Frequently asked questions: Groups
Inside Group Visits:
Q: What are our tour options?
A: We offer discussion-based tours of our collection and of special exhibitions. Tours are most effective when there is a focus or theme. We prefer to identify the focus of the visit with you, rather than offer you pre-packaged programs. Our staff will want to know what your goals are for the visit, how the visit ties into other activities the group has been doing, and if there is a particular approach you would like for us to take. Tours are usually an hour long and, depending on the circumstances, can include a writing or drawing activity. We prefer to customize each tour. The more we know about your goals for the visit and about your students, the more successful the visit will be.
Q: Who leads the tours?
A: Specially trained University of Chicago student docents lead group tours. Our docents will engage the group in a discussion about artworks rather than lecture to the group.
Q: What is a gallery?
A: Sometimes we use the word gallery for places that sell artwork. However, within a museum, a gallery is a room in which artworks are on display. A museum usually has more than one gallery. In our case, we have seven galleries. In some of our galleries we show special exhibitions of artwork, while others feature art from the permanent collection.
Q: What are the group limits? Are chaperones required?
A: Groups are limited to 35 students. One chaperone is required for every 10 students.
Q: How do I go about scheduling a tour? Is it necessary to schedule tours in advance?
A: It is essential to schedule tours at least two weeks in advance if you want a guided tour. Please call Lauren Boylan, Manager of Tour and Teacher Initiatives at 773-834-1066 or email lboylan@uchicago.edu. For self-guided group tours, please call us in advance to avoid conflicts with other groups.
Q: Is food available?
A: Snacks are available at the Smart Museum Café in the lobby, including sandwiches, drinks, and other lunch items. Lunches can also be purchased at the Reynolds Club a few blocks away on the corner of 57th Street and University Avenue, which has a food court that can accommodate large numbers of people. You can make lunch arrangements there by calling 773-834-1018.
Q: Can my group bring a lunch and eat it at the museum?
A: Limited seating is available in the Museum lobby. Groups of 15 or more can eat outside in the sculpture garden, weather permitting, or at the Reynolds Club.
Q: Is there a gift shop?
A: Yes, we have a gift shop area in the lobby. Items available for sale include art books, Smart Museum catalogues and publications, postcards of artworks in the Smart Museum's collection, current issues of arts magazines, and other special gift objects.
Q: What about coats and bags?
A: Bookbags or other large bags may not be carried into the galleries. Coats can be left in the coatroom. This service is complimentary. Bags and other valuables can be left in lockers just outside the coatroom. These lockers require a 25 cents deposit, refundable when you remove your bag.
Q: Is seating available in the galleries?
A: Folding stools are available. They are stored near the lockers in the lobby. Please pick them up before entering the gallery. Groups may sit on the floor as well.
Q: How can I prepare my students for their visit?
A: Let them know in advance what to expect. Explain to them how the focus of the visit connects with what they are learning in the classroom. Using the online version or printed copies of the handout Kids' Frequently Asked Questions, explore together what the Smart Museum is, and what they might see when they come. Review the Guidelines before their visit. These are rules that apply to them as well as to the Museum's staff.