Below is a list of ongoing programs offered by the Education department. The Museum also offers programs in conjunction with special, traveling exhibitions or regional events, so consult the calendar of events for up-to-date program information. You can also sign up for the e-flash newsletter and never be out of the loop! Send an e-mail to education@wichitaartmuseum.org and ask to be added to our newsflash e-mail list.

Art Start

Art Start is a preschool immersion program that encourages reading abilities, communication, motor skills and visual proficiency for children ages three through five. Classes take place at 10am and 1:30pm on Tuesdays for children with a parent or adult sponsor and on Wednesdays and Fridays for small preschool groups. Themes and projects change monthly, so children can participate each month for a new achievement. For more information, or to receive our schedule, call [316] 268-4921 or e-mail education@wichitaartmuseum.org

Family Artventures

Artventures are drop-in art explorations and do-it-yourself creations. They are held one Saturday a month (see our calendar of events for upcoming dates) anytime between 11am and 3pm. Your Artventure begins when you stop by the Welcome Desk to pick up your activity sheet. Your activity sheet takes you through a selection of artworks in our galleries and asks you to solve problems or think of questions. The Artventure ends with a related art-making activity in the studio. No reservations are required for this free event and it lasts about an hour.

Senior Wednesday

Senior Wednesday is a collaboration of ten cultural institutions throughout Wichita and is designed to promote cultural awareness and continuing educational needs of active adults over age 55. The Museum offers a program to seniors on the first Wednesday of every month. The program at the Museum consists of refreshments followed by a docent lecture or gallery talk about art and/or artists in the Museum’s collection and a supplementary video. Doors open at 10am for coffee and snacks, the program begins at 10:30, and participants get half-price admission and lunch specials in the café. See our calendar of events for upcoming topics. Contact the café for lunch reservations [316] 268-4973.

Two Summer Programs: Education for the Whole Family

Visitors of all ages will have unique opportunities to explore and create at the Museum this summer.  For the Saturday visitor, WAM Docents will present a series of short, in-depth gallery talks called A Closer Look.  These 15-minute discussions will each focus on one special work from the permanent collection and give audiences a chance to delve a bit deeper into the history and meaning of the pieces.  A Closer Look gallery talks take place every other Saturday at 1:00pm, starting June 7 through August 16.

Families and children’s groups can visit the Museum on Wednesday afternoons for special summer activities in June and July.  WAM Kids Workshops are for children aged 6-15 and are a combination of self-directed scavenger hunts in the galleries and an art-making activity in the education studio.  The first and third Wednesdays are set aside for families, and the second and fourth Wednesdays are for children’s groups, such as daycare centers, youth camps, or clubs.  The themes and projects of WAM Kids Workshops change every two weeks, so families or groups can come twice a month for twice the fun.  Scavenger hunts begin at 2:00pm, and all activities are free, but please make a reservation at least one week in advance by calling (316) 268-4929.

Also, our popular Art Start preschool program will continue to run throughout June and July, with themes changing every two weeks.  Families can join in on Tuesdays, and group days are Thursday and Friday.  Please call (316) 268-4929 to make a reservation.

Tuesday Video Breaks

Every Tuesday afternoon at 12:30, the Museum presents a “video break.” A video related to current exhibitions, the permanent collection, or art history is shown in the lecture hall. Visitors are invited to relax and learn more about art before entering or returning to the galleries. Titles are posted on the calendar of events.

Teacher Workshops

Once or twice a year (depending on schedule and funding), in conjunction with the opening of temporary or traveling exhibits, the Museum offers a Teacher Workshop designed to educate schoolteachers about the themes of the exhibitions and related classroom activities that connect with their curriculum. The workshop is free and open to all Wichita area school teachers. Wichita School District teachers also receive continuing education credit for these workshops. Contact the Education department for dates and topics or Arts Partners for more information on enrollment through USD 259.

Docents

The Wichita Art Museum Docent Program provides educational services for the Wichita Art Museum and its visitors. This is done by providing visitors with the best possible information, protecting and caring for the Museum and its collections, and being an advocate for the Museum, its policies and programs. Docents undertake a year of training in art history, art media, museum education, touring and questioning strategies, and communication skills. The Docent training program is run by the Museum’s education staff and guest teachers. The program also encourages greater cultural literacy among its members and fosters lifelong learning.

Howard E. Wooden Distinguished Lecture Series

The Howard E. Wooden Distinguished Lecture Series is an annual endowed series, inaugurated by the Friends of the Wichita Art Museum, designed to bring notable scholars and lecturers in the American Art field to Wichita and the Museum. The lectures are free to the public and have included such speakers as American art historian Dr. S. Hollis Clayson, photography dealer and scholar Robert Dance, and glass critic Matthew Kangas.