Explore the Hirshhorn with your students at the Museum or in your classroom! Hirshhorn Art School offers 90-minute Friday School Studio field trips which include a tour and hands-on studio artmaking session. Schools can also self-guide anytime or request a guided tour. Can’t visit the Hirshhorn in-person? Get creative in your classroom through our PK–12 lesson plans featuring nearly 50 maker projects, kid-friendly artist bios, and our teacher guides.
REQUEST A CLASS VISIT
Free school programs are available in Hirshhorn Art School on Thursdays and Fridays.
On Thursdays, DCPS middle school teachers are invited to bring a class to Mystery at the Museum. Learn more here. Contact HMSGeducation@si.edu to register for Mystery at the Museum, a free, special program for DCPS schools.
On Fridays, teachers from all schools and grade levels are welcome to register for a School Studio session. Each 90-minute session is a hands-on program that can be tailored to your class’s abilities and interests. Are you ready to create with us? Learn more and register here.
Visit Any Day (Art School not included)
Schools may also request a guided tour with one of our Gallery Guides for any day of the week.
Schools are also welcome to take a self-guided tour with their students. Self-guided groups are always welcome at the Hirshhorn; no reservations or tickets required. However, select exhibitions do require passes; please see our Current Exhibitions page for additional information.
At this time, group tour availability is limited. Requests may be made here. If your group is larger than 15 people, we kindly request that you notify hirshhornexperience@si.edu of your visit date, group name, size, and approximate arrival time.
FOR YOUR LEARNING
Learn from Hirshhorn educators through our collection of professional development webinars, tips for using art as a teaching tool, and direct ways to integrate modern and contemporary art into your classroom.
Teacher Leaders
Are you a DCPS middle school art teacher? Join the Teacher Leaders program at the Hirshhorn! Teacher Leaders are part of a community of practice that receives intensive professional development and ongoing support through the school year. Selected teachers will receive training on program evaluation and transformative learning experiences that emphasize connections between the arts, literacy, and history for their own classroom practice. Leaders will also receive priority bookings for the full-day field trip, Mystery at the Museum, for their classes. At the program’s end, Leaders will receive a $1,000 stipend for their time.
Requirements:
- Must be a DCPS middle school art teacher
- Must participate in 3 pre-determined training days
- Must participate in full-day Mystery at the Museum field trip with students
- Must participate in evaluation workshops
The deadline has passed to apply for our 2024–2025 cohort. For inquiries about joining our 2025–2026 cohort, email HMSGeducation@si.edu.
ART RESOURCES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM
Make the Hirshhorn’s artworks and teaching strategies part of your preschool, elementary, or middle school classroom. Experience the Museum at your school through maker projects and kid-friendly artist biographies that will give you tools to guide your students to look closely, think critically, experiment playfully, and develop positive self-identity.
Want to create something special with your students right alongside the artists and ideas of our time? Bring your class to the museum for a Friday School Studio.
