K-12 TOURS
During guided visits, trained volunteer guides lead
interactive tours that explore four to five works of art
through discussion and include either an art lesson,
object-based tour activity, creative writing exercise,
sketching, or small group work in the galleries.
Camp, Home-School, and Pre-K Groups: Visit the
museum for a customized guided experience. Please
contact the education department for more information.
K-2nd grade tour length: 1.5 hours
3rd-12th grade tour length: 2 hours
TOUR PHILOSOPHY
Lowe Art Museum tours promote critical thinking and
interdisciplinary curriculum applications. On their visits to
the museum, students strengthen visual literacy skills, develop
vocabulary, and sharpen observational and evidence-based
thinking. This emphasis on analytical skills provides a support
to art studies and other areas of the school curriculum—
from social studies, language arts, and writing composition
to science and mathematics. Since the Lowe’s permanent
collection galleries include selections from European and
American Art, Renaissance and Baroque Art, Greco-Roman
Antiquities, African Art, Asian Art, Art of the Ancient and
Native Americas, and Art of the Pacific Islands, tours also
emphasize cultural diversity and understanding.
Highlights Tours: An overview of the museum’s
permanent collection galleries.
Focus Tours: Two galleries, as requested by the tour
organizer, examined in-depth.
University Groups: Guided tours can connect to your class
curriculum. Tour length is one to two hours. Education
department staff will work with faculty to discuss your
class needs, arrange a pre-visit if necessary, and design a
customized tour.
Self-guided Tours: University professors are welcome
to self-guide their classes, but groups are required to
make a reservation with the education department to
avoid any scheduling conflicts.
Adult Groups: One hour group tours for adults. Please
request the galleries and/or exhibitions which you are
most interested in visiting. Please allow extra time for
your group to walk around the museum on their own.
The Lowe education department supports teaching and learning through a commitment to professional development for pre-service teachers, current teachers, and retired educators. Teachers who complete the one-day workshop receive complimentary admission to return on a field trip to the Lowe with their students. In FY13, the Lowe hosted two Teacher workshops with 77 participants. The outcome for this professional development program was 450 students and 15 teachers/adults made a return visit to the Lowe through this program.
The objective of the family programs is to provide unique interactive opportunities for families to explore the art and culture at the Lowe and to create awareness of the Museum. The Lowe offers family programs throughout the year.
The Lowe Art Museum presents a series of three workshops for UM students in healthcare
programs. Participants will learn Visual Thinking Strategies, a method shown to improve important skills
needed in all healthcare professions. Students will have the opportunity to collaboratively look at works
of art in detail to hone their observation, listening, and communication skills
A Miami-Dade County Public Schools educational initiative, in partnership with Miami-Dade’s various arts and cultural institutions, to provide K-12 public school students with a different age-appropriate cultural experience each school year.
The Cultural Passport program helps develop a life-long appreciation for the arts among K-12 students through age-appropriate cultural field experiences. Through partnerships students visit the Lowe Art Museum for a half-day program; students get minds-on tours, and hands-on art activities
Since 2005 the Lowe Art Museum has provided consistent programming for Southside Elementary and Shenandoah Middle School. This includes utilizing the museum’s resources and creating lessons and activities that students can take back to the classroom.
Museum educators and volunteers work to connect the Sunshine State Standards benchmarks and the Common Core Standards to the Lowe’s resources. The Lowe does not charge these schools for their programs.
The Lowe has provided a base for the Miami Dade County Public School Museum Educator program for the last 12 years. Students from 2-12 grades visit the museum on a weekly and/or bi-weekly basis.
The Lowe Art Museum’s education department works in tandem with the M-DCPS art teacher to book tours and coordinate activities in the museum.
The Docent Program consists of 70 volunteers who train monthly to lead tours to museum visitors of all ages. The Program runs from August through May and includes training, observing and leading tours to the community.
Docents receive 10 lectures and 10 training workshops annually. They also enjoy group field trips and other events.
The museum offers many lectures throughout the year by artists, art historians, and curators. The Lowe Art Museum is proud to host The Arnold and Augusta Newman Lecture Series in Photography, which invites distinguished photographers to the University of Miami to discuss their work. Past speakers have included Deborah Willis: Re-Imagining Beauty
(October 23, 2014);
Elliott Erwitt
(February 13, 2014);
Jerry Uelsmann: Process and Perception
(October 23, 2013);
Mary Ellen Mark
(February 28, 2013);
Sally Mann
(February 16, 2012);
Duane Michals: Photography and Reality
(March 3, 2011);
William Wegman - Three Mistakes
(October 21, 2010).