power of a ruler and the unity of a chiefdom.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
Gallery 350, The Samuel H. and Linda M. Lindenbaum Gallery
Curatorial Talk: Ancient Mexico from Olmec to Aztec
When the Spaniards arrived at the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in 1519, they encountered a parallel universe of spectacular cities, powerful rulers, and dramatic landscapes. Explore the history of remarkable indigenous civilizations from ancient Mexico during a talk led by James Doyle, Assistant Curator for the Art of the Americas.
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Gallery 358, The Samuel H. and Linda M. Lindenbaum Gallery
Conversation with a Conservator: Making Egyptian Coffins
What materials and techniques were used to create Ancient Egyptian coffins? Learn how conservators and scientists leveraged their skills to answer this question during a conversation with Anna Serotta, Assistant Conservator.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Gallery 126
Curatorial Talk: An Ancient Egyptian Icon
Learn about Ancient Egyptian art and culture through a close look at the Temple of Dendur, a structure built around 15 B.C. to honor the goddess Isis, during a conversation with Isabel Stünkel, Associate Curator, Department of Egyptian Art.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Gallery 131, The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing
Teaching Resources: Thomas J. Watson Library
Visit the Museum’s central research library for researchers college age and above to learn about available resources and schedule a library orientation for your college class.
10 am–5 pm
Thomas J. Watson Library
Floor 2
Art-making: Exploring the Art of Balance
Explore the concept of yin and yang through drawing and close-looking exercises led by artist Pamela Lawton in a Ming-dynasty-inspired Chinese courtyard.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Gallery 217, The Astor Chinese Garden Court
Teaching Workshop: Art and Inquiry
Learn ways that inquiry-driven investigations of art can foster critical thinking and encourage interdisciplinary connections during this participatory workshop led by Museum educator Nicola Giardina in the European Paintings galleries.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Gallery 802
Curatorial Talk: Art, Archaeology, and Texts in Ancient Mesopotamia
How do we learn about ancient civilizations? Consider how art, archaeology, and inscriptions contribute to our understanding of ancient Mesopotamia during this talk—featuring the palace of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (r. ca. 883–859 B.C.)—led by Michael Seymour, Assistant Curator, Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art.
10:20–11 am
11:20 am–12 pm
12:20–1 pm
Gallery 401, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Gallery for Assyrian Art
K–12 Educator Programs are made possible by the Brooke Astor Fund for New York City Education in The New York Community Trust, Sherman Fairchild Foundation, Anonymous Foundation, Anonymous, Altman Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, Frank H. & Eva B. Buck Foundation, Smart Family Foundation, and Jephson Educational Trusts.
