School visits engage students in meaningful conversations about art and history that bring to life to classroom lessons. Each experience reflects state and National Common Core Standards by tapping into the Museum’s collection, special exhibitions and adjacent city Green. Trained Museum Educators invite students to look carefully, solve problems and evaluate ideas. For inspiration, this program utilizes the collections as springboards to a wealth of subject matter, themes, media and introductory art-making techniques.
Virtual School Visits Available!
Each visit includes a one-hour live presentation, a lesson plan, and instructions for an activity to be completed after the presentation and as teachers’ schedules allow. Virtual Visits are $9.00 per student.
- Then and Now: Grade 3, 60 minutes
Students will visit the Museum’s History exhibit to learn how and why the city of Waterbury has grown and changed over time. Explore colonial features, use maps to identify physical features of the region, and discover what life was like for the original settlers of Waterbury.
- Learning to Look: Grade 4, 60 minutes
Students will discover the tools of visual analysis through observation, self-expression, and Visual Thinking Strategies through a guided tour of the Museum’s Early American art collection, Modern and Contemporary art collection, and special exhibitions.
- Peoples of Waterbury, 1600s-1800s: Grade 5, 60 minutes
Explore the history of the Brass City, discover Waterbury’s transformation from an agricultural life in the 1600s to an industrial leader during the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will discover new perspectives on the innovations of the waterwheel, immigrants, child labor, factory life and machines, and brass materials produced in Waterbury.
To schedule a virtual visit please contact Valerie Rodgers, Lead Museum Educator/Tour Coordinator
at Val@mattmuseum.org or (203) 753-0381 x118.
For questions or to inquire about further school collaborations please contact Rachel Lima, Director of Education, at firstname.lastname@example.org or (203) 753-0381 x114.
In Person Visitation Guidelines
Group Size & Program Fees
Tours are available upon request for groups of six or more (maximum 75) and with at least three weeks notice. Classes must be divided into smaller groups of 10-12 students. All tours are led by trained volunteer Museum Educators. We require one chaperone for every 10 students. No exceptions.
- Guided Tour & Activity: $9.00
- Chaperones & Group Leaders: No charge
- There must be at least one adult for every 10 children, not counting the docent(s). Have 22 in your class? You will need at least 3 adults to accompany them.
Facilities, Bus Parking, & Accessibility
The Museum is unable to provide food and snacks. However, schools may reserve the art studio or front porch for bagged lunches when the tour reservation is made.
Parking is available in the Museum’s lot on Park Place. The Museum is wheelchair accessible.
- No food, drink, pens, or cell phone use while in the galleries. You may use graphite pencil and can take photos without flash where permitted.
- Please refrain from touching artworks and artifacts, as well as the walls and cases displaying them. Some walls and displays are movable and can be easily manipulated, if not careful.
- No backpacks (of any size) or large bags are allowed into the galleries. Please prepare ahead of time and carry any necessary medical supplies in a small bag or leave large bags at the front desk.
- Please follow any rules set forth in school for behavior: walk at all times & stay with the group, use an inside voice, raise your hand when you have something to say, and be respectful of others when they are talking.
* Because you and your chaperones are responsible for the behavior and safety of your students, it is important to remind chaperones that they must stay with their specified groups for the entire visit and help students respect the guidelines outlined above.