Viewfinders: A School to Museum Program
The Viewfinders program is an IMA school program initiative active in many Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and Washington Township elementary school classrooms. All over the city, teachers are engaging students in discussions about art. Viewfinders gives children a chance to share their ideas, build new perspectives and learn to disagree respectfully.
The Viewfinders program uses VTS, or Visual Thinking Strategies, a facilitated discussion method created by VUE (Visual Understanding in Education), which utilizes visual art to stimulate conversation that leads to growth in critical thinking, observation and other cognitive skills. For more information about the Viewfinders program or VTS, contact the Viewfinders Coordinator.
Related Indiana Academic Standards
In addition to sending IMA staff out into the classrooms to work with teachers and students, Viewfinders teachers present images from a VTS curriculum to their students throughout the year, developing their skills and exposing them to a wide array of art work and a new way of looking at art. The final component to the program provides students the opportunity to visit the IMA in the spring with their class to exercise their new skills in front of authentic works of art.
Booking Your Viewfinders Field Trip
In addition to sending IMA staff out into the classrooms to work with teachers and students, Viewfinders teachers present images from a VTS curriculum to their students throughout the year, developing their skills and exposing them to a wide array of art work and a new way of looking at art. The final component to the program provides students the opportunity to visit the IMA in the spring with their class to exercise their new skills in front of authentic works of art.
The Viewfinders visit is 90 minutes in length, consisting of:
- A 30 minute docent-led VTS tour
- A 30-minute self-guided gallery exploration activity (with a chaperone)
- A 30-minute hands-on art-making activity
Field trip requests must be made no less than 3 weeks in advance, and requests must be submitted through our online school tour request form.
Viewfinders visits are scheduled during the following times:
- Tuesday-Thursday: 10-11:30 am, 10:30 am-noon, 11 am-12:30 pm, and 11:30 am-1 pm
- Friday: 11 am-12:30 pm and 11:30 am-1 pm
Maximum group size is 60 participants (plus 1 chaperone for every 10 students). For groups with more than 60 participants, you will be divided into separate start times, and the IMA will provide an extra activity for students to complete.
Divide students into groups of no more than 10 before arriving at the IMA.
Viewfinders Chaperone Information
We look forward to having you visit the IMA as a Viewfinders Chaperone. The below information will help prepare you for your visit.
Viewfinders field trips are different than most field trips you may have previously taken. The Viewfinders visit is 90 minutes in length—a 30 minute docent-led VTS tour, a 30-minute self-guided gallery exploration activity, and a 30 minute hands-on art-making activity.
The focus of the trip is on the students and their abilities to look at and talk about the art they see. They have been working with their teachers and have had several discussions using a method called VTS (Visual Thinking Strategy). You can read more about VTS here. VTS allows students to build critical thinking, observation and communication skills through careful looking and thoughtful conversation.
VTS Information and Research
Learn more about visual understanding in education.