Guided Visits Tour Themes

Adult Guided Visits

INTRODUCTION TO THE RISD MUSEUM: This tour offers an overview of significant works of art from the Museum’s collection. Through an examination of the history of the institution, exploration of the Museum’s architecture, and discussion around significant works of art, participants become familiar with the Museum’s rich collections and its vibrant role in a community of artists and designers.
SPECIAL TOPICS: This specially-designed tour can focus on an exhibition, particular subject area, or specific topic of your choice. An informative, content-rich experience led by an Educator offers opportunities for close looking and in-depth discussions.

Afterschool, Camp, and Youth Groups

LEARNING TO LOOK: Examine the basic elements of art through this introduction to significant works from the Museum’s collection, including objects from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and art of all periods from Asia, Europe, and the Americas—up to the latest contemporary works. Recommended as an introduction to museums and the concepts of shape, line, color, texture, and material.

ARTISTS’ IDEAS, MATERIALS, AND PROCESS: Consider the choices artists make to communicate their ideas, including subject matter, style, and media. Recommended for classes making art and studying artistic process and innovation. Lessons can focus on creative process, cultural context, communication, aesthetic judgment, and other themes articulated in the Visual Arts Grade Span Expectations (GSEs).

K-12 One-Part Guided Visits

LEARNING TO LOOK: Examine the basic elements of art through this introduction to significant works from the Museum’s collection, including objects from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and art of all periods from Asia, Europe, and the Americas—up to the latest contemporary works. Recommended as an introduction to museums and the concepts of shape, line, color, texture, and material.
PICTURING STORIES: Explore paintings that tell stories and relate to historical and literary narratives. Recommended for students studying storytelling, narrative, character, and mood.

PLACES REAL AND IMAGINED: Nature and the environment have long been sources of inspiration for artists. Discover the different ways in which artists represent places—whether the city, the country, or imaginary lands. Recommended for students studying landscapes or cityscapes, communities, contemporary environments, architecture and planning, environmental issues, and other related topics.
PORTRAITURE AND IDENTITY: Explore how artists represent people and how identities can be expressed in visual form. Recommended for students studying portraiture, memoir and biography, character and narrative, and historical and fictional figures, as well as individual and group identities

IMAGINING THE AMERICAS: This tour considers objects and representations made in North, Central, and South America and in the Caribbean from pre-contact to the present. Make critical connections between events in history, literature, current issues, and works of art and design. Consider the perspectives of different peoples, including the experiences of, and encounters between indigenous peoples and colonists. Investigate the historic and ongoing impact of colonialism, local and international trade, industry, and immigration. Recommended for classes studying Rhode Island and U.S. history; North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean and the literature of these places; world history; and the role of art and material culture in society.
ART OF OUR TIME: What does it mean to be Modern or Contemporary? Through art and design of the past two centuries, examine how artists develop new means of expression and experimentation to respond to changes in society and the environment. Recommended for classes studying modern European, American, and world history, as well as art, urbanism, literature, authorship, and artistic innovation.

GODS AND HEROES: Explore the enduring significance of gods, and heroes in ancient and modern times in cultures from around the world, including Egypt, India, Greece, Rome, China, and beyond. Learn about the use and significance of artifacts within their larger artistic, social, religious, and political contexts. Recommended for classes studying diverse civilizations and their history, geography, literature, and art
ARTISTS’ IDEAS, MATERIALS, AND PROCESS: Consider the choices artists make to communicate their ideas, including subject matter, style, and media. Recommended for classes making art and studying artistic process and innovation. Lessons can focus on creative process, cultural context, communication, aesthetic judgment, and other themes articulated in the Visual Arts Grade Span Expectations (GSEs).

K-12 Multi-Part Guided Visits

IMAGINING THE AMERICAS: This tour considers objects and representations made in North, Central, and South America and in the Caribbean from pre-contact to the present. Make critical connections between events in history, literature, current issues, and works of art and design. Consider the perspectives of different peoples, including the experiences of, and encounters between indigenous peoples and colonists. Investigate the historic and ongoing impact of colonialism, local and international trade, industry, and immigration. Recommended for classes studying Rhode Island and U.S. history; North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean and the literature of these places; world history; and the role of art and material culture in society.
THINK LIKE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST: Discover what objects reveal about the societies that made them. Learn about the skills of the archaeologist by examining art and artifacts from Egypt, Etruria, Greece, Rome, China, and India. Recommended for classes studying archaeology and the history, customs, and cultural production of ancient civilizations.

GODS AND HEROES: Explore the enduring significance of gods and heroes in ancient and modern times in cultures from around the world, including Egypt, India, Greece, Rome, China, and beyond. Learn about the use and significance of artifacts within their larger artistic, social, religious, and political contexts. Recommended for classes studying diverse civilizations and their history, geography, literature, and art
ART AND SOCIETY: Study works of art in relation to the social and political contexts in which they were created and received, and consider the strategies artists use to promote awareness, reflection, and change. Recommended for classes studying American and world history; social and political issues such as identity, current events, civics, and civil rights; and literature that deals with these subjects..

PORTRAITURE AND IDENTITY: Explore how artists represent people and how identities can be expressed in visual form. Recommended for students studying portraiture, memoir and biography, character and narrative, and historical and fictional figures, as well as individual and group identities.

ARTISTS’ IDEAS, MATERIALS, AND PROCESS: Consider the choices artists make to communicate their ideas, including subject matter, style, and media. Recommended for classes making art and studying artistic process and innovation. Lessons can focus on creative process, cultural context, communication, aesthetic judgment, and other themes articulated in the Visual Arts Grade Span Expectations (GSEs). Teachers may choose to introduce students to the skills, work experiences, and educational background for careers in the creative industries.
INVENTION AND INNOVATION: How do objects solve problems? Explore design through the ages. Develop an understanding of how new forms, technologies, and processes have led to the creation of objects and ideas that have significantly shaped human experience. Consider chairs, vessels, garments, and tools—along with the materials, processes, and people who created them. Recommended for classes studying design, carpentry, visual art, physics, geometry and other forms of math.

ART AND LITERATURE: Through discussion and writing, explore how works of art create character, mood, narrative, and drama. Investigate how artists interpret literary texts, and how works of art and texts relate to and enlighten each other. Recommended for classes that are studying literature and other types of texts and practicing skills related to writing, analysis, and self expression.