The Brandywine River Museum offers special programs and educational materials designed to introduce visitors to the museum's collections. The Comcast Foundation supports education programs at the Brandywine River Museum and provides financial assistance for field trip costs for schools in need. For more information, call (610) 388-8382 or send an email to education@brandywine.org.
Public Programs |
School Programs |
Adult Group Tours
Guided tours are available on weekdays for groups of ten or more. See Group Tours for scheduling information.
Family Programs
A variety of programs for families are offered throughout the year. Events include the Free Sunday Mornings in March, June and September, and weekend and summer workshops. See Calendar of Events for upcoming programs.
Reservations are required and space is limited. Workshops are free with museum admission of $8 per adult; $5 children six and over and seniors; children under six and museum members are free.
To register, contact the education office at 610-388-8382 or education@brandywine.org. When leaving a message, include program date(s) and session(s); your name, phone number, and the number of children and adults attending. Museum Explorer Mornings
This program is for children ages 3 to 10 accompanied by an adult. It includes a gallery tour and art project.
Note new starting times: Session A: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Session B: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 10 Cool Colors
Explore what colors are hot and what colors are not! On a gallery tour, learn how artists use colors to create paintings. Next, design a colorful composition using Cray-pas oil pastels.
Thursday, July 17 Treasure Tales
Discover Treasure Island and other stories through illustrations from the museum's collection. Then, decorate a box to hold small treasures with assorted gems, shells and other materials.
Thursday, July 24 Animated Animals
Search the museum for animals of every shape and size in paintings and sculpture, then create your own three-dimensional animal from pipe cleaners, pompoms and more!
Thursday, July 31 Seasonal Scenes
Journey through four seasons in scenes of lazy summer days, fall colors, winter wonderlands and spring blossoms. Afterwards, make a tissue paper landscape of your favorite time of year.
Advanced Explorer Workshops
This in-depth program is for children ages 10 to 14. It includes a gallery tour and art project. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 8 Shadows and ShapesAudio Tours
Learn artists' techniques for making painted and drawn objects look real, including their use of scale, shading, shapes and color. Next, create still life compositions with oil pastels.
Tuesday, July 15 Putting It into Perspective
Analyze artists' depictions of interior and exterior spaces, including their use of line, perspective and scale. After, capture the museum building from different angles in pencil and watercolor.
Tuesday, July 22 Portrait Study
Investigate how artists create likeness whether portraying famous persons or close friends. Then, experiment with pose and setting while drawing a self-portrait.
Reservations are required and space is limited. Workshops are free with museum admission of $8 per adult; $5 children six and over and seniors; children under six and museum members are free.
To register, contact the education office at 610-388-8382 or education@brandywine.org. When leaving a message, include program date(s) and session(s); your name, phone number, and the number of children and adults attending.
Enter Here to go to the Audio Tours Page
Audio tours are available during normal museum hours for $3. The tours include selections from the museum's permanent collection and some special exhibitions. The audio tours offer a wealth of knowledge, from information on works of art to biographies of artists. Additionally, the tours include facts about the museum, its architecture, its gardens and its parent organization, the Brandywine Conservancy.
Contained in hand-held wands -headphones are not used - the tours present state-of-the-art sound quality. The random-access technology of the tours allows visitors to proceed through the galleries at their own pace and customize the tours to their own interests.
School Programs
School Programs include a thematic guided tour and may be adapted to the curriculum and level of the group. Most programs are one hour, except as noted.
Museum Explorers | Storytelling in Art | The Brandywine Heritage |
Three Generations | Pennsylvania Art and History | The Art of Illustration |
Art and Geometry | Media Study | Art and Nature | Read-Aloud Tours |
N.C. Wyeth House & Studio Program |
Kuerner Farm
Program | Holiday Tours
Museum Explorers
(especially for pre-k through grade 2; forty-five minute program)
Young students develop basic skills for learning about works of art as they use their five senses to explore the museum.
Read-Aloud Tours
Students in preschool through grade 3 will hear tales and fables related to works found in the museum while developing skills for looking at art.
Storytelling in Art
Students exercise their imaginations and develop careful observation skills as they unravel the narratives contained in works of art.The Brandywine Heritage
The rich artistic heritage of the Brandywine Valley comes alive in works of art created in this region. The influence of the Valley's history and landscape on the art is discussed.Three Generations
Students discover a family's history as they explore works of art created by three generations of Wyeths including N.C. Wyeth, his son Andrew Wyeth and grandson Jamie Wyeth.Pennsylvania Art and History
Pennsylvania artists and historical events represented in the museum's collection are the focus of this tour.The Art of Illustration
Students consider the special demands of the art of illustration. The history of illustration in the Brandywine Valley, as seen in the work of Howard Pyle and his students, including N.C. Wyeth, is featured.Art and Geometry
Students explore how artists manipulate compositional elements, such as line, shape, color, balance, symmetry, and repetition, to create meaning in a work of art.Media Study
(especially for art students)
Students examine art techniques and evaluate decisions made by artists in choosing tools and materials. Media discussed include pen and ink, oil, watercolor, drybrush, egg tempera and mixed media.Art and Nature
(grades 3 through 6; two-hour program)
The connection between landscape painting and the natural environment is the focus of this program. Outside on the River Trail, students observe patterns, colors, and textures in plant and animal life, and discover other features of the environment. In the museum, students explore landscape art. The program is offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in April and May.
