Family Days take place on select Sundays from 12 - 4 PM. On these days families visiting the museum enjoy live entertainment, create hands-on projects and explore exhibitions with a gallery hunt.

2011 Family Days
February 6, 2011
April 10, 2011
June 5, 2011

Visit the calendar page of our website for additional information.

If you would like to learn about Teacher programs through the Nasher's Educators listserv, please send an e-mail message to sympa@duke.edu and include "Subscribe Nasher-Teachers" (without the quotes) in the subject or body of your e-mail. To be added to our snail mail list send your name and address to NasherEd@duke.edu.

Teacher Programs

The Nasher Museum offers free teacher programs throughout the year.

Free Teacher Workshops
Thursday, February 10, 2011, 4 - 6 PM

February's workshop will focus on the exhibition The Jazz Loft Project: W. Eugene Smith in New York City, 1957-1965. During this free program, participants receive partial CEU credit and interdisciplinary curriculum-based materials to use in the classroom. Teachers will also network with peers, explore the exhibitions, enjoy refreshments and learn about field trip opportunities.

Application Deadline: Monday, February 7, 2011. Space is limited. Register online now.

New! Just for Durham Public Schools - Nasher Comes to your Classroom
A member of the Nasher education staff will visit your classroom to lead an engaging discussion with images and music found in the exhibition The Jazz Loft Project. This free program lasts 30-45 minutes, and, like all Nasher programs, it engages students in critical thinking and careful looking. Nasher staff can provide a digital projector, laptop and MP3 player, but can also use classroom projection equipment to present the Power Point slides. Classroom must have a screen or blank wall for projection.

New! Bring an artist to your classroom
The Nasher Museum partners with the Durham Arts Council's CAPS program to extend your museum visit. Treat your students to a jazz performance by local musician, teacher, and composer, Gregg Gelb. Learn more at www.durhamarts.org or contact the CAPS Office at 919-560-2718 to schedule a workshop.

Teacher Resources

The Education Department develops a number of materials for teachers to use with their students including background information about exhibitions, Pre-Visit and Post-Visit activities, images and lists of selected resources. Teachers who attend teacher programs or schedule a guided or self-guided tour receive folders with these materials. These materials are also available upon request. You can request materials by sending your mailing address to NasherEd@duke.edu or by calling 919.684.8816.

Request a guided or self-guided K-12 visit

Bus Scholarships

Bus scholarships are available for a limited number of K-12 guided field trips to the museum. Please contact NasherEd@duke.edu, or call 919.684.8816, to find out if your school qualifies.

Guided Tours

During the traditional school year, guided tours last a total of 60 minutes for Kindergarten - 2nd grade groups and include a 15 minute hands-on art activity. Guided tours last a total of 90 minutes for 3rd - 12th grade groups and include a 20 minute hands-on art activity. On their tour, students will discuss a total of 5-7 artworks in more than one exhibition. Guided tours engage students in discussions about the artwork on view, while encouraging critical thinking and the development of higher-order processing skills. All hands-on art activities relates to a theme or artwork from the tour. Guided tours are led by full-time and part-time museum education staff.

During the summer season, guided tours last 60 minutes and include hands-on activities in the museum galleries.

Go Figure: Images of People Across Cultures and Time
Recommended for grades K-12
Available all year
Students will explore how artists from diverse cultures and points in history have represented the human figure in varying media. Through February 4th, students will spend time in "The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl" and the permanent collection.

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Recommended for grades K-4
Available all year
Storytelling is central to young children's learning process. This tour focuses on story and narrative in artwork to heighten observational and interpretive skills while having fun.

Art on the Edge
Recommended for grades K-12
Available Now - February 4, 2010
Students will explore how artists push the limits of art and society as groups spend time in two exhibitions: "The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl" and the permanent collection.

Creative Collecting
Recommended for grades K-5
Available February 8 - June 10, 2010
What makes a collection? Why do museums collect? How do you build a collection? Expose students to the details and delights of collecting as your group spends time in The Jazz Loft Project: W. Eugene Smith in New York City, 1957-1965, the permanent collection, and, starting March 15th, Building the Contemporary Collection: 5 Years of Acquisitions.

Marking Time: Art, Music, and History
Recommended for grades 6-12
Available February 8 - June 10, 2010
Students will discover how visual artists, musicians, and documentary photographers each use their separate mediums to record time periods throughout history. Groups will spend time in The Jazz Loft Project: W. Eugene Smith in New York City, 1957-1965, the permanent collection, and, starting March 15th, Building the Contemporary Collection: 5 Years of Acquisitions.

Art Passport: Summer Camps Explore the Nasher
Recommended for grades K-8
Available for summer camp groups, year-round schools, and home school groups.
With a focus on fun hands-on activities, students examine and explore art from various countries and cultures on this interactive tour designed specifically for summer visitors.

Self-Guided Tours

Self-guided groups or teacher-led school tours are permitted in all of our galleries. We highly recommend that educators preview exhibitions prior to the student visit to assure the content in each gallery is age appropriate.

Request a guided or self-guided K-12 visit

New! Just for Durham Public Schools - Nasher Comes to your Classroom
A member of the Nasher education staff will visit your classroom to lead an engaging discussion with images and music found in the exhibition The Jazz Loft Project. This free program lasts 30-45 minutes, and, like all Nasher programs, it engages students in critical thinking and careful looking.

Nasher staff can provide a digital projector, laptop and MP3 player, but can also use classroom projection equipment to present the Power Point slides. Classroom must have a screen or blank wall for projection.

New! Bring an artist to your classroom!
The Nasher Museum partners with the Durham Arts Council's CAPS program to extend your museum visit. Treat your students to a jazz performance by local musician, teacher, and composer, Gregg Gelb. Learn more at www.durhamarts.org or contact the CAPS Office at 919-560-2718 to schedule a workshop.

What to Expect during a Guided Tour at the Nasher Museum of Art

• Inquiry-based tour approach where students and Gallery Guide discuss artworks.
• Opportunity to practice critical thinking skills.
• Focused discussions on a selected group of about 6-10 works of art.
• All guided tours meet multiple North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Standards.
• Tours engage multiple learning styles.

Preparing for Your School Tour

Special Needs: Help us create an inclusive program. Please inform us in advance of any students with cognitive, emotional or physical disabilities in your group. We will do our best to adapt the program to best meet everyone's needs.

Class Size: Classes will tour the museum in groups of 10 -15 students. Usually we can accommodate a maximum of 60 students per tour time.

Chaperones for guided tours:
--Grades K-5: 1 chaperone for every 5 students.
--Grades 6-8: 2 chaperones for every 15 students.
--Grades 9-12: 1 chaperone for every 15 students.

Chaperones for self-guided groups: We require 1 chaperone for every 5 students.

Lunch: K-12 school groups may eat lunch or snacks in the Community Classroom only if this space is reserved in advance. The Community Classroom seats a maximum of 32 people. Weather permitting, school groups may picnic on museum grounds in designated areas only. Outside food and drink are not permitted anywhere else in the museum or on museum grounds.