Whitney Museum Frequently-asked Education Questions

Whitney Museum Frequently Asked Education Questions

GENERAL EDUCATION QUESTIONS
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
K-12 SCHOOL TOURS
YOUTH PROGRAMS
FAMILY PROGRAMS
SENIOR PROGRAMS
FREE PUBLIC TOURS
GROUP TOURS
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY GROUP TOURS
POST-GRADUATE PROGRAMS

GENERAL MUSEUM QUESTIONS

How do I purchase tickets for public programs?
You can purchase tickets two ways: You can purchase tickets for all programs in the Museum Lobby. You can also purchase tickets for MOST programs over the phone at 1 (877) WHITNEY for a small service charge.

Do I have to make reservations for education programs?
We suggest that you purchase tickets in advance or make reservations for all of our public programs including lectures, courses, and symposia, as well as educator, family, and youth programs by following the correct reservation procedure for each program.

Are there any tickets left for tonight’s?
To find out the day of a program whether it has sold out, please contact Visitor Services at (212) 570-7793 or 1 (877) Whitney.

Do you have any information about the special social events held at the Whitney?
To find out information about any non-Whitney-organized “special event,” please call Special Events at (212) 671-5319.

Do you provide docent tours for special exhibitions and if so when are they?
We provide docent tours for most of our exhibitions every day that the Museum is open to the public. Please call 1 (800) WHITNEY to get a complete listing of tours.

How can I sign up for your mailing list?
Please select the "Join Our Mailing List" tab at the bottom of this and all pages on whitney.org or click here.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Are there still places available for tonight?
Visitor Services can answer questions about availability at upcoming programs. Please call (212) 570-7793.

I am an emerging artist living in New York City. Can I participate in the IPO: New Artists, New Curators program?
Selection for IPO is invitational. We invite an independent curator to choose an artist to feature.

How do I arrange for my event/program/publication to happen at the Whitney?
The Whitney does not solicit proposals for events from outside parties. The majority of our programs are created in conjunction with exhibitions currently on display at the Museum. On some occasions we collaborate with other cultural institutions in order to create programs addressing broad contemporary cultural concerns.

Are members able to gain admission to a program that is already sold out?
Unfortunately our space is very limited, and fire codes do not allow for standing room only. We cannot legally accommodate beyond capacity. We do not set aside tickets for purchase the day of the event, therefore it is advisable to reserve your seat in advance.

How can I find out about tonight’s event for members?
For information about member events, please call (212) 570-7781.

K–12 SCHOOL TOURS

What does the Whitney Museum offer for K–12 students?
The Whitney offers guided tours and multisession school programs. Please visit our Programs for Educators page.

When do you offer guided tours?
School tours are offered Tuesday through Friday beginning at 10 am. The duration of a tour is 1 1/2 hours for permanent collection tours and 1 hour for special exhibition tours.

What size group can I bring and how many adults should accompany my class?
School groups are expected to observe the following guidelines with regard to maximum group size and the number of accompanying adults: grades K–6: thirty (with three chaperones); grades 7–12: fifteen (with two chaperones); special needs: twelve (with three chaperones).

When do you offer high school dispersal visits?
High school dispersal visits are available Wednesday and Thursday, 11 am–5 pm; Friday, 1–5 pm; and Saturday and Sunday, 11 am–5 pm. Maximum group size: sixty (with one chaperone per fifteen students). Groups disperse in subgroups of no more than four students.

Do you offer self-guided tours?
9th through 12th grade classes can schedule a nonguided visit to the Whitney. Groups arrive at the Museum together and then disperse throughout the galleries.

Do you offer tours for non-school groups?
Educator-guided group tours are available for local arts organizations, community groups, parents' associations, children's groups, and after-school programs. The Museum also offers guided tours for adults. For more information, visit the Tours page.

What exhibitions are available for viewing?
The Museum offers school tours of most major exhibitions. To read about current exhibitions, please go to the Exhibitions section.

Is the Whitney wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the Whitney is wheelchair accessible.

Does the Whitney schedule tours for classes with special needs?
With advance request, sign-language interpretation is available for a nominal fee.

How much do Museum visits cost?
For guided tours: New York City public schools: free; non–New York City public schools: K–6, $175; 7–12, $125 (includes Museum educator fee and admission). For high school dispersal visits: New York City public schools: free; non–New York City public schools: $5.50 per student and $9.50 per chaperone.

How do I schedule a Museum visit?
To schedule a school tour, high school dispersal visit, community group tour, or pre-visit slide presentation, please call (212) 570-7721 or email schoolvisits@whitney.org at least four weeks in advance.

What information should I have ready when I call to schedule a tour?
When you are ready to schedule a tour, the school group scheduler will need to know the following information:

School name
Tour date requested
Tour time requested
Grade
Number of students
Number of adults
Contact name
Home telephone number
School telephone number
School or home address to which you'd like us to mail your confirmation packet
Email
Exhibition you'd like to view
Museum Educator-Guided Tour or high school dispersal visit
Administrative region number (if NYC public school)
Special needs

This information is available alone on a printable page by clicking here.

How can I prepare my class for their visit?
Educator passes provide an opportunity for educators to preview an exhibition once before a class visit to the Museum. To request a pass, please send a letter on school letterhead to

Whitney Museum of American Art
Education Department
Attn: Educator Passes
945 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021

The museum also provides pre- and post-visit materials for educators to use as a resource in the classroom before and after a Museum visit. They are available online for you to downloaded to your computer and print.

For Manhattan elementary school students the Whitney can arrange a free pre-visit session in the classroom with Whitney-trained volunteers from the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW).

