Guided Tours: 6th–12th grade

Learning to Look

Develop skills for looking at art on this introductory tour of the MFAH. Students travel the globe and use a method of inquiry, critical thinking, and close looking to explore the making and meaning of art in different cultures. Register for a Learning to Look tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical Tools

Social Studies: History, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

Art as a Primary Source

Works of art provide unique perspectives on the past, but the historical evidence they offer is not always easy to see. This tour builds the skills necessary to consider art as a primary source document in order to form a more robust view of history. Register for an Art as a Primary Source Document tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical tools

Social Studies: History, Geography, Economics, Government, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

Art and American Literature: "To Kill a Mockingbird" or "The Great Gatsby"

Reading a work of literature has parallels to looking at a work of art: both writers and artists show – rather than tell – when communicating to their audiences. On this tour, practice “reading between the lines” while looking at works of art, and use art to investigate more closely the characters, themes, and ideas present in one of two American classics: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird or F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Limit 50 students. Register for an Art and American Literature tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre, Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical tools

Social Studies: Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Response/Evaluation

World Beliefs

Examine the objects created by different religious cultures to explore how art conveys cultural beliefs and traditions. Works from the traditions of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism may be the focus of this tour. Limit 50 students.Register for a World Beliefs tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical tools

Social Studies: History, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

Ancient Worlds

Explore ancient civilizations through works of art. See objects from ancient Mediterranean cultures, such as Egypt, Assyria, Greece, and Rome, and choose to add works from ancient China, Japan, or the Americas. Register for an Ancient Worlds tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical Tools

Social Studies: History, Geography, Economics, Government, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

American History Through the Eyes of Artists

Explore the ways artists have depicted the people, land, events, and values that have shaped the United States over three centuries. Limit 50 students. Register for an American History Through the Eyes of Artists tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical Tools

Social Studies: History, Geography, Economics, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

The Age of Impressionism

From the depiction of modern subjects to new methods of applying paint to canvas, uncover what made the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists so different and how their legacy shaped the history of art. Limit 50 students. Register for an Age of Impressionism tour. Limit 50 students. Works from ​Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit​ may be included in this tour (October 21 - January 13).

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical Tools

Social Studies: History, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

Modern and Contemporary Art

Explore changing styles, ideas, and issues in art from the late 19th century until today while considering the changing role of the artist in society. Limit 50 students. Tours will include works of art from the following exhibitions: Constructed Dialogues (September 9 – January 6), Abstract Impulse (February 3 – April 5), and James Turrell: A Retrospective (April 7 – May 24). Register for a Modern and Contemporary Art tour.

Curriculum Connections

English Language Arts and Reading: Culture and History, Media Literacy, Synthesizing Information, Listening, Speaking, Teamwork

Mathematics: Underlying Processes and Mathematical tools

Social Studies: History, Culture, Social Studies Skills

Science: Scientific Investigation and Reasoning, Scientific Processes

Fine Arts: Perception, Historical/Cultural Heritage, Response/Evaluation

The ExxonMobil School Tour program receives generous funding from ExxonMobil.
Additional support is provided by the Junior League of Houston, Inc.

All education programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive endowment income from funds provided by Caroline Wiess Law; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; the Fondren Foundation; BMC Software, Inc.; the Wallace Foundation; the Louise Jarrett Moran Bequest; the Neal Myers and Ken Black Children’s Art Fund; the Favrot Fund; and Gifts in honor of Beth Schneider.