Theme tours
Tours for students in grades 4-12 last approximately 60 minutes. Tours for students in grades K-3 last approximately 45 minutes.
School tours at the IMA address many of the goals stated in Indiana's K-12 academic standards, particularly in the Visual Arts, Language Arts and Social Studies content areas.
Request a theme tour with our online tour request form.
- VTS (Visual Thinking Strategies)
- Children of the IMA
- Spotlight a Collection
- Animals in Art
- Learning to Look
- Oldfields
- Cycles of Life in Africa
- Voices and Visions: African American Artists @ the IMA
- Her-Story: Women Artists @ the IMA
- Creative Hoosiers: Indiana Artists @ the IMA
- Money Talks: The Economics of Art in Europe
- Explore the Art of France or Spain
- The Middle Ages and Renaissance
This tour focuses on a small number of carefully chosen works of art that cover various media, cultures and time periods. Led by a docent, students will hold in-depth group discussions generated by their creative and careful looking.
This interactive tour employs VTS (Visual Thinking Strategies). For more information on this tour and VTS, contact the Coordinator of Teacher and School Programs at education@imamuseum.org.
Meet the many children who call the IMA home on this self-guided tour. Explore the American or European galleries using specially designed worksheets. Chaperone editions of the worksheets (containing maps and question prompts) along with student worksheets, pencils and writing surfaces will be provided upon arrival. A preview copy will be sent with confirmation.
Explore important works of art from one of the following IMA collections: American, Contemporary, African*, Asian, or European.
*The Spotlight tour of the African collection includes an opportunity for students to closely examine and handle African works of art.
Discover the real and imaginary animals of the IMA as you explore the galleries searching for wildlife.
Visit the restored historic estate of J. K. Lilly Jr. located on the grounds of the IMA. (This space can only accommodate groups of up to 40.)
Many cultures in Africa see the stages of life bound together in a continuous circle. Explore this circle through the art of Africa. Based on the award-winning IMA Web site, Cycles: African Life Through Art.
Explore the rich contributions African American artists have made to the history of art as you explore the American and Contemporary art collections.
Introduce yourself to the many women artists who call IMA home and discover the important contributions they made to the history of art as you explore the galleries.
Indiana has been a vibrant source of both artists and inspiration for artists. IMA's collection supports this rich history starting in the late 19th century and moving well into the 21st. Come and meet some of your fellow Hoosiers!
Open up the economy of Europe by looking at paintings from the 16th through the 20th centuries. See the kinds of things artists were creating, discover the people whom they were creating for and investigate how works of art can tell us about the economics of Europe throughout history.
The art of a country is a record of culture, history, people and places. Explore the rich art and culture of either France or Spain.
* This tour is available in French or Spanish and is subject to a
30-day notice and the availability of French or Spanish-speaking docents.












