Museum Programs
Museum Programs
SMoCA Discovery Program
Contemporary art (or art of the NOW) reflects culture and society today. Teachers, students, and general audiences thus have a unique opportunity to consider and discuss current ideas by rethinking what is familiar to us. Using SMoCA’s rotating exhibitions as a learning resource, our tours develop skills in observation, reflection, and inquiry through dialogue, play, and collective meaning-making.
This three-part exploration includes a pre-visit in-classroom lesson; a field trip to the museum; and a post-visit, in-classroom activity. Each engagement opportunity directly addresses Arizona Visual Arts standards by creating, responding, and connecting to visual art.
Before the museum visit, our educator facilitates an in-classroom lesson to introduce the topics that will be discussed and familiarize students with contemporary art concepts and the current SMoCA exhibitions. The museum field trip includes an hour-long exploration of SMoCA’s rotating exhibitions in which visitors gain a greater understanding of how to look at contemporary art through inquiry and in-gallery activities. After the visit, students participate in an in-classroom visual arts workshop related to themes explored during the tour.
Length: three one-hour sessions
Grades: K–12
Capacity: 30 students
Cost: $100 per classroom
SMoCA Gallery Tours
The SMoCA Gallery Tour is an hour-long exploration of SMoCA’s rotating exhibitions. Through inquiry and in-gallery activities, visitors better understand how to look at contemporary art.
Length: one hour
Capacity: 20 people
Cost: $5 per person plus museum admission
SMoCA school programs sponsored by:
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I book?
All programs must be booked with at least two weeks’ notice.
What do I need to book a museum program?
- Title of program: SMoCA Discovery Program or SMoCA Gallery Tour.
- Preferred date(s) and time(s). When planning the time required for a school program, add at least fifteen (15) minutes for arrival and fifteen (15) minutes for departure. Remember that the earliest time for a tour is 9:30 a.m., and tours are available from Tuesday through Thursday only. Please call if your request falls outside of these times.
- Grades, number of students, number of special needs students, number of adult supervisors, and any special requests.
Fill out the museum program booking form. Booking Form
A confirmation letter and booking agreement form will be sent to you upon completion of the booking. A signature is required to confirm the booking.
Additional travel costs may apply to school outreach programs outside Scottsdale city limits.
When should we arrive for our program?
Please arrive fifteen (15) minutes before your scheduled program.
If delayed, contact the community engagement coordinator at [email protected] as soon as possible.
If you arrive more than thirty minutes late, your program(s) will be canceled, and you will be charged a $70 cancellation fee per program, unless we are notified in advance.
How do I cancel or reschedule a program?
Any cancellations or changes to your booking(s) must be made through the community engagement coordinator (480-874-4643) and confirmed in writing via email at least one week before your arrival date.
Failure to provide a week’s notice will incur a $70 cancellation fee per program or class.
How many students can participate in a program?
To ensure program quality, a maximum of thirty (30) students per program is allowed. If the number exceeds thirty (30) students per program, your school may be charged for an additional program. Do not combine classes, as it compromises program quality.
What should we bring to the Museum?
All supplies are provided for you. Please leave all belongings, including backpacks, water bottles, and lunches, on the bus or back at school. Our Museum lobby has limited space, backpacks are prohibited on exhibition floors, and food and drink are prohibited in the Museum. If you are having lunch in the park, please include all student lunches in one plastic bin labeled with your school’s name.
Please review the Teacher Information Sheet on our site for tips on preparing for your visit
Can we have lunch while we are there?
Yes; please let us know if you’ll be staying for lunch. All lunches must be brought in bins.
Can we visit the Museum without participating in a program?
Yes, but only for groups with seven (7) people or fewer. If your group is eight (8) or more, we highly encourage you to book a tour. For information about admission, see our Plan a Visit page. Plan a Visit
Due to capacity restrictions, the Museum reserves the right to refuse groups that have not scheduled a time for their visit.
How many adult supervisors do we need?
We strongly request the following ratios:
- 1:5 ratio of one (1) supervising adult to every five (5) students in grades K–5.
- 1:8 ratio of one (1) supervising adult to every eight (8) students in grades 6–8.
- 1:10 ratio of one (1) supervising adult to every ten (10) students for grades 9–12.
Participating teachers and adult supervisors are required to always remain with their groups.
Additional adults accompanying the group must pay the adult group admission fee, except when required for special needs students.
The total group size, including teachers, chaperones/adult supervisors, should not exceed forty (40).
What do I need to prepare before our visit?
Please discuss museum rules with your students or group participants and, if desired, provide them with name tags. Museum educators like to refer to students by their names!
Share the Teacher Information Sheet with your adult supervisors.
Consider dividing your class into three (3) student groups before the visit. Certain students may pair better with others, and we encourage a diverse grouping for in-gallery discussions and participation. Groups can be established on-site before entering the Museum if needed.
How do we pay?
A check must be made to Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation, due on the last day of services. If you wish to pay with a credit card, please contact Aly Manson at [email protected]
Where can we eat lunch?
Students/participants may eat sack lunches in the park, where seats and tables are available. However, food and drink are not permitted in the Museum galleries; and lunches brought into the Museum should be placed in a single bin.
How do we get to SMoCA?
BUS INSTRUCTIONS
DIRECTIONS
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is in Old Town (downtown) Scottsdale at East 2nd Street and Drinkwater Boulevard.
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
7374 E 2nd St 7380 E 2nd St
Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Going west on Indian School Road from the 101 Freeway:
- Turn left (south) onto Drinkwater Boulevard
- Turn right (west) onto East 2nd Street.
- Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and SMoCA on the right
From Scottsdale Road:
- Going south, turn left (east), OR if going north, turn right (west) onto Indian School Road
- Turn right (south) onto Drinkwater Boulevard
- Turn right (west) onto East 2nd Street.
- Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and SMoCA on the right
Where can we park?
DROP-OFF
Your bus or van can drop off on East 2nd Street in the circular driveway outside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Staff will greet you here and direct you to the adjacent bus/van parking.
PARKING
Free public car parking is available in the public Civic Center Parking Garage at 3888 N Wells Fargo Ave off East 2nd St near the Museum and Los Olivos Mexican Restaurant.
Accessible parking is available in the public Civic Center Parking Garage at 3888 N Wells Fargo Ave (please note, there are no elevators in this garage, but accessible parking is at ground-level locations). Limited accessible spaces also are available in the circular driveway outside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.
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