Spanish-Language Classes, Activities During Winter School Break, on "Holiday Mondays," and at The Cloisters are Included
(New York, September 12, 2006)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art today announced its schedule of weekday and weekend programs for children, including special family activities, for the period September 30, 2006, through February 2, 2007. These drop-in programs are free with Museum admission. Reservations are not required unless otherwise noted, and all materials are provided.
On weekends and "Holiday Mondays," the Museum's special family greeters in bright red aprons welcome families in the Great Hall, answer questions about the Metropolitan Museum, hand out printed self-conducted activity guides, and recommend art-related programs that the Museum offers free of charge for children and accompanying adults.
Ongoing Programs
The following core programs for children and accompanying adults will be offered October 31-December 17, 2006 and January 2-February 2, 2007:
• Start with Art at the Met, an hour of storytelling, sketching, and other ways of exploring art, for children ages three through seven and their adult companions.
Beginning October 31, this program meets Tuesday and Thursday, 2:30-3:30 p.m. (no program November 23.); Wednesday, 3:30-4:40 p.m.; Friday, 4:00-5:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 10:00-11:00 p.m.
• Look Again!, a 90-minute exploration of the history, meaning, and cross-cultural connections of works of art in the Metropolitan Museum through conversation and sketching by visitors ages five through12 and their adult companions. From time to time, live performances enhance this Museum adventure. Beginning November 4, these weekend classes meet Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2:00-3:30 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (No afternoon programs on November 5 and January 7.) The programs on Saturday, November 18, December 9, and January 20, 2:00-3:30 p.m. are Sign Language-interpreted.
• Charles H. Tally Art Evenings for Families, an exploration of the Metropolitan Museum's collection through conversation and sketching by visitors ages six through 12 and their adult companions. Beginning November 4, this program meets Saturday, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• Hello, Met!, for families new to the Metropolitan Museum (youngsters ages five through 12 and accompanying adults), a warm and stimulating introduction to its encyclopedic collection through discussion and sketching of selected masterpieces. Beginning November 5, this program meets Sunday, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Special Family Activities
In addition to the Museum's schedule of core programs, the following special family activities will be offered:
• "Holiday Monday" Family Programs, an exploration of the Museum for children ages five through 12 and accompanying adults, featuring discussion and sketching of works of art. These drop-in sessions will be offered on October 9, and January 15, 11:00 a.m.-noon; noon-1:00 p.m.; 1:15-2:15 p.m.; and 2:30-3:30 p.m.
• Curator Contact: Exploring Islamic Calligraphy with Maryam Ekhtiar, part of the Charles H. Tally Art Evenings for Families. This program features Maryam Ekhtiar of the Islamic Art Department, with Anna Sahr from Education. Through conversation and sketching, they encourage families to explore the role of calligraphy in Islamic culture and its representation in the featured art works. The session is conducted on the second floor balcony of the Great Hall, where works of art from the Islamic galleries of the Metropolitan Museum are currently displayed. Saturday, November 4, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• How Did They Do That? Supplementing the Look Again! program of the morning, each session shows families, through handling tools and materials, how a particular work of art was created. In addition, a special session, Tapestry! How Did They DoThat?, will be offered at The Cloisters on December 27 and 28, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Arms and Armor: Saturday and Sunday, November 4 and 5; 30-minute sessions, running from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Arms and Armor Galleries.
Shake, Toot, and Strum: Friday and Saturday, December 29 and 30; 30-minute sessions, running from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Musical Instruments Galleries.
Rooms Worth a View: Saturday and Sunday, January 6 and 7; 30-minute sessions, running from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Galleries.
• Get the Lead Out! Observation and Imagination through Drawing in the Galleries, part of the Look Again! series. This imaginative workshop explores the collection of the Museum by using drawing as a tool to look at works of art. Participants travel the world and travel through time by examining art that tells stories with people and places and with lines, shapes, and colors. Saturday, November 11, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• Holiday Week Family Programs, offered during the winter school break. Families (youngsters ages five through twelve and accompanying adults) explore the Museum through an hour of stimulating discussion and sketching of selected masterpieces. These drop-in sessions will meet Tuesday-Sunday, December 19-24 and December 26-31; 11:00 a.m.-noon and 2:00-3:00 p.m.
• Holiday Films for Families, Tuesday–Thursday, December 26–28:
Escape the Winter! Linnea in Monet's Garden (30 min.), a charming animation of a journey to Monet's garden in Giverny, and Metropolitan Cats (25 min.), a documentary that explores the cat in art in many different collections of the Metropolitan Museum. 11:00-11:50 a.m.; 1:00-1:50 p.m.; 3:00-3:50 p.m.
