School tours at the Gardner Museum are student-centered, interactive discussions led by professionally trained museum teachers.  Our programs emphasize close looking, conversation, and personal response.

Registration
All groups of 10 people or more must register at least 3 weeks in advance by calling (617) 278-5147, Monday through Friday, 9 am–5 pm. or by emailing tours@isgm.org. Before calling, please read the Essential Information for Your Group Visit.

Hours
Groups are scheduled to arrive at the Museum between 11:15 am and 3:45 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

Chaperones
Please bring 1 chaperone for every 10 students in a school group. Chaperones should familiarize themselves with Museum rules and help Museum staff with their enforcement.

Guided Visits
All student groups are strongly encouraged to visit the Gardner Museum on a guided gallery experience.  Groups of 10 or more are required to be guided by a museum teacher.  Guided tours are conducted by professionally trained museum teachers who are specifically assigned to your group.  A museum teacher will contact you prior to your arrival to discuss the details of your visit.
Guided visits last one hour and focus on approximately five works of art in the museum's major galleries.
Thematic guided tours
Tours are organized around a general theme and are designed to be grade-specific.  Tours actively engage students through discussion and learner-driven discovery.
Suggested themes:
•Stories in Art (grades 3-8) Discover the varied stories in the collection.
•People and Animals (grades 3-5) Discover characters anda settings in works of art.
•Images of Power (grades 6-12) Focusing on portraiture, discuss issues of identity, status and power.
•Exploring the Italian Renaissance (grades 6-12) Discussing masterpieces by Italian artists, learn about the artistic revolution of the Renaissance Italy.
•Spanish Painting (grades 6-12) Expand your study of Spanish art and culture by exploring the museum's collection.

Self-Guided Visits
Groups of 10 or fewer may choose to the galleries on their own.  Due to the small size of the museum's galleries, self-guided groups must be divided into groups of 5 or fewer, and each group of students must be accompanied by a chaperone.

Fees
Please note: Teachers and chaperones are admitted free of charge up to 2 per 10 students. Each extra chaperone will be admitted at the student rate of $3.

Payment
Group Registration and Museum Teacher fees are due at least 3 weeks in advance of a scheduled visit.

Cancellations
Should your group need to cancel or change the date of its visit, 72 hours notice is required. When proper cancellation notice is given, the Museum will refund all pre-paid fees minus a $25 cancellation fee. A group that cancels without sufficient notice will forfeit these fees.

Parking
The Museum does not provide parking facilities. In addition to metered street parking, several parking lots and garages are located nearby. Buses must find their own parking.

Lunch
The Museum cannot accommodate student groups for lunch. Weather permitting, the public parks along the Fenway may be used for a picnic.