Whitney Museum of American Art
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K-12

School and educator programs use works of art in the Whitney’s collection and exhibitions to create a forum for ideas, debate, and exchange. Programs at the Museum and in the classroom offer students and teachers opportunities to explore American art while learning from artists and each other.

Ahora Se Ofrecen Visitas Guiadas En Español

Guided Visits are now offered in Spanish.

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School Programs

Guided Visits

Guided Visits for K-12 students are thematic gallery tours that build upon classroom learning. 


Learn about our tour themes.

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Guided Visit + Studio

This program features a one-hour and ten-minute Guided Visit and a one-hour art-making workshop in the Hearst Artspace that explores materials and experiments with artistic processes.

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School Partnerships

We work with a small group of New York City schools to create long-term partnerships with the whole school community.

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K-12 Teachers
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Free for New York City public schools

Bring your students to explore the Whitney’s fall exhibitions. Guided Visits for K-12 students are thematic gallery tours that build upon classroom learning.

Free Guided Student Visits for New York City Public and Charter Schools endowed by The Allen and Kelli Questrom Foundation.

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  • A TV, trash can, and a large colorful object.

    Rachel Harrison, Hoarders, 2012. Wood, polystyrene, chicken wire, cement, cardboard, acrylic, metal pail, flat screen monitor, wireless headphones, runway carpet, and Hoarders video (digital video, color, sound; 10:39 min, 2012). 61 x 47 x 45 in. (154.9 x 119.4 x 114.3 cm). Courtesy the artist and Greene Naftali, New York

  • Reflections of water in test tank in the artist's studio

    Pope.L, Reflections of water in test tank in Artist studio, Choir, July 3, 2018. Courtesy the artist

  • Rachel Harrison, Cindy, 2004 (detail). Wood, polystyrene, cement, acrylic, drywall, and wig, 72 × 37 × 31 inches (182.9 × 94 × 78.7 cm). Collection of Martin and Rebecca Eisenberg; courtesy the artist and Greene Naftali, New York. Photograph by Tim Nighswander/IMAGING4ART

  • Joseph Stella, The Brooklyn Bridge: Variation on an Old Theme, 1939. Oil on canvas, overall: 70 1/4 × 42 3/16 in. (178.4 × 107.2 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Purchase 42.15

  • A painting of 4 people in an abstracted space.

    Charles Henry Alston, The Family, 1955. Oil on canvas, 48 3/16 × 35 13/16 in. (122.4 × 91 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art; purchase, with funds from the Artists and Students Assistance Fund 55.47

  • Pastel pink and blue abstract oil painting of flower.

    Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986), Music, Pink and Blue No. 2, 1918. Oil on canvas, 35 × 29 1/8 in. (88.9 × 74 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; gift of Emily Fisher Landau in honor of Tom Armstrong 91.90. © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum/Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photograph by Sheldan C. Collins

  • Hopper's iconic painting of empty street scene.

    Edward Hopper, Early Sunday Morning, 1930. Oil on canvas, 35 3/16 × 60 1/4 in. (89.4 × 153 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney 31.426. © Heirs of Josephine N. Hopper/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

  • Close up view of smokestacks

    Elsie Driggs, Pittsburgh, 1927. Oil on canvas, 34 1/4 × 40 1/4 in. (87 × 102.2 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art; gift of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney 31.177 © Estate of Elsie Driggs

  • An installation of artwork representing a kitchen.

    Liza Lou, Kitchen, 1991-96. Beads, plaster, wood and found objects, 96 × 132 × 168 in. (243.8 × 335.3 × 426.7 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; gift of Peter Norton 2008.339a-x. © Liza Lou. Photograph by Tom Powel, courtesy the artist

  • A person-shaped sculpture with ornate beading.

    Jeffrey Gibson, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, 2017. Glass beads, artificial sinew, wood, acrylic felt, druzy crystal, copper jingles, metal cones, nylon fringe, steel, 51 × 28 × 12 1/2 in. (129.5 × 71.1 × 31.8 cm). Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody. © Jeffrey Gibson

  • A large stack of multi-colored blankets.

    Marie Watt, Skywalker/Skyscraper (Axis Mundi), 2012. Reclaimed wool blankets and steel, 96 × 20 × 22 in. (243.8 × 50.8 × 55.9 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Painting and Sculpture Committee. © Marie Watt. Photograph by Aaron Johanson, courtesy PDX Contemporary Art

  • A wall with a sculpture made of stuffed animals and a table with a sculpture made of wax candles.

    Mike Kelley, More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid and The Wages of Sin, 1987. Stuffed fabric toys and afghans on canvas with dried corn; wax candles on wood and metal base, 120 3/4 × 151 3/4 × 31 3/4 in. (306.7 × 385.4 × 80.6 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Painting and Sculpture Committee 89.13a-d. © 2019 The Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Ahora se ofrecen visitas guiadas en español

Guided Visits are now offered in Spanish.

Inscríbete Ahora

New: Neighborhood Friends Initiative!

The Whitney is committed to being an integral part of our vibrant downtown community. In order to work more closely and deeply with K-12 schools in the area, we have started a new initiative called Neighborhood Friends. This initiative is open to all schools in District 2 and in Manhattan south of 23rd street.

Apply Now

Educator Programs

For Teachers

Teachers can explore materials, activities, and resources developed especially for K–12 audiences. 

Explore for Teachers

Teacher Exchange

In this year-long professional development program, New York City teachers and Whitney educators learn from one another and exchange ideas about art and teaching.

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Teacher Guides

Check out our Teacher Guides, designed for educators to use as a resource in the classroom before and after a visit to the Whitney. 

Download Our Social Narratives!

Prepare for your visit with our social narrative, which contains photographs and descriptions of what to expect on a Guided Visit or Guided Visit + Studio at the Whitney. Please note: this seventy-minute Guided Visit + Studio program is only for Access groups. 

Guided Visit
Guided Visit + Studio

Connect to the Common Core

Our programs have long supported classroom learning in the ways encouraged by the Common Core State Standards. 

Read more about the Common Core

Thank You!

Annual support for School and Educator Programs in the Laurie M. Tisch Education Center is provided by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation; The Pierre & Tana Matisse Foundation; Con Edison; and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Major endowment support is provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation.

Free Guided Student Visits for New York City Public and Charter Schools endowed by The Allen and Kelli Questrom Foundation.

Learn more

Sunrise

Sunset

A 30-second online art project:
Kristin Lucas, Speculative Habitat for Sponsored Seabirds

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The Whitney is closed temporarily. Read more.