The theme at the Met this March is “music”! Get the kids thinking deep with questions like, “What sounds correspond to this painting?” or “What kind of music are the musicians playing in that picture?” Sit down for a story time every afternoon and don’t forget to explore the gardens of Versailles! There’s a lot of fun to be had at the Met in March.
Start With Art Plus: Making Music and Art Trek Plus: Hear The Sounds
On the fourth Sunday of each month, the Met hosts a Plus program which is an extension of their usual twice weekly programs, Start With Art (held on Thursdays at 3:30pm and Saturdays at 11am and 2:30pm) and Art Trek, which is held on Saturdays at 11am and 2:30pm. The next Plus program is happening on Sunday, March 23 from 2:30-4:00pm. (Please check the Met’s web site to confirm the times and dates.)
For the Start With Art Plus: Making Music program, educators will take families with children ages 3-7 into the galleries to listen to music and explore music-related art. The discussion will really bring out the creative side of children and parents alike as they are asked to imagine the sounds instruments in the artwork might be making, or if a work had sound, what would it sound like? After the discussion, families can go into the art studio to make a collage inspired by the music they heard.
For families with older children (5-12), check out the Art Trek Plus: Hear The Sounds program which is happening at the same time as Start With Art Plus. While the normal Art Trek program takes families on a worldly tour of the museum, this special event will have families traveling through the museum with artist in residence, Alarm Will Sound, who will also be performing. Jennifer Kalter, associate educator for Family Programs, said that what makes this program exciting is that all of the discussion and music will be happening right in the gallery spaces. Museum educators will connect the music being played to the artwork.
Story Time in the Nolen Library
Excellent picture books relating to the month’s theme are shared on weekdays for toddlers from 10:30 -11am and then for kids ages 3-7 from 3:00-3:30pm. Afterward, families are encouraged to explore the museum on a self-guided gallery hunt.
Kalter recommends attending the second story time on Thursdays because it leads right into the Start With Art program which begins at 3:30pm. The story is a great way to introduce March’s music theme and help kids get in the groove.
Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China
This unforgettable cultural experience is open until April 6. It is the first Chinese contemporary art displayed in the museum. It features 35 different artists whose work includes paintings, calligraphy, photographs, woodblock prints, video, and sculpture.
The exhibition is displayed in the permanent Chinese art galleries. This makes it easier for visitors to compare and contrast the artists’ contemporary works to their historic predecessors. Have fun discovering from where these artists might have drawn their inspiration or how they diverged from their cultural traditions and paved their own path.
Panoramic View of the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
Painted in Kingston, New York and New York City by artist John Vanderlyn in the early 19th century, this panorama is on continuous view in the Met’s American wing. The panoramic painting has been adjusted to fit the gallery’s circular walls. It’s an experience completely different from the paintings-on-the-wall set up of other galleries in the Met. Kalter said, “It’s a great spot for kids because it’s an immersive experience,” adding, “You walk in and you feel like you’re in a particular space–in the gardens of Versailles.”
April Preview – The Color and Paint Month
Once a month, The Met presents the How Did They Do That? program. An educator and specialist will take a cart of materials into a gallery and explain to the audience how certain works were made. On April 12 from 1pm -1:30pm, the program will be exploring Italian tempera painting. Kalter said, “it is definitely family-friendly.” Audience members are allowed to touch and examine the tools and materials on the cart, making it a multi-sensory experience.
The Met will also be featuring a Charles H. Tally Monday program to kick off Spring Break. Consider taking a trip to the Met. On April 14, tours for families with children ages 5-12 will be held back-to-back at 11am, 12pm, 1:15pm, and 2:30pm. Family tours typically include a discussion based on the monthly theme as well as sketching or drawing.