Explore the Winter! Great Frost (15 min.), an animated film of the festivities that result one harsh winter when the River Thames freezes over, based on a tale from Virginia Woolf's Orlando, and Children's Christmas in Wales (26 min.), poet Dylan Thomas reading his story, a celebration of family and community, illustrated by black-and-white still photographs. Noon-12:45 p.m.; 2:00-2:45 p.m.; 4:00-4:45 p.m.
• Curator Contact: Dirk Breiding and Tournaments, part of the Charles H. Tally Art Evenings for Families. This program features Dirk Breiding of the Department of Arms and Armor, with Anna Sahr from Education. Through conversation and sketching, they encourage families to explore works of art connected to sports, games, and pastimes of medieval and Renaissance Europe – tournaments and pageantry. Saturday, January 20, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Spanish-Language Programs
The Metropolitan Museum offers a weekly class in Spanish in the Main Building and newly scheduled sessions at The Cloisters on the last Saturday of each month. In addition, there will be a special holiday program in the Main Building on October 28. Advance registration is required for all sessions. For information on programs in the Main Building, call 212-650-2833; for information about programs at The Cloisters, call 212-396-5312.
• El Primer Contacto con el Arte, a program conducted in Spanish for visitors ages six through 12 and their adult companions. Each session features a gallery talk and hands-on activities that focus on a different theme and area of the Museum. Beginning October 14, this program meets Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (No program November 25.)
• ¡Vengan a Festejar el Día de Los Muertos! Come Celebrate the Day of the Dead!
Enjoy a documentary film, tours, and music for the whole family. Saturday, October 28; 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Reservations are required. Please call (212) 650-2833 or send an email to diadelosmuertos@metmuseum.org.
Family Programs at The Cloisters
The Cloisters, the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, located in upper Manhattan, offers an expanded variety of programs for children ages four through 12 and accompanying adults in both English and Spanish, including a newly scheduled Spanish-language program on the last Saturday of each month and an additional English-language program on the first Sunday of each month. Reservations are not required. For further information, call 212-396-5312.
• Gallery Workshops for Families at The Cloisters, a series of hour-long weekend classes, will be offered on Sunday, October 1, November 5, and December 3, and on Saturday, October 7 and 21, November 4 and 18, and December 2 and 23. All programs take place 1:00-2:00 p.m.
• Medieval Festival at The Cloisters, , a special workshop for families, offered during the annual Medieval Festival that is organized by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the Washington Heights Inwood Development Corporation and held in Fort Tryon Park. Sunday, October 8; 2:00-3:00 p.m.
• Uptown Treasures at The Cloisters, guided tours, a free concert, and a family workshop as part of Uptown Treasures Day, a celebration of the cultural institutions of Washington Heights and Inwood. Sunday, October 15; noon-4:00 p.m. (For more information, visit www.uptowntreasures.org.)
• Tapestry! How Did They Do That? Through handling tools and materials, families can learn how tapestries were created. Wednesday and Thursday, December 27 and 28; 30-minute sessions, running from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
• La Experiencia Medieval, a family program at The Cloisters conducted in Spanish for visitors ages four through 12 and their adult companions. Each session features a gallery talk and craft project. This program meets the last Saturday of each month, September 30, October 28, November 25, December 30; 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Programs for Young Visitors with Disabilities
• Discoveries, a workshop for children and adults with developmental and learning disabilities, and accompanying friends, family members, and staff. Offered on Sundays, these workshops are free of charge, but advance reservations are necessary. For information, call (212) 879-5500, ext. 3561.
• Picture This! Family Program: In Touch with Musical Instruments,
A Workshop for Families with Children who are Blind or Partially Sighted
Participants are invited to discover the Musical Instruments Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum – exploring instruments from around the world and creating a musical instrument to take home. This program is free of charge, but advance reservations are necessary. For information, call (212) 879-5500, ext. 3561 or email access@metmuseum.org. Saturday, October 14, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
MuseumKids Web Page
Prior to visiting the Metropolitan Museum, families can log onto the MuseumKids page of the Museum's Web site. This easy-to-navigate web page, located at metmuseum.org/explore/museumkids.htm, features an array of information and activities for children under the headings "Things to Do When Visiting" and "For Kids to Try Right Now!" Online visitors can learn more about special family programs; create their own "My Met Calendar," a customized listing of events and subjects of special interest; sign up to receive weekly email notices of upcoming programs and events based on their preferences; or pre-plan an excursion to the Metropolitan Museum. In addition, children can play interactive art games and experience art firsthand through activities in the "Explore & Learn" section, or find the answers to such frequently asked questions as "How many pieces of art are there in the Museum?" and "What are the colored buttons used for?"
