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For Schools & Educators

Expand your classroom with creative learning opportunities for students and educators that ignite curiosity, foster critical thinking, and develop rigorous, inclusive, and collaborative environments. Aligned with State and Common Core Standards, SAM’s resources and experiences contribute to building a community of lifelong learners.

Related programs

Book a School Tour

Plan ahead for guided and self-guided tours at SAM with your class or student group.

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Stay up to date

Get on our educators email list and be the first to know about educator workshops, educator exhibition previews, and more!

Upcoming events

School partnerships

SAM is expanding the role of cultural institutions in K–12 education through advocacy, collaboration, and the development of innovative partnerships and programs. Benefits of being a partner school include free resources, professional development, field trips, subsidized bussing, free student admission, and more. SAM prioritizes partnering with Title 1 schools and availability is based on staff capacity.

Email us to learn more about becoming a partner school.

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Site-specific school partnerships

SAM’s site-specific partnerships focus on Title I schools in Highline Public Schools and Seattle Public Schools to provide museum experiences, resources, and educator professional development to incorporate pre- and post-visit lesson plans into classroom curricula. These programs are free and include subsidized bussing for all schools.

Drawing from Nature

Beginning in 2016, SAM has provided an annual program for all second graders throughout Highline Public Schools to receive an in-depth exploratory visual arts program at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Created with Highline teacher advisors, this program targets students' social, emotional, and developmental stages while giving them first-hand experiences with art and ecosystems.

Eyes on Asia

Since 2019, SAM has provided an annual program for all upper elementary students throughout Seattle Public Schools at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. In collaboration with SPS teacher advisors, SAM developed a curriculum focused on K–5 literacy standards, as well as identity development and student voice.

Free admission for educators!

Contact us to request educator passes for your preferred visit date and location with one to two weeks' advance notice.

Learning resources

Find lesson plans, video playlists, art activities, and more to connect the art at SAM with your classroom.

Ways to get involved

From advising to visitor engagement, our volunteer roles support the museum’s mission to connect art to life through dynamic and engaging roles at all three museum sites.

SAM teens & families

Spread the knowledge. Share information about what’s on at SAM with your students and their families to continue enriching the lives of your learning community.

Accessibility

SAM strives to provide an enriching experience for all visitors at all of our locations. We may require advance notice to provide certain accommodations for you and your students. We encourage you to contact us for specific questions or needs.


Support for K-12 programs during the 2024-2025 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.

Stay in touch

Educator programs & resources
educatorprograms@seattleartmuseum.org

School programs & tours
educatorprograms@seattleartmuseum.org