Looking, Thinking, and Learning is the Bowdoin College Museum of Art’s Visual Literacy Program. This outreach program is offered to both public and private schools throughout Maine utilizing the Museum’s permanent collections as well as the temporary exhibitions to teach K-12th graders to be visually literate.
Children who are visually literate use what they observe and what they know to form conclusions about art and other visual media. The program strives to familiarize children with a vocabulary of art words, as well as the tools to discuss and respond to art. Visual literacy has become an increasingly relevant part of statewide educational curriculums as public schools work to align their classrooms with the standards prescribed by the Maine State Learning Results.
Today, art is used to illuminate a variety of disciplines including history, literature, language, and science. Our Visual Literacy Program has been created to engage students of all ages and varying interests to learn about different cultures and beliefs, as well as to master their critical thinking skills!
Arranging an in-school presentation is one of the best ways you can prepare your students for their trip to the Museum. Victoria Baldwin-Wilson, the Assistant to the Director, is available to present images of art from our collections, bring interactive, educational, and age-appropriate activities, and familiarize your students with the newly renovated Museum. The presentation will also establish basic rules and inform your students about proper Museum practices and behavior before you arrive. To arrange for an in-school presentation followed by a guided tour at the Museum, please complete the tour form.
Teachers and chaperones are responsible for their groups. To make your visit as enjoyable as possible, please refer to our Teacher & Chaperone Guidelines.
