Free School Tours

Our educational experiences for Pre‑K to 12th grade students use authentic works of art to inspire and encourage critical thinking and to make real-world connections.

Self-Guided Experience Private Tour Booking

About School Tours

Free School Tours at the Portland Museum of Art invite students to utilize their critical thinking skills and personal experiences to slow down, carefully investigate, and develop their own interpretations of works of art.

Free School Tours are led by highly trained Museum Educators, who have diverse experiences working with students of all ages and abilities.

These tours do not require any previous knowledge or experience in the visual arts, and are crafted to meet the needs of your students and connect to your curricula. Any of our tour themes can be adapted and customized to ensure that all students feel welcomed, understood, valued, and empowered.

Portland schools, reach out to the Learning and Community Collaboration Department at tours@portlandmuseum.org for information on potential funds to cover your transportation costs.

Get excited about your visit! Review the Museum Manners with students and explore the collection online. Call (207) 699‑4985 or email tours@portlandmuseum.org with any questions or special requests.

Please note unregistered groups will not be admitted to the museum if their visit conflicts with scheduled groups. Admission fees are not waived for unscheduled school groups.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Our tours are free of cost, thanks to the generosity of the Arthur K. Watson Charitable Trust, AVANGRID Foundation, Inc., the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust, Onion Foundation, the Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation, Unum, Susie Konkel, and Marguerite and William J. Ryan, Sr.

Between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday.

The museum strongly encourages docent-led tours for K‑12 audiences. If you wish to develop a teacher-led tour, please send an inquiry to the Learning and Community Collaboration Department at tours@portlandmuseum.org. Please note unregistered groups will not be admitted to the museum if their visit conflicts with scheduled groups. Admission fees are not waived for unscheduled school groups.

Our tours typically last for one hour. Tours for Pre‑K students are 45 minutes.

Most tours can accommodate groups up to 45 students per tour hour. Students will be broken into smaller groups for their tour experience.

Students must be accompanied by chaperones at all times while in the galleries. We request that there be at least 1 chaperone for every 10 students if possible.

Each tour is a unique experience but a few things you can count are exploring between three and eight authentic works of art through a series of conversation, inquiry, and hands-on activities. If you would like something specific, let us know when you book and we’ll do our best to accommodate you requests.

Please contact us if you are interested in extending your visit.

We love to customize tours! During the booking process, please let us know what you are interested in and we will do our best to accommodate.

We do not have bus parking, however buses may temporarily park in the loading zone in front of the museum for student drop of and pick up. During the visits, busses can wait at the City lot at the corner of Park and Commercial streets across the street from the IMT (International Marine Terminal) or at Deering Oaks Park, on the tennis court road.

Unfortunately, we do not have indoor space for students to eat. If you would like to eat outside, there is a grassy area on the PMA campus that can accommodate up to 40 students. Nearby Deering Oaks Park or Congress Square Park can also accommodate your groups.

A wheelchair-accessible entrance and elevators are available.
Mobility devices and strollers are available upon request

Need more information? Get in touch!

Email grouptours@portlandmuseum.org or call the PMA Call Center at 207–775-6148, option 1.

Free School Tours is made possible by the generosity of Susie Konkel, the Arthur K. Watson Charitable Trust, in part by a grant from the Onion Foundation, Maine Community Bank, Machias Savings Bank, and Unum.