VMFA Gallery Hunts explore themes across cultures and through time. These hunts are a fun and engaging way to see the galleries if your time is limited. Please note, while we try to ensure all objects in these hunts will be on view, occasionally objects will be off view. If you’d like to check on the objects for a specific Gallery Hunt, contact the Tour Services Office at tourservices@vmfa.museum
Part of a group of 10 or more? Please let us know you are coming to ensure gallery availability:
Collection:Ancient Art, Art Deco & Art Nouveau, Egyptian Art
Culture/Region:Egypt, Rome
Subject Area:Visual Arts
Grade Level:K-12, college, adult, family
The craze for all things Egyptian started well before the discovery of King Tut in 1922. Explore VMFA galleries and answer the following questions as you discover unexpected links to the culture of ancient Egypt. Begin in the Ancient Egyptian Gallery on Level 2. Have fun!
Collection:American Art, Art Deco & Art Nouveau, European Art, Mid to Late 20th-Century Art
Culture/Region:America, Europe
Subject Area:Visual Arts
Grade Level:K-12, college, adult, family
Visit the VMFA galleries to discover and interpret American works of art (furniture, modern paintings, and posters) inspired by Japanese culture. Explore and enjoy!
Collection:African Art, Ancient American Art, European Art, Pre-Columbian Art, South Asian Art
Culture/Region:Africa, America, Europe, India, South Asia
Subject Area:Visual Arts
Grade Level:K-12, college, adult, family
Explore the world of royalty-from the maharajas of India to the Kuba kings of the Congo-by visiting seven VMFA galleries, and discover the special objects that adorn and empower them. Along the way meet interesting people who lived a royal life!
Collection:African Art, African American Art, 21st-Century Art, Ancient Art, Art Deco & Art Nouveau, English Silver, European Art, Mid to Late 20th-Century Art, Pre-Columbian Art
Culture/Region:Africa, America, Egypt, Europe, India, Rome, South Asia
Subject Area:Fine Arts
Grade Level:pre K-12, college, adult, family
Between 2008 and 2009, Ryan McGinness created two hundred icons inspired by art in VMFA’s collection. He then manipulated them in various ways to make several larger works of art. In this Gallery Hunt are eight of these icons. Search the galleries to connect each one to its VMFA counterpart. Once you do, try to uncover the symbols within.
Collection:African Art, American Art, Ancient Art, Art Deco & Art Nouveau
Culture/Region:Africa, America, Rome
Subject Area:Visual Arts
Grade Level:Pre-K-12, college, adult, family
Artists use shapes, both geometric and organic, to create works of art. Geometric shapes are regular and have names you recognize like circle, square, triangle, rectangle, and oval. Organic shapes are usually irregular, occur in nature, and don’t always have names. Explore the galleries and see how artists used different shapes!
Collection:Ancient American Art, Ancient Art, Art Deco & Art Nouveau, Egyptian Art, Native American Art, Pre-Columbian Art
Culture/Region:America
Subject Area:Visual Arts
Grade Level:K-12, college, adult, family
The Chinese zodiac calendar is organized around a 12-year cycle. Each year is represented by a different animal with its own character traits. The year 2013 was the “Year of the Snake!” People born in this year are thought to be patient and to think carefully about their choices.
According to Chinese astrology, people’s personalities are influenced by the position and movement of stars, moons, and planets at the time of their birth. Each year of the Chinese zodiac is related to one of twelve animals and a natural element. The horse represents independence and a hard-working, strong, and high-spririted nature. Explore the galleries to see horses depicted in artworks from around the world.
Collection:African Art, African American Art, American Art, Egyptian Art, European Art, Pre-Columbian Art
Culture/Region:Africa, America, Egypt, Europe
Subject Area:Fine Arts, Visual Arts
Enjoy this selection of resources to help you with your self-directed visit! Art and Music (gallery hunt) Art of the Flower (gallery hunt) Free Style! Celebrate African and African American Art (gallery hunt) Egyptomania (gallery hunt) Egypt Activity Guide (gallery activity) Art of Peru (gallery hunt) Sensory Inventory (Spanish) (gallery activity) These resources can be printed ahead of time and used…
