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International Museum Day

The 2022 theme for International Museum Day (IMD), held on May 18th, is The Power of Museums. According to the International Council of Museums, the objective of IMD is to raise awareness of museums as “an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation, and peace among peoples.” Check out these classroom resources related to museum collections and virtual field trip opportunities. 

Grades 4-12

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection Stories

These captivating short stories focus on items from historical events and famous people, such as the dress worn by Carlotta Walls as she entered Little Rock Central High School for the first time in 1957. Find more by clicking Explore and Collections.

Grades 2-12

MetKids

Explore over 5,000 years of art in exciting ways on this vibrant, interactive site from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Watch Videos page teaches about celebrations, shares art made by kids, and offers directions on how to create art.

Grades 8-12

Disability History Museum

This museum's mission is to raise awareness of the ways culture, identity, and law have helped define the lives of those with disabilities. Visit the Education page to find seven thorough lesson plans with objectives, study guides, and lesson activities.

Grades 6-12

Americans

Take students on a virtual field trip to the National Museum of the American Indian’s Americans exhibit, which captures the evolution of American Indian identity since before the birth of the US. Click the images to learn more about the artifacts shared.

Grades 7-12

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Learn about the Holocaust through the resources offered by the Holocaust Museum. Explore the many free resources for educators, including lesson plans, guidelines for teaching the Holocaust, and poster sets. There are also free virtual events.

Grades 6-12

Google Arts and Culture

Visit more than 2,000 museums without leaving home through the lens of Google Arts & Culture. Explore the studios of famous artists, take a selfie to find a piece of art that looks like you, or take virtual tours of historical cities.

Grades 3-8

National Cowboy Museum - Online Unit Studies

Read and learn information about the exploration and pioneers of the American West through several online study units for middle school students. Each unit includes an introduction, images, discussion questions, and a few teaching activities.

Grades 8-12

BLVRD - Art. Virtually. Anywhere.

BLVRD offers virtual field trips (including some VR and AR experiences) and virtual access to the world's best-known art collections and cultural sites. You’ll also find curriculum ideas, timelines, and other resources under Education.

Grades 7-12

Imperial War Museums

The Imperial War Museums are a family of five museums in the United Kingdom focusing on conflicts from World War I to the present. Go to the Learn page and choose Home Learning Hub to peruse teaching suggestions, videos, and more.

Grades 4-12

Smithsonian Learning Lab

Discover, create, and share digital resources from the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and nine major research centers with this visually appealing site. Use the search feature to find digital resources, such as photos, recordings, videos, and text.

Grades K-12

The Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum in Maryland opened in 1934 and offers a complete virtual experience on this site. Click Menu, then Experience to find the Virtual Museum. You can also use the search bar to find lesson plans and other educational resources.

This Week at TeachersFirst

Registration has opened for our summer book club! Read the details below and register today. We also invite you to join us for our next OK2Ask virtual workshop on Tuesday and our bimonthly Twitter chat on Thursday. Don’t forget to read our related blog post and give your input on our weekly poll!