Before the Day of Your Field Trip Experience

What to Expect

The standard field trip experience requires approximately 2-1/2 hours and features a welcome (10 minutes), a tour of the historic Griswold House (30 minutes), a tour/learning-to-look game in the Krieble Gallery (30 minutes), and a hands-on painting project (60 minutes), travel time (10 minutes), and clean-up (10 minutes).

Your class will be divided into four smaller touring groups and rotate between the activities. Please consider how to divide groups up evenly before arriving.

The Museum will modify the schedule in the case of a late arrival.

Your group should telephone the Museum if they are expecting to be 10 minutes or more late. The main telephone number is (860) 434-5542, ext. 111. The phone number of the Hartman Education Center (where the tour guides will meet you) is (860) 434-5542, ext. 123.

 

Helpful Links

1. Printable Version of the History of the Museum

2. Pre-Visit Activities

3. Directions to the Museum

4. Drop-Off and Parking Instructions for the Busses

 

“Our 3rd grade class dubbed it the ‘Best Field Trip’ of the year.”

~ Elementary School Teacher

Things to Review with Your Students

  1. Please review with your students that food, drink, chewing gum, ink pens, cameras, cell phones, cell phones used as cameras, and water bottles are not allowed in the Museum.

  2. Remind your students that not to touch any of the paintings, furniture or sculptures on view. Please explain that even the cleanest hands leave fingerprints that are filled with salts, oils, and acids that are damaging to works of art over time.

  3. While at the Museum students should extend all courtesies of the classroom. Common sense rules such as talking only one at a time, raising hands to be called upon, and using indoor voices are all appropriate behavior when touring the Museum.

  4. You might want to brainstorm about appropriate behavior when visiting a museum. Often, students have great ideas about how to best enjoy their visit.

  5. Remind students that photography in the gallery and historic house is not permitted, but they might want a camera to capture the beauty of the gardens and river. Teachers may take photographs of the tour in action for documentation, but not individual works of art (even without a flash).

  6. Divide your class into the number of equal-sized groups outlined on the confirmation form with at least one adult accompanying each group of students. Having the students wear nametags is ideal. This allows the educators to call on them by name.

  7. There are several pre-visit activities available on this site. For starters, reading the "History of Miss Florence and the Artists of Old Lyme" to your class followed by a discussion using the Think Fast Questions will prepare your students for the experience.