Children, as well as adults, are involved in a constant process of meaning-making, and the meaning they make from art is a function of each individual’s unique personality and experience. The Education Department at the Gardner Museum believes in actively engaging students during their Museum experience, encouraging them to describe what they see and to express what they feel. The questioning strategies used by teachers and museum educators are of primary importance in enabling students to use important critical thinking skills and to forge personal connections with the world of art.

Begin with looking. Start by asking, “What is happening in this picture?” Follow with questions that will help students back up their observations: “What do you see that makes you say that?” or “Show us what you have found.”

Encourage responding. "What would it feel like to be in this painting?" “What about this work of art makes you feel that way?” or "What would it feel like to make this?" are questions to help students develop personal interpretations of art objects.

Make connections. Use open-ended questions to guide student looking and to focus their thinking on certain topics and concepts.

If you are planning to bring students to the Museum on your own, our Eyes on Art teacher guides can assist you in planning and in making connections to your curriculum. Below are links to excerpts from each Eyes on Art guide. They include questioning strategies and background information for works of art relating to specific themes. Click here to find out how to order guides from the Eyes on Artseries.

Looking at Art
A work of art represents many stories—some can be found in the image itself, while others lie hidden in the history of the object. The artworks in Eyes on Art I all have stories to tell, and each one begins with careful looking.

Exploring Architecture
Art is not the only subject students can learn about at the Gardner Museum. The Eyes on Art II guide presents a range of topics that can be used as paths for learning and discovery. Architecture, social history, fashion and late nineteenth-century Boston can all be explored during a visit.

Learning about Conservation
The field of art conservation is devoted to preserving, for humanity and throughout time, cultural property and artifacts. Teachers can use Eyes on Art III to encourage students to think more deeply about a work of art and about the process of conservation and the social, spiritual, and technological issues that it raises.