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Learning Experiences
School Visits

Teacher-Guided Visits

Teacher-guided visits are perfect for teachers who want to lead their own tours of the Museum. Groups are welcome to explore the MFAH art collections and exhibitions.
 
Reservations for groups are needed at least two weeks in advance. Availability and space are limited, so be sure to book before planning your trip.
 
Teacher-guided visits are available year-round, during the Museum’s regular hours of operation. Some special restrictions may apply during high-attendance periods. Teacher-guided visits are free on any day with a reservation made in advance through the Learning and Interpretation department.
 
 
Watch the “Welcome” video with your students to prepare for your visit.
 

English

Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions: School Tours

If I have questions before my visit, whom can I ask?

Contact the Museum at [email protected] or 713-639-7835.

How much does my visit cost?

Teacher-guided visits are free for school groups with registration made at least two weeks in advance.

How many students can I bring?

The maximum number of students that can be accommodated in one reservation is 80. Schools that wish to bring groups larger than the maximum may request multiple teacher-guided visits on the same date or on separate dates.

Contact [email protected] in advance for additional assistance booking larger groups.

How long will my visit last?

Teacher-guided visits are scheduled for time-specific entry and have no time constraints other than Museum open hours.

What if I need to cancel my visit?

In the event that you must cancel your visit, please email [email protected] or call 713-639-7835 as soon as possible.

Where do we enter and check in?

Where can buses park?

Parking is located at Hermann Park immediately past the Mecom Fountain. After parking, bus drivers may return to the Museum free of charge to join their school groups for the visit.

How many chaperones should I bring?

One adult chaperone per 10 students is required. Chaperones receive free admission and must remain with their group for the entire visit.

Where can we eat lunch?

School groups may bring lunches to Cullen Sculpture Garden at the corner of Montrose at Bissonnet, near the Kinder Building. 

Can we take photographs?

Video and still photography, without flash, are permitted at the MFAH, solely for private, noncommercial use, and only in Museum galleries that do not have a "no photography" designation. If you have questions about taking a photo in a specific gallery, a guard or other Museum staff can help you determine whether photography is allowed. If your group is interested in taking pictures, allow additional time for photography. Learn more about the Museum’s photography guidelines.

Will there be time to visit the MFA Shop?

Students are welcome to visit the MFA Shop at any point during their teacher-guided visit. 10 students accompanied by at least 1 adult chaperone may enter the shop at one time.

Hearst Foundation “Make the Most of Your Teacher-Guided Visit” Session 

Educators with confirmed teacher-guided visits also have the opportunity to meet with MFAH staff to customize the experience. Hearst Foundation “Make the Most of Your Teacher-Guided Visit” sessions are offered on Thursdays, when the Museum is open late, and also in 30-minute increments on Zoom. Please contact [email protected] to arrange a day and time.

At these sessions, teachers and Museum educators collaborate on how best to relate the MFAH art collections to the school curriculum. Each meeting is unique and based on the type of visit the teacher wants to create. Options are as broad as finding art objects that spark curiosity, and as specific as investigations into certain art movements. From art history to chemistry, the MFAH team strives to engage all subject matter in dialogue with works of art, for every grade level. You have goals for your visit, and the Museum is here to help!
 
 

Teacher-Guided Visits in the Summer

During the summer, student groups are welcome to visit the Museum for a teacher-guided visit of the art collections. These teacher-guided visits are free with a reservation made at least two weeks in advance.
All Learning and Interpretation programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive generous support from H-E-B; Sempra Foundation; the Brown Foundation, Inc.; the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; the Joe Barnhart Foundation; the Cockrell Family Fund; the CFP Foundation; the William E. and Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Trust; the Texas Commission on the Arts; the Claire & Theodore Morse Foundation; the Junior League of Houston, Inc.; and additional generous donors.
 
Endowment funds are provided by the Louise Jarrett Moran Bequest; Caroline Wiess Law; Windgate Foundation; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Fondren Foundation; BMC Software, Inc.; the Wallace Foundation; the Neal Myers and Ken Black Children’s Art Fund; the Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation; Medha and Shashank Karve; Virginia and Ira Jackson; Jesse H. Jones II; the CFP Foundation; the Favrot Fund; gifts in memory of John Wynne; Neiman Marcus Youth Arts Education; gifts in memory of Peter Lotz; and gifts in honor of Beth Schneider.