nFamily Flick Days are held on the first Saturday of every month currently (2007). Films cover a variety of themes relating to the museum’s drop-in activities topics. Family Flicks films are always chosen with the child and their family in mind and are free of charge. Films are shown in the Family Art Center at noon.
FREE Family FestivalsnnFestival days are always free at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Festival days are filled with performances, art activities, films and lots of excitements for entire the family. It will be a museum experience your family will never forget.
Gallery FunnnThe Walters Art Museum is not just for looking. They have developed a variety of hands-on learning materials to appeal to all types of learners. The use of interactive gallery materials is always free. Interactive gallery materials include:nn• ArtCartsn• Discovery Quiltsn• Family Guidesn• ArtSacksn• Audio Guidesn• PassportsnnWhat are ArtCarts?
ArtCarts are bright, colorful and loaded with free in-gallery activities for the whole family. They are available on the weekends and during school break weeks. ArtCarts can be found in the Centre Street Lobby and throughout the Walters Art Museum. The focus of an ArtCart is on the museums ancient Greek, Renaissance, 19th-centry, and Asian art collections.n nInside the ArtCart you will find drawing kits, puzzles, and costumes or choose a children’s art book to read in the galleries. You will also find Fun Packs and Discovery Quilts in the ArtCarts at the Walter Art Museum.
New is the Waltee Club. This is a FREE club just for children and their families at the Walters Art Museum. You can sign up for a Waltee Club card at an ArtCart and pick up an Art Adventures bonus card. Each time you check out an ArtCart activity get the card stamped. When you collect all six stamps you can earn a prize.
Discovery QuiltsnnRelax and sit down in the galleries with a Discovery Quilt. The Discovery Quilts allow visitors to explore art in a family-friendly way. There are pockets, pouches, and flaps open to reveal an interactive world of learning about art and culture. The Discovery Quilts are available on weekends and during school break weeks. They can be found on the ArtCarts located throughout the Walters Art Museum.
Themes of the Discovery Quilts include:nn• Japanese Artn• Renaissance Artn• 19th Century Artn• Ancient Greek Artn• Ancient Egyptian ArtnnFamily GuidesnnFamily Guides at the Walters Art Museum are popular and designed especially for the intergenerational audiences to encourage new, fun ways of looking at and learning about art and culture together. Family Guides can be found at the Visitor Services Desk, the Family Art Center and outside select galleries. Family guides are available for the Palazzo (Renaissance and Baroque collections), the ancient Greek collection and the ancient world.
ArtSacksnnArtsacks are kits available for future archeologist of all ages at the Visitor Services Desk at Walters Art Museum.
Family Audio GuidennThe Family Audio Guide is an audio tour that leads children and their families on a captivating, kid-friendly journey through the museum. As you listen to the audio you will be introduced to all sorts of facts and information that will stimulate family discussions. Interesting facts include just how long an alligator actually is that you will see hanging on the wall. Family Audio Tour can be checked out at the Walters Art Museum admission desk.
Wondrous Journeys PassportsnnA nice way of spending the afternoon is decoding a hieroglyphic message or finding hidden pictures or completing a maze to release the snake goddess. Wondrous Journeys Passports are available for free at the Visitor Information Desk before entering the galleries.
Museum Tips:nn• Read the story books located in the galleries at the Walters Art Museumn• Look for clues in the art objects and on the labels that tell you about who, what, where, and whenn• Pick a them to look forn• Search for colors, shapes or animals and see how many you can find or how would you change the work if you couldn• Take short breaksn• Limit your visit. You can always come back for free. There is so much to see.
Museum Manners:nn• Look with your eyes, but do not touch. To help preserve the art for future generations, hold your child’s hand or ask them to keep them at their side.n• Before arriving at the museum practice a museum voice. Once inside, try to keep conversations and talk about the art, and remember the museum is for everyone, it is important to keep voices low.n• Always walk in a museum. If you run and go too fast, you might miss somethingn• Keep your groups together. Look at and discuss the art as a family group.
For more contact information about the Walters Art Museum, visit the web site link in the resource box below of this article.nnn nThis article is FREE to publish with the resource box.nn© 2007 Connie Limon all rights reserved