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Education Programs K-12

Teachers and students throughout the DC-region look to the Hirshhorn to add a vital element to classroom education.         

School Group Tours
Hirshhorn educators help teachers plan visits that meet specific curriculum needs, or teachers can take advantage of eleven different themed gallery tours to explore the collection and special exhibitions with their students. Approximately 5,800 students annually participate in scheduled tours. To schedule a tour, call the Programs department at (202) 633-2796.

Educational Packets
Classroom teaching guides are available for loan to teachers and schools upon request. Packets may focus on special exhibitions, works in the collection, or specific themes. They typically include artist information, classroom activities, and digital images of artworks.

Public Programs

We bring Museum visitors together with artists, curators, and others—from writers to scientists—to explore the ideas, materials, trends, and social realities that shed light on how art is shaped, and shapes, our world.

Meet the Artist
For the last five years, this highly acclaimed series has brought leading artists working in diverse media to the Museum for public lectures and/or discussions that often incorporate a special presentation of the artist’s work.     
    
Gallery Talks
Every Friday, lunchtime discussions feature a wide range of presenters—artists, curators, educators, and others—offering fresh perspectives on works in the galleries. These talks draw on the unique perspective of peer practitioners, and gallery talks by experts from outside the arts provide unusual insights and help visitors to explore the artists’ work.

In Conversation
Presented three times per year during Friday afternoons, In Conversation is a series that explore ideas central to contemporary art through in-depth and lively dialogue between two or more artists.   
    
Curator and Scholar Lectures  
Lectures at the Hirshhorn are in-depth scholarly examinations of timely topics in the arts, often in conjunction with special exhibitions. These talks are an opportunity for those who have more knowledge and background in art, such as college students, professors, and other arts professionals, to learn more about a particular aspect of contemporary art and discuss it with an expert during the Q&A session.

Resources for Independent Learning

The Museum provides a range of options for self-directed learning by the public.

Podcasts
Hirshhorn Podcasts are a continuous source of information on art and artists featured at the Museum. Discussions with artists, interviews with curators, archives of talks and lectures, and visitor responses to the art on view are available for download at hirshhorn.si.edu and Apple iTunes.

Library
The Library is open to scholars by appointment from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

Special Collections
Qualified researchers may see curatorial files, other special collections, and artworks in storage at the Hirshhorn Museum by prior appointment, depending on staff availability.