School Tours & Workshops

The Queens Museum’s School Programs provide Pre-K-12 students with engaging learning experiences that integrate in-depth observation, interpretation of art and historical exhibitions, and hands-on art-making activities. All of our school programs emphasize Common Core and Next Generation Learning standards–particularly in English Language Arts and New York City’s Blueprints for Teaching and Learning in the Arts–and can be adapted for any grade level.

Our guided tours and workshops are led by experienced Teaching Artists, connecting our permanent collection and rotating contemporary exhibitions to our workshop curriculum and themes.

Appointments are required for all school groups visiting the Queens Museum and must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance. Availability is limited.

Our two-hour school program includes a guided gallery experience and art-making workshop  incorporating our permanent collections such as the Panorama of the City of New York, Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, Relief Map of the New York City Water Supply System, and the World’s Fair Collection. 

Guided tours and workshops are offered Monday – Friday, between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm. Before scheduling your guided tour and workshop, please review our School Group Guidelines in advance of your visit.

To explore the Museum independently, teachers and students may schedule a Self-Guided Visit.

Group Size

Our guided school programs can accommodate a maximum of 25 participants, with one chaperone for every 10 students. Larger groups will be divided into smaller groups in order to offer more individual attention to students and maintain safety in the galleries and other museum spaces. 

The Museum reserves the right to limit the number of adult chaperones participating in school programs.

Pricing

• DOE Public Schools – $300
• Private Schools – $400
• Title 1 & District 75 Schools – $200

Guided Tour & Workshop Themes

2 hours, includes a guided gallery tour and art-making workshop

Panorama: City Blocks
Recommended Grades: Pre-K through 5th grade
Learning Standards: Science and Literacy

Panorama City Blocks is the Museum’s most popular workshop and a tradition for many school groups annually. Students will experience a guided tour of the Panorama of the City of New York, Queens Museum’s 9,335 square foot model of NYC hand rendered as a 3-dimensional architectural model. Under the guidance of Queens Museum teaching artists, students will problem solve while making their own models of urban communities. Focus can be placed on “Sustainability and the Environment”, “Transportation” and “Urban Planning”, while examining the differences between urban, suburban, and rural areas. Students draw on the aesthetic cues from the Panorama as a jumping off point to discuss architecture, sustainable living, and the ecological future of NYC as well as their own experiences as urban inhabitants.

Panorama: Suspension Bridges
Recommended Grades: 4th through 5th grade
Learning Standards: Math, Science and Literacy

Working in teams, students construct a three-dimensional suspension bridge as they learn about transportation flow and the structural components used in the building of bridges as well as, key architectural terminology. Queens Museum Teaching Artists will lead students on a guided tour experience of the Panorama of the City of New York with attention to stories of bridge construction and the overarching transportation history of New York City. 

Tiffany Lamps: Tiffany Windows
Recommended Grades: 1st to 3rd
Learning Standards: Literacy and Cognitive Development, Science, History

Students discover Louis Comfort Tiffany’s glass through a variety of hands-on experiences. Students participate in storytelling, movement exercises and art-making activities that focus on pre-literacy skills such as shape, color, and pattern recognition, as well as creativity and self-expression. In conjunction with a guided tour and discussion in the Tiffany gallery, students learn about the history of Louis Comfort Tiffany and the science behind glass-making, constructing faux stained-glass window panes using transparent paper and collage materials in the art studio. 

Cancellations & Rescheduling

If you need to change or cancel, please contact us as soon as possible. Cancellation requests must be sent by email to schools@queensmuseum.org two weeks prior to your scheduled visit. Your cancellation is only finalized once acknowledged by an email response. Schools who cancel with less than two weeks notice will incur a cancellation fee of half the total cost of the program.

If you need to reschedule (with at least two week’s notice), we will make every effort to accommodate a new proposed date, but cannot guarantee a spot. Schools who cancel with less than 48 hours notice, or do not attend on their scheduled date, are responsible for the full amount.

DOE Cancellation: The Queens Museum agrees to cancel or reschedule tours with no fee if the NYC Department of Education issues a cancellation of field trips and/or school due to outside circumstances or inclement weather.

We reserve the right to cancel museum visits based on circumstances beyond our control. If we have to cancel a visit, we’ll notify you as soon as possible and assist you in rescheduling. If we are unable to reschedule, we’ll provide a full refund.

Late Arrivals

Groups are responsible for arriving at the Museum at their scheduled time. Please carefully review driving and/or public transportation directions in advance and be aware of traffic/transit issues. Review our Visit page to note our location in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, transportation recommendations, and any updates that may impact your travel.

Unfortunately, we cannot delay or extend the length of your guided tour because of late arrival. Late groups are still responsible for paying the full amount.

If your group is in transit and going to be late, please call our front desk at 718-592-9700, ext 233.

We do our best to be flexible with every school but late cancellations and no-show groups incur significant staffing costs to the Museum. Schools with outstanding invoices and groups that repeatedly cancel with late or no notice may be prevented from booking trips in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a lunchroom or cafe space for our group to eat?

The Queens Museum does not have lunchroom facilities available for school groups. We can store lunches along with bags and coats during your tour, and we encourage you to enjoy lunch in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, just outside the Museum entrance.

My group includes students with disabilities, should I use a separate reservation form?

The Museum welcomes visitors with disabilities and we offer discounted rates for Title 1 & District 75 Schools. Please use our standard School Group Reservation Form and let us know any accommodations we can provide to meet your needs. You can also review our Social Narrative to help prepare for your visit.

My group size is changing, can we change our reservation?

Please let us know any requests to change your reservation as soon as possible by emailing schools@queensmuseum.org. Please include your name, phone number, confirmation number, name of organization, and date and time of your visit. 

If you are expecting more than 25 students your group is subject to an additional group visit fee and will need to divide into smaller groups. Due to capacity, only five chaperones are permitted per group and we may not be able to accommodate the additional adults. If this is the case, the additional adults are welcome to explore the Museum and reconnect with the group afterward.

Where should our school bus or van park at the Museum?

Buses and vans may stop on the Grand Central Parkway side of the Museum and drop students directly at the entrance. Aside from drop-off and pick-up, there is no parking directly at the Museum entrance. Free parking with limited spaces is available in lots on either side of the Museum. We recommend buses park in the larger southern lot, to the right of the Museum.