An integral aspect of Georgia Museum of Art’s mission is making art education accessible for people of all ages. The museum’s Art Adventures program offers free, immersive art education experiences to local children from summer camps, daycares and community centers. Sessions include gallery tours, sensory experiences, games and art activities that are tailored to engage different age groups.
This summer’s Art Adventures program focuses on soundscapes – the visual representation of sound and movement. Kaitlyn Loyd, the museum’s assistant curator of education, shared that “the whole idea behind this year’s Art Adventures program was the intersectionality of the arts and kind of incorporating multi-learning opportunities in the galleries for the kids. . . . Art isn’t just something to see, it’s something to feel, hear and move with.”
The theme of soundscapes was inspired by the exhibition “Feel the Beat: Rhythm, Music and Movement,” which was curated by Dr. Callan Steinmann’s spring 2025 Topics in Art Museum Education course. The exhibition explores how artists from around the world visually interpret sound and movement across cultural and historical contexts. The selected works celebrate the joy of performance as well as the spiritual significance of music. Additionally, the student curators encouraged visitor participation through interactive features such as a Spotify playlist, an instrument activity station, a write-your-own-response activity and a take-home brochure. Overall, the exhibition creates an engaging, multimedia sensory experience that inspires viewers of all ages.
Children who participate in Art Adventures are encouraged to draw meanings from different works in the exhibition and the permanent galleries by assigning sounds to colors, abstractly drawing the idea of dance, practicing mindfulness and more. Of the roughly 500 children who participated last year, many of them reported that they loved the arts and crafts activities. “They love getting their hands on different materials that they may not be able to use otherwise and making something that connects with what they just saw in the galleries,” said Loyd.
Loyd’s favorite part of leading the Art Adventures program is developing the tour plan: deciding on the theme, choosing works to focus on and designing activities to get kids engaged with the art. “Having a positive museum experience is always the number-one goal for any of our programs,” she said. “I think Art Adventures, and the museum itself, are invaluable cultural resources that get kids inside and having a positive learning experience that they may or may not be able to get to on their own.” Children cherish the fun and fascinating experiences they have during Art Adventures, which instills within them a lifelong love for art in all of its many forms.
Art Adventures is offered in morning and afternoon time slots on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through July 31. Each session can accommodate up to 30 children, with one chaperone for every 10 kids. To schedule your group’s Art Adventure, email gmoa-tours@uga.edu or call 706.542.0439.
Authored by:
Nabiha Rahman
