Glenbow Museum School

What is it?

Travel in time to the days when millions of buffalo still roamed the plains of what is now called Western Canada. Hear traditional stories from a Kainai educator. Explore the dramatic impact of inter-cultural trade on the First Nations people and the fur traders. Museum School offers these and countless other educational opportunities.

Many of Glenbow's exhibits and collections focus on Alberta's past and present. However, the Museum also has exhibits on West Africa, Minerals, Asian Art, and Global Warriors, as well as historical and contemporary art. All are inviting, rich environments that provide the backdrops for hands-on experiences led by subject specialists.

Themes always originate from teachers and can be as varied as Calgary: Past, Present and Future; Time; Symbols; Stories, Myths and Legends; the role of museums; or comparative studies between different cultures.

Each of the school teachers accepted to the program has a unique group of students, individual goals and a dream of creating a dynamic learning experience that is the perfect fit for his/her students. To achieve this end, the week-long programs are collaboratively designed by the school teacher and the Museum School Coordinator.

Our goal is simple: by inviting students, teachers and family members to venture beyond the walls of their schools, we hope to travel with them on the journey of life and experience the interconnectedness of all things.

What Does Museum School Offer?

Exhibits:
A wide range of exhibits are available for your class to explore and study during their week on site. Learn about the past and present peoples of Alberta, Minerals, West Africa, Asian Art, Global Warriors and historical and contemporary art. These and many more educational opportunities await your class.
For a complete list of temporary and permanent museum exhibits, visit the Glenbow Museum website.

"Behind the Scenes" in the Glenbow's Artifact Storage Areas:
Visit Glenbow's storage areas where 98% of our collections are housed. Students meet curators and technicians to explore selected areas of the museum's collections. See how objects are stored and cared for and the extent of Glenbow's eclectic collections.

Museum School Coordinator:
The coordinator will support you throughout the planning stages and, once at Glenbow, can lead workshops to develop critical viewing and interpretive skills and supply you with hands-on objects and other resources.

Glenbow Staff:
Glenbow staff members are available to lead workshops on a variety of topics. Staff includes:

• Museum educators in art, settlement, fur trade, technology, native studies, mineralogy, Hindu and Buddhist symbolism and art, museum studies and practices
• Curators in art, military history, local history, and indigenous peoples of the world
• Artifact technicians
• Conservators
• Designers
• Writers
• Actors / Visual Artists / Dancers

Pre-Visit Workshop:
To help you prepare your students and volunteers for their week at Glenbow, a museum school educator will come to your school and conduct a hands-on workshop using museum artifacts. Workshops will include:

• What is a Museum?
• Glenbow's History
• What's at Glenbow
• Being Part of the Glenbow Team
• Museum RULES! (or things you need to know to be at Glenbow)
• Pest Control
• Handling Artifacts
• Looking Deeply
• Making Connections

Helpful Websites:
Glenbow Museum site
Writing Home Exploring literacy in museums
ArtsEdNet J. Paul Getty's Art Education site
Canada's Digital Collections Canadian collections from 400 sites.
Virtual Museum of Canada Act as a curator and create your own virtual exhibits

How to Apply

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