Museum Description :The Spurlock Museum is both an educational and a research institution. It shares its collection and information with the public through exhibitions, guided tours, special programs, events, and this website. It helps to extend the boundaries of knowledge through study of the objects it collects. It is a resource for scholars, students, and the public at large to learn about the Earth's inhabitants.The Museum’s five feature galleries house exhibits representing peoples of the following cultures and geographic areas of the world: Ancient Mesopotamia, .. View More >>
Museum Description :The Spurlock Museum is both an educational and a research institution. It shares its collection and information with the public through exhibitions, guided tours, special programs, events, and this website. It helps to extend the boundaries of knowledge through study of the objects it collects. It is a resource for scholars, students, and the public at large to learn about the Earth's inhabitants.The Museum’s five feature galleries house exhibits representing peoples of the following cultures and geographic areas of the world: Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, and Africa; Ancient Greece and Rome; East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania; Europe; and American Indian Cultures of North and South America.Special exhibits, based in the Campbell Gallery, serve as a springboard for unique programs, tours, and special events.Through our collections and educational programs, we help interpret the diversity of cultures through time and across the globe.
Museum Admission :Free, suggested donation is $3.
Museum Program :Introduction to the Spurlock MuseumDescription : Students are presented with highlighted artifacts and gallery themes as they move through the Museum’s five feature galleries. Browsing time is also included for individual exploration.Grades: 4-12Program Length: 75 minutesMaximum Group Size: 75Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: FreeCultures of the Past : A Hands-on ExperienceDescription : In Cultures of the Past, students have the opportunity for artifact exploration and hands-on cultural experiences in up to three of the Museum’s cultural galleries, plus a game of Jeopardy in our Auditorium. NOTE: due to the intensive set-up required for this program, it is offered onlyin the following configurations and on the following dates:November 28, 29, 30: Ancient Egypt/Mesopotamia, Ancient China, and JeopardyDecember 5, 6, 7: Ancient Egypt/Mesopotamia, Ancient Mediterranean, and JeopardyApril 3, 4, 5: Ancient Egypt/Mesopotamia, Ancient Mediterranean, and JeopardyMay 1, 2, 3: Ancient Egypt/Mesopotamia, Europe, and JeopardyGrades: 6-12Program Length: Varies by group size and galleries coveredMaximum Group Size: 75Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: FreeHuman ConnectionsDescription : Drawing on the cultural concepts of the Central Core, the Human Connections tour sets students on a mission. As they move from gallery to gallery, students record information and create descriptions of artifacts relating to one of the Museum’s cultural concepts (e.g., clothing, art, conflict). Through debate and discussion, students realize that the artifacts they have chosen also fit perfectly with other concepts and connect to contemporary life and issues.Grades: 5-8Program Length: 105 minutesMaximum Group Size: 75Chaperones: 1 per 5Cost: FreeHow Art CommunicatesDescription : How Art Communicates examines the ways art around the world expresses and alters opinions and creates impressions. The works discussed include traditional and contemporary pieces from Papua New Guinea, the Native American painting Tree of Life by Ojibwe artist Blake Debassige, statues and friezes from the ancient Mediterranean, Norman Rockwell’s The Problem We All Live With, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, and WWII propaganda posters.Grades: 8-12Program Length: 75-90 minutesMaximum Group Size: 30Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: FreeMasks around the WorldDescription : For thousands of years, masks have been created, worn, danced, revered, and enjoyed in cultures around the world. during this tour students look at masks and think about their place in society. A 30-minute mask craft session may be added. This tour is also available as Masks of Asia, which focuses solely on masks used in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.Grades: 3-8Program Length: 45-90 minutesMaximum Group Size: 30 tour only / 30 with craftChaperones: 1 per 8Cost: Free / $1 per student with craftChallenging CultureDescription : This program immerses students in one of four experiential activities with the goal of exploring and reflecting on cultural stereotypes. The teacher and the museum educator will work together to choose an activity will select the activity (Barnga, simulating culture shock; The Emperor’s Pot, confronting stereotypes of East and West; The Cooperative Map, appreciating shared knowledge in a group; and People Like Me, exploring how people categorize others and themselves). Classes may complement their visit with gallery time. Ideal for sociology or world cultures elective courses.Grades: High School and CollegeProgram Length: VariesMaximum Group Size: 75Chaperones: 2 per 30Cost: FreeOral TraditionsStories around the WorldDescription : Students learn about specific Museum objects and the oral traditions that add context