Self-Directed Visits 

Student self-directed group visits of the permanent collection are free. Visits are subject to gallery availability. At least three (3) weeks in advance of your group visit, please submit a K–12 Permanent Collection Visit Request Form. 

Student Guided Tours  

Student guided tours of the permanent collection are free. Tours are subject to Tour Guide and gallery availability. A minimum of 10 students is required for a guided tour and tour requests must be received three (3) weeks in advance. Please review our tour offerings below and submit a K–12 Permanent Collection Visit Request Form. 

Guided-Tour Offerings 

• The Fighting Spirit: What can art tell us about conflict? Explore works from across the globe to discover how artists have depicted battle, warfare, weaponry, and more. Maximum 45 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• The Great Outdoors: Artists are keen observers of nature! Safari through art galleries—from ancient to modern— to find many unique plants, animals, birds and insects. Maximum 45 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• Places and Faces: From past to present, artists have always depicted a variety of people and places in art, both real and imagined. Explore the galleries and discover some of the stories and characters that inspired these works. Maximum 45 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• China and Egypt: Explore the fascinating world of ancient Egypt and China. Examine the importance of writing, art, and artifacts used in daily life and beyond. Maximum 30 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• Greece and Rome: Discover the worlds of the ancient Greeks and Romans and the contributions they have made globally. Delve into the beginnings of the Olympic Games, daily life, pottery, and mythology. Maximum 30 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• Greece, Rome, and Mali: Cross continents to explore three ancient and powerful cultures. Learn how geographical location and environment helped shape ways of life such as trade, culture, and politics. Maximum 45 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• Curiosity Quest: A Taste of the Ancient World: Bring your students’ curiosity about the ancient world into our galleries where they can examine a sampling of art from ancient China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Mali. Students will be prompted to activate their curiosity about subjects under study in the classroom, use critical thinking to make sense of what they see, and use content vocabulary to demonstrate comprehension. Please note: This tour may cover only one object from each culture due to time limitations. Maximum 60 students and 6 teachers/chaperones 

• The Write Stuff: Join us on a poetic journey through the galleries. Turn your observations, inferences, and ideas into the written word. Students on this tour will explore the galleries and communicate their reflective thoughts in writing. Some target writing skills might include sensory language (imagery), figurative language (similes, metaphors), and types of poetry (haiku, cinquain, couplet). Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

• Very Virginia: Discover Virginia’s rich history through art! Students will discuss important people, places and things that reflect the significance of the Commonwealth. 
  Maximum 30 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• Voyage USA.: What does freedom look like? On this tour, students will investigate how American artists have used their work to grapple with issues such as independence, the abolition of slavery, and women’s rights. Maximum 30 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• Student Highlights Tour: Learn about VMFA and its extensive collection of art. Students will see art that spans more than 6,000 years of history and represents many different cultures. Maximum 60 students and 6 teachers/chaperones 

• Sketch It!: No sketching experience? No problem! Join this facilitated gallery experience as you examine works of art through sketching exercises. Through various prompts, students will hone observation skills, generate and communicate ideas, and reflect on what they are seeing. Please note: This program lasts 90 minutes (available at 10 am and noon based on Tour Guide and gallery availability). The success of this experience is based on student participation. Please prepare your students for sketching and an open dialogue. Maximum 30 students and 5 teachers/chaperones 

• The VMFA Experience: Engage with works of art in a new way in the galleries. Students will participate in a series of activities that will lead to observation, critical thinking, discussion and discovery! This gallery experience is guided by student reflection, group work, and imagination. Please note: This program lasts 90 minutes (available at 10 am and noon based on Tour Guide and gallery availability). The success of this experience is based on student participation. Please prepare your students for sketching and an open dialogue. Maximum 30 students (grades 3–12) and 5 teachers/chaperones

Self-Directed Visits  

Tickets to the special exhibition Frida: Beyond the Myth are free for museum members. Non-member student tickets are $10 each. We offer one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students; additional chaperones are $12 each.  Tickets are subject to availability.  Self-directed visits can be booked daily at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, and 12:30 pm (if you need a time later than 12:30 pm, please list that time on your request form).  Please submit your request at least three (3) weeks prior to your preferred visit date.  The maximum group size per time slot is 100; if your group exceeds 100, you will be separated between multiple ticket times. Payment is required 14 days prior to your visit. Send your request by submitting a K–12 Special Exhibition Visit Request Form. 

Student Guided Tours  

Guided tours of the ticketed special exhibition Frida: Beyond the Myth are free for museum members. Non-member student tickets are $10 each. We offer one complimentary chaperone ticket per 10 students; additional chaperone tickets are $12 each. Tours are approximately 45-minutes and are subject to Tour Guide and ticket availability. Please submit your request no less than three (3) weeks prior to your preferred visit date. The maximum group size for a tour is 30 students and 5 chaperones combined. Payment is required 14 days in advance of your visit. Send your request by submitting a K–12 Special Exhibition Visit Request Form.