N.C. Wyeth House and Studio Program
(grades 6 through 12; two-hour program)
This program combines a guided visit of N.C. Wyeth's House and Studio with a museum tour of illustrations and works of art by members of the Wyeth family. The program is offered on selected days from April through November and is limited to a maximum of 28 people per group. A fee of $5 per person in addition to regular group admission is charged for the Tour.Kuerner Farm Program
(grades 6-12)
The creative process of Andrew Wyeth is explored through a guided visit to the site that has inspired the artist for over 70 years, and discussion of Wyeth art in the museum's galleries. This two-hour program is offered on selected days, April through November, and is limited to a maximum of 28 people per group. An additional fee of $5 per person is charged for visiting the Kuerner Farm.Holiday Tours
Special holiday exhibitions include trees decorated with handmade natural ornaments, selections from the permanent collections, and the popular O-gauge model train display. Tours are available from Thanksgiving through Christmas.
Hours
School programs are available by appointment Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.Group Admission
$5/student, $7/adult
One complimentary adult pass is given for every 10 students. Admission must be paid upon arrival by cash, check or credit card. No refunds will be issued for overpayment.Chaperones
One adult for every ten students is required.Access
The museum is accessible to all students. Please alert us if your group has special needs.Self-Guided Groups
Groups who visit on their own must make reservations.Lunch
The museum does not have an area designated for students to bring bag lunches. Lunches may be purchased in the museum restaurant by advanced reservation only; contact the restaurant manager at 610-388-8374 for reservations. If weather permits, schools may use the picnic tables at the Brandywine Battlefield, located one mile north of the museum on Route 1. The Battlefield charges a fee for this use. Please notify Battlefield staff of your plans at 610-459-3342.To Schedule a guided or self-guided visit, call the education office at 610-388-8382 or 610-388-2700.
Requests may be sent by e-mail to education@brandywine.org. Please include the following information:
- Teacher name
- School name, address, phone number
- Date and time requested
- Number and grade level of students
- Special program requests
Teacher Workshops
Save these dates in 2008! To register for these Act 48-eligible workshops, contact the education office at 610-388-8382 or email education@brandywine.org.
Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 4:15 - 6:15 p.m.
Elihu Vedder and The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
The Rubáiyát (a series of four line verse) were written by the 12th century Persian mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyám. In these intricate images, nineteenth century artist Elihu Vedder interprets the poet's timeless questions of life and death using cosmic and natural symbolism. Curator Virginia O'Hara will discuss this exhibition, on view March 15 - May 18.
Thursday, April 17, 2008 - 4:15 - 6: 15 p.m.
Art and Nature for Teachers
Based on the museum's popular school program, this workshop will examine the connection between landscape painting and the natural environment. During a guided walk on the Brandywine Conservancy's River Trail, teachers will learn about erosion, water quality and seasonal changes in a wetlands habitat while observing the patterns, colors and textures in plant and animal life, which provide inspiration for painters. A tour of landscape art will complete the program. Materials and ideas for classroom activities will be provided.This program may be scheduled for 3rd through 6th grade classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from April 1 through May 7.
Teacher In-Service Programs
In-service programs may be arranged on a variety of topics, including Art Across the Curriculum, Three Generations of Wyeths, Learning to Look with Young Children, and other related subjects. In-Service programs may be held at the museum or at area schools. To plan an in-service program for your school or district, contact the education office by phone (610) 388-8382 or e-mail education@brandywine.org.
Suggested pre-visit activities are listed here. For information on works of art and artists represented in the museum, see Collections. For information on special exhibitions see Calendar of Events and additional information for schools below.1. Learning to Look
The development of observation skills is a primary objective of a museum visit. To test observation skills in the classroom, have students close their eyes and ask them to describe your clothing or answer specific questions about objects in the classroom.2. Storytelling
Encourage students to exercise their imaginations by telling a story about an image (use a postcard, photograph, or book illustration). Begin by having students explore the image through their five senses. If they were to enter the image, what might they see, hear, taste, smell or touch?3. Illustration
Illustrations are images designed to accompany a written text. Read your students a short story or poem and ask them to illustrate it. Compare the finished works, and discuss the choices an artist must make in creating an illustration.4. Still Life
Ask the students to select objects from their desks to use as a still life. What qualities, if any, do the objects have in common: color, shape, purpose? Have them arrange the objects and then do a quick sketch.5. Forming Opinions about Art
As a follow-up activity to the museum visit, discuss students' opinions about art. Which paintings did they like or dislike, and why? Which one would they choose to hang in their home? Would they choose the same one to hang in the classroom?
Elihu Vedder and The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
For in-depth background on this exhibition, visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum's website.
For more information send email to: inquiries@brandywine.org
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