EXPAND YOUR CLASSROOM

What can art show students about the world? Explore the answers with SAM.

SAM provides creative learning opportunities for students and educators that ignite curiosity, foster critical thinking, and develop environments that are rigorous, inclusive, and collaborative.

Aligned with State and Common Core Standards, SAM’s resources and experiences contribute to building a community of lifelong learners. 

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SAM offers programs for K-12 schools and educational organizations serving K-12 youth. We engage students in close-looking, critical thinking, and creative art making. Through free tours for all public schools and bus subsidies for Title I Schools we aim to ensure that cost is never a barrier to an authentic art experience.

These inspiring, adaptable programs build direct connections between works of art, classroom curriculum, and students’ own experiences and backgrounds.

Are you a college group? You can find group visit information here.

“
Thank you so much for a wonderful day! This was truly one of the most organized and age-appropriate fields trips I have ever taken my class on. I hope I can do it again next year.
”
–Elementary School Teacher

Guided School Tours

SAM’s school tours are image-focused and inquiry-based experiences for K–12 students. One portion of the visit is led by trained guides, encouraging students to look closely, share personal perspectives, and build connections to their lives and learning. Then students will have a chance to get creative through an art workshop supported by SAM teaching artists, teachers and chaperones, and/or SAM art studio volunteers. Guided visits are free for public schools and $100 for private schools.

Check out our How to Visit SAM video before your guided tour! To learn more about the school tour and art activity, visit School Tour Resources.

Select a location below to view guided tour options and start the booking process.

SELF-GUIDED SCHOOL TOURS

Self-guided school tours are for educators who wish to customize their museum experience by leading their own tours through the galleries. Available at all three SAM sites, all self-guided school groups must register with the museum in advance. Self-guided tours are free for public schools and $40 for private schools.

To prepare for a self-led visit, check out any of our in-gallery activities at the Education Resource Center or email us to brainstorm together!

Select a location below to view self-guided tour availability and booking options.

Title I Bus Subsidies

SAM wants all students and educators to experience creative learning opportunities, regardless of barriers of transportation. We provide bus subsidies for schools with 40% or more students on free or reduced-price lunch programs. For inquiries regarding bus subsidies, please email us.

Accessibility

The Seattle Art Museum strives to be accessible for all visitors and provides a variety of support services to assist with your visit. Find more information on Accessibility here and email us to request accommodations during your visit.

Support for K-12 programs during the 2023-2024 school year is provided by the BNSF Railway Foundation, Foster Foundation, and Hearst Foundations. Partial, sustained support for SAM’s K-12 programs is provided by an endowment established in 1999 by a National Endowment for the Humanities challenge grant and the generous contributions of matching donors, including the Ann P. Wyckoff Education Endowment. The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs at the Seattle Art Museum has supported SAM K–12 programs since 1994.

Book School Tours

All School Tours​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Seattle Art Museum
Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Self-Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Seattle Asian Art Museum
Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Self-Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Olympic Sculpture Park
Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Self-Guided Tour​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Educators are at the center of learning and your significant contributions have profound effects on the learning of your students. SAM’s Educator Programs provide teachers with rich opportunities to relate the arts directly to your own lives and the lives of your students.

“
It has been a while since I really spent time to absorb, interpret, and discuss works of art, and I got so much out of bouncing ideas off of fellow educators. This workshop definitely got me thinking about ways of seeing and guiding that inquiry with students.
”
Middle School Educator

VISIT SAM FOR FREE

SAM loves educators! We offer free admission to educators. Request educator passes by emailing educatorprograms@seattleartmuseum.org with your preferred date and location. Please provide 1-2 weeks' advance notice for processing.

Find lesson plans, video playlists, and other materials to connect the art at SAM with your classroom. Access resources for exhibitions that are currently on view, as well as past exhibitions and SAM’s collection.

Art Adventures

Bring SAM to your Early Learning space! In Art Adventures, SAM educators lead culturally-responsive art making workshops that explore SAM’s art collection by utilizing learning methods inspired by Visual Thinking Strategies for ages 3 – 5. We also offer Parent and Early Learner Teacher Professional Development sessions related to these strategies. Themes include:

• Triangles Make me Dance: Patterns, shapes and feelings

• Nature is My Canvas: The natural world as inspiration

• A Splash of Color: Exploring Art around the world

Art Adventures programs are 30-45 minutes long and SAM provides all materials. These programs are free and based on availability. Interested in having SAM visit your Early Learner’s classroom or organization? Email FamilyPrograms@SeattleArtMuseum.org for more information and availability

SAM is expanding the role of cultural institutions in K–12 education through advocacy, collaboration, and the development of innovative partnerships and programs.

Collaborative Partner Schools

SAM’s school partnerships are designed to support arts integration in local K-12 classrooms and expand entry points for the school community to grow and learn together. Benefits of being a partner school include free curricula and resources, professional development for a teaching team or the entire staff, field trips to one of our three museum sites, subsidized bussing, and free student admission.

SAM prioritizes partnering with Title 1 schools and availability is based on staff capacity.

Seattle Public Schools

The Creative Advantage
The Creative Advantage is a city-wide partnership led by Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. Their goal is to make quality arts education accessible to every student in SPS, with a focus on lower-income communities and communities of color that have been shown to have less access to arts learning opportunities. SAM is proud to partner with this initiative to provide professional development training and resources for schools and community organizations. For more information, visit Creative Advantage Seattle.

Naramore Art Show
Since 1985, the Naramore Art show has been an annual tradition celebrating the excellence of the middle and high school artists of Seattle Public Schools. Seattle Art Museum is a proud partner in Naramore. Each year we look forward to the installation of art in our Community Gallery, and honoring artists in the award ceremony. 

Eyes on Asia
Beginning in 2019, SAM created a program for upper elementary students throughout Seattle Public Schools focused on the recently renovated Seattle Asian Art Museum. In collaboration with SPS teacher advisors across different schools, SAM developed a curriculum focused on K–5 Literacy standards, as well as identity development and student voice. Through this partnership, teachers have received professional development, curriculum for pre- and post-visit lessons, art kits, and more. This program includes museum visits to the Seattle Asian Art Museum as an annual experience for SPS students across the district, with subsidized bussing for all schools.

Highline Public Schools

Highline Partner Schools
Since the 2000s, SAM has partnered with schools throughout Highline to create arts-integrated lessons for teachers across subject areas.

Drawing from Nature
Beginning in 2016, SAM created an annual program for all second graders throughout the Highline School District to receive an in-depth exploratory visual arts program. Created with teacher advisors, this program targets the social, emotional, and developmental stages of students while giving them first-hand experiences with art and ecosystems at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Teachers receive professional development and strategies to incorporate pre- and post-visit lesson plans into their curriculum. This program is free and includes subsided bussing for all schools.

Become a Partner School

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