Field Trip Experiences

Tour: Students discover what an art museum is and how it differs from other buildings. They learn about close looking, make personal observations, and share opinions about works of art.  
 
Studio workshop: Students create their own lion inspired by the Lion From Newbury, Vermont, c. 1835.

Tour: Students explore all the different materials and tools that artists use to create art, from painted canvas to woven banana leaves.  
 
Studio workshop: Students create their woven work inspired by Bhen Alan's Madapaka, 2022, on view in Imagining an Archipelago.

Tour: Students see that the elements of a good story are not just confined to the pages of literature—they can also be found in the shapes, lines, colors, and people and objects depicted in works of art.  
 
Studio workshop: Students make choices as artists, creating a small two-dimensional version of themselves inspired by the cutouts of Alex Katz and other portraits viewed in the galleries.

Tour: Students explore how art emerges from its environment, which can refer to physical surroundings, culture, politics, the artist’s inner emotional landscape, and more. Through this framework, students learn about Maine as both a birthplace and a destination for artists, and consider how Maine’s natural beauty and complex history inspired the work those artists created.  
 
Studio workshop: Studio workshop: Students make a pine tree collage inspired by Ashley Bryan’s Tree Gods.

Tour: The lands and waters of Maine have been home to the Wabanaki, “The People of the First Light,” since Creation. Students learn about Wabanaki art, culture, government systems, economics, history, presence, and visions of the future by engaging with artworks made by Wabanaki artists, other Indigenous creators, and non-Native makers. The artworks spark conversations about sovereignty, survivance, cultural revitalization, colonialism, and environmental activism.  
 
Studio workshop: Students practice mark making and storytelling by creating a scratch-basket vessel inspired by Alan Syliboy’s Women on the Island and High Shouldered Tsia Red Clay Storage Vessel.

Tour: Students investigate various representations of nature, the environment, and the land to better understand how and why artists interact with and interpret the world around us.  
 
Studio workshop: Inspired by Maya Lin’s Pin River Kissimmee, students use the ideas of the artist, similar materials, and their own personal experiences and knowledge of nature to create a pin art sculpture.

Tour: Students investigate artists’ portrayals of themselves, their surroundings, and their cultures.  
 
Studio workshop: Students use a variety of provided materials to create a collage that represents their sense of self and identity, inspired by Shahzia Sikander’s Uprooted.

Tour: Students observe how freedom and equality, in all its forms, can be expressed in art. Themes discussed include the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the American Revolution, the Civil War, Cuba’s 19th-century independence wars, the civil rights movement, women’s suffrage, and Wabanaki sovereignty.  
 
Studio workshop: Students identify an injustice and create their own assemblage inspired by John Kessler’s Isolated Masses (For Peace).

Tour: Starting with a reading of Peter H. Reynolds’ book, Ish, students will explore the ways in which art brings families together, establishes tradition and storytelling, and encourages connection.   
 
Studio: Inspired by Ish, where Marisol makes a gallery of her brother’s artwork, families will create their own gallery based on inspiring works in the museum. 

All field trip experiences are free! The Colby Museum does not charge admission fees, and we provide tours, studio projects (if desired), and lunch at no cost to the school.

Yes, but you must submit a form to be reimbursed. The forms for each academic year are due by the end of June. You will receive further information after your visit is scheduled.  
 
For additional questions, please contact Abigail Newkirk, Linde Family Foundation Senior Coordinator of School and Teacher Programs, at [email protected].

The minimum number of students per visit is 7, and the maximum is 40 per day. Larger groups can book multiple days.

At least thirty days in advance of your desired date.

We recommend that you arrive ten to fifteen minutes before your tour start time to use the restrooms, store personal belongings, and get settled.

Of course, but please let us know! We can send you guidelines to prepare you and your students for the visit.

Yes!

There is a bus parking spot adjacent to the museum. More information will be sent to the event planner after the visit is scheduled.

Only one school group is scheduled per day, so schedules can be adjusted within reason. Late arrival results in shorter tours and lunch times. If you are running late, please call 207-859-5600 to keep the staff apprised.

Your responsibilities will be specified in a form sent to the event planner after the visit is scheduled.

Yes.

We strive to accommodate all our guests’ needs. Please contact us with specifics prior to your visit so we can make appropriate preparations.

Yes, we have a dining hall where students can eat food we provide buffet style, and also space outside if they bring food from home (no outside food is allowed in the dining hall).