Family Audio Guide Tours
The Museum's Family Audio Guide, ideal for children ages six through 12 and their families, can proceed at their own pace, listen to the commentaries in any order they choose, and keep the guides for the duration of their visit. Featured works are in the galleries of The American Wing, arms and armor, ancient Near Eastern art, Islamic art, arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, Asian art (including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and South and Southeast Asian), Egyptian art, European Old Masters, European sculpture and decorative arts, medieval and Byzantine art, 19th-century art, modern art, and musical instruments. The Audio Guide is priced at $6.00 for the general public, $5.00 for Metropolitan Museum members, and $4.00 for children under 12. Family Audio Guide maps are available free of charge at the Audio Guide desk in the Great Hall.
At The Cloisters, the Family Audio Guide provides 25 stops of destinations – including gardens, tapestries, choirstalls, and tombs – in the form of a treasure hunt, ideal for children six to 12 and their families.
Family-friendly Dining at the Metropolitan Museum
Every restaurant at the Museum welcomes children, but "the cafeteria" is particularly family- friendly. High chairs are available, and the menu features a selection of special meals for children under 12 years of age – chicken fingers, pasta, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, plus whole fruit and milk or juice – priced at $4.95 each and served in a unique, three-dimensional tray, designed to look like a New York City taxicab.
A Catalogue Just for Kids
The special Children's Shop, located on the second floor of the Museum. is a noted resource for high-quality items for kids of all ages – including art activity kits, art supplies, stuffed toys, kids' jewelry, puppets, puzzles, games, play figures, books, CDs, and videos. A MetKids catalogue also offers an exciting array of products designed to help children of all ages learn, develop skills, and grow. Many of the items are based on works in the Museum's collections, opening a door to the world of art, ancient cultures, history, music, and even the Museum itself; others expand on the Museum's education and outreach programs; and all are intended to help children discover their own creativity, individuality, and power of imagination.
Offsite Programs for Family Groups
The Metropolitan Museum presents slide talks accompanied by art and writing workshops to groups of families and young people in after-school programs, libraries, and community centers throughout New York City. This program, called Meet the Met: The Offsite Program for Families and Young People, is free and is offered in many languages. Sign Language interpretation can also be provided. For further information, call 212-396-5051.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a Dual/Family Membership for $175.00 that includes free admission for one year for two adults, as well as children of these members through the age of 16, to the Museum's main building and The Cloisters, including all special exhibitions. It also includes a discount of 10% on Museum merchandise, announcements of exclusive subscription programs for children, members-only lectures and preview invitations, and summer weekend use of the Trustees Dining Room.
Baby strollers are permitted during public hours and in some temporary exhibitions. Visitors can check at the Information Desk for those exhibitions that permit baby strollers. Back carriers are available for borrowing in the coat-check areas at the 81st Street and 82nd Street entrances.
The galleries of The Metropolitan Museum of art are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair used should enter the Museum through the 81st Street entrance.
For further information on family programs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, call 212-570-3961.
Family programs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art are supported by: Uris Brothers Foundation Endowment, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin H. Schein, May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc., Pat and John Rosenwald Fund, Aronson Endowment Fund, Staten Island Advance, and The Roberta & Allan Weissglass Foundation, Inc.
Access programs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art are made possible by MetLife Foundation. Access programs are also made possible by the generous support of the Filomen M. D'Agostino Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the Renate, Hans & Maria Hofmann Trust, The Ceil & Michael E. Pulitzer Foundation, Inc., the Sunny and Abe Rosenberg Foundation, the Allene Reuss Memorial Trust, and the Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation, Inc.
Met Holiday Mondays are sponsored by Bloomberg.
El Primer Contacto con el Arte is made possible in part by The Goodman Memorial Foundation.
Meet the Met is made possible by the Ann Eden Woodward Foundation, the Samuel and Rae Eckman Charitable Foundation, Inc., The Murray G. and Beatrice H. Sherman Charitable Trust, and the Thanksgiving Foundation.
The Audio Guide program at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is sponsored by Bloomberg.
# # #
Press resources