and meaning to their places in culture. Teachers choose the stories presented from a descriptive list of prepared tales. Groups may end their tour with a 30-minute activity or craft session related to one of the stories.Grades: preschool and upProgram Length: 30-90 minutesMaximum Group Size: 40 / 30 with craftChaperones: 1 per 8Cost: $1 per student if craft is addedA Tapestry of StoriesDescription : From Rumpelstiltzkin to The Spider Weaver, folktales are filled with stories of spinning, weaving, and the wonders of cloth. Students hear a selection of stories related to objects on display or made available from the Museum’s Teaching Collection. Groups can end their tour with a 30-minute craft session. we encourage teachers who schedule this tour to borrow the Resource Center’s A Tapestry of Stories Building Block, which includes Teaching Collection artifacts and pre- and post-visit activities.Grades: K-4Program Length: 45-75 minutesMaximum Group Size: 40 / 30 with craftChaperones: 1 per 8Cost: $1 per student if craft is addedGreek and Roman MythologyDescription : Students listen to the stories of gods and heroes as they relate to the objects in the Museum’s Ancient Mediterranean Cultures Gallery. Some students are dressed as characters in the stories. As an outreach program, Greek and Roman Mythology includes storytelling, dressing in the Greek style, performing a short play, and handling teaching artifacts.Grades: 4-12Program Length: 60-90 minutesMaximum Group Size: 40Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: FreeIn the Shadow of the PyramidsDescription : Based in the Museum’s Ancient Egypt exhibit, this tour covers popular highlights of this long-lived civilization: the importance of the Nile, scribes and writing, the Rosetta Stone, tombs and the afterlife, and mummification. Students also hear an ancient folktale and create their own scroll to take home. The outreach program is similar to the in-house version but omits the craft and lasts 75 minutes.Grades: 4-7Program Length: 105 minutesMaximum Group Size: 36Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: $1 per studentLife in the PolisDescription : This tour touches on many aspects of ancient Greek life as discussed in the Museum’s Ancient Mediterranean Gallery: home, clothing, war, athletic games, religion, drama, mythology, and the afterlife. Activities include an artifact hunt, dressing a few students in the ancient Greek style, and listening to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.Grades: 4-7Program Length: 90-120 minutesMaximum Group Size: 30Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: FreeGreek and Roman MythologyDescription : Students listen to the stories of gods and heroes as they relate to the objects in the Museum’s Ancient Mediterranean Cultures Gallery. Some students are dressed as characters in the stories. As an outreach program, Greek and Roman Mythology includes storytelling, dressing in the Greek style, performing a short play, and handling teaching artifacts.Grades: 4-12Program Length: 45-60 minutesMaximum Group Size: 40Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: FreeRaiders of the Lost ArtDescription : In this multi-session program, students explore issues relating to stolen art. Current units focus on the looting of the Iraq Museum or the ownership of the Rosetta Stone, but the format can be adapted to any controversial situation involving cultural property. Students will have access to replica artifacts, adopt a persona (e.g. looter, archaologist, journalist), conduct reasearch to support their personas' positions, read contemporary news articles and write letters to the editor, and appear in a talk show to defend their points of view. Museum staff introduce the project, assist students with identifying and evalutation internet resources, and host the talk show (which, if the schedule permits, may be held in the Museum's Knight Auditorium). This program emphasizes group work, independent research, reading, persuasive writing, and authentic assessment. Materials are provided, but students access to the internet, and approximately 10-15 classroom hours beyond the outreach presentations are necessary for completion.Grades: 6-12Maximum Group Size: 60Chaperones: 1 per classCost: $50 per sessionMedieval European LifeA Day as a KnightDescription : As knights-to-be, students discuss suits of armor in the European Gallery, design their own shields, hear a story, and play the medieval Game of the Goose. Except for the gallery visit, the outreach program activities are identical to those of the in-house program, and teaching artifacts the students may handle are brought into the classroom.Grades: 3-4Program Length: 90 minutesMaximum Group Size: 30Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: $1 per studentThe Blacksmith's ApprenticeDescription : As apprentice blacksmiths, the students create chain mail designs, play a game, hear a tale, and learn about medieval European living conditions. Time is also spent exploring armor in the European Gallery. This program can be combined with a general tour; total time in the Museum for this combined program is three hours. Except for the gallery visit, the outreach program activities are identical to those of the in-house program, and teaching artifacts the students may handle are brought into the classroom.Grades: 5-7Program Length: 105 minutesMaximum Group Size: 36Chaperones: 1 per 8Cost: $1 per student << View Less