YOUTH PROGRAMS

How can I become a Youth Insights participant?
Find out how by visiting the Youth2Youth.org resources page. From there you can download a Youth Insights application.

How can I find out more about the Youth Insights Program?
You can learn more about the program by visiting the Youth Insights website or go directly to the website's program description.

Do I have to be in high school to become a Youth Insights participant?
Yes, but you can be in high school or junior high school to attend our events.

Do I have to be a Youth Insight participant to come to the any of the Youth2Youth events at the Whitney?
No, if you are a teenager you can attend any of theYouth2Youth events. For a schedule of our upcoming events go to the Youth Programs calendar of events.

Do I have to pay to attend a Youth2Youth program or to get into the museum?
No, all Youth2Youth programs are free for high school students with proof of age. Entrance to the Museum is free any time to New York City public high school students with ID.

Do I have to live in New York State to be a Youth Insights participant?
Yes, you have to live in the five boroughs to be a Youth Insights participant, but not to attend any of our free events. For a schedule of our upcoming events go to the Youth Programs calendar of events.

Can educators and groups attend the Youth Insights events?
Yes, we welcome educators and school groups.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Can I drop my child off at one of the Whitney Museum's Family Programs?
The Education department maintains that a child’s education is best supported when the parents or adult caregivers are actively involved, and therefore programs are designed for children and adults to participate and learn together.

Do I need to bring art supplies for family programs?
The Museum educator provides all art supplies necessary for art workshops and sketching activities. You are welcome to bring your own sketchbook if you like.

Are there any programs that we can attend without registering in advance?
Look Out! tours are free with Museum admission and visitors can drop in without preregistering. The tour begins in the Museum lobby by the large elevator. It is advisable to register in advance for all other programs.

Are there any programs that I can attend with a group of children on a weekend?
You are welcome to bring up to fifteen children ages 7 to 11 years old and a minimum of two adults to a Look Out! Tour on Saturday 12–1pm. Please call (212) 570-7745 a week in advance to schedule.

How can I receive a free pass to visit the Whitney Museum with my child?
Call (212) 570-7745 to receive a free Whitney Kids pass to visit the Museum for one day with up to six guests.

For what age children are your programs designed?
Look Out! Tours are designed for kids ages 7 to 11 years old and their adult caregivers. Family Day is for children ages 4 to 11 years old and adult friends. Family Fun! Workshops and American Stories are for children 5 to 10 years old and accompanying adults. Whitney Wees are for children 3 to 5 years old and accompanying adults. Please call (212) 570-7745 for further information.

How do I get to the Museum?
Please visit the general information page for directions to the Museum.

SENIOR PROGRAMS

I am a senior and would like to come to a Senior Day.
Programs for Seniors—among them Senior Days—are organized in collaboration with senior centers on selected days. Seniors interested in participating in our programs for seniors should contact their community center.

I saw a flyer about the lecture series for seniors, and I would like to participate. How can I sign up?
All programs for seniors are organized in collaboration with specific senior centers. Please contact your center.

I am a senior center director. How do I arrange for a Whitney lecturer to come to us next week?
Our on-site visits occur primarily in the summer. To make arrangements for a program at your center, please call (212) 570-7715 at least two months in advance. Senior Days are scheduled on particular days when the Museum is closed to the public. To sign up for one of these days, please call (212) 570-7715 at least two months in advance.

FREE PUBLIC TOURS

What is the schedule of free tours for adults?
Daily tours are offered of major exhibitions. No reservations are necessary. Schedules of tours are available at the Membership and Information Desk in the Lobby or by calling (212) 570-3676.

How do I sign up for a tour?
There is no need to make reservations.

How much time do I need to use the audioguide?
It's up to you. If you take the self-guided tour, you can see the works in any order you choose and listen for as long as you like. Or you might consider taking the hour-long Director's Tour narrated by Whitney director Adam Weinberg. The Director's Tour is a wonderful introduction to the Whitney and its history and collections.

How do I become a Whitney docent?
At present the Whitney Docent program is not accepting any applications. If you are familiar with the Whitney Museum and interested in donating some of your valuable time to the institution, please consider becoming a Membership and Information Desk volunteer. For further information, contact Elise Pustilnik at memberinfo@whitney.org.

GROUP TOURS

How do I schedule a visit for my private group?
To schedule a guided group tour or a self-guided visit, please email grouptours@whitney.org or call (212) 570-7721.

What hours are available for group visits?
Adult groups requesting Museum tour guides may schedule tours on Tuesday through Friday from 2 pm until closing, and all day on Saturday and Sunday. Groups of ten or more can schedule self-guided visits at any time during the Museum's open hours.

Are there any size limits on groups?
Guided groups have no size limits. However, groups larger than twenty must request additional guides, as each guide can accompany no more than twenty visitors. Groups on self-guided visits must have ten or more people in order to qualify for the discounted admission fee.

What information will I need in order to schedule my private group?
Please be prepared to give us the following information:

The name of your group
The number of people in your group
The type of tour you prefer: a guided tour led by a Whitney Teaching Fellow or a self-guided tour with an audio guide
The preferred date and time of your visit
The preferred exhibition for your tour, if any
A contact name with address, phone number, and email address

How much will my private group tour cost?
Groups of any size that request a museum tour guide are charged a discounted admission fee of $9.50 per person plus an hourly rate of $125 per tour guide. All other ticketing fees are waived. Groups of ten or more who make advance reservations for self-guided visits are charged the discounted rate of $9.50 per person. All other ticketing fees are waived.

Do Whitney members have to pay the admission fee if they come with a group?
No. Whitney members are exempt from the $9.50 admission fee whether they come alone or with a group. However, members requesting guided tours are subject to the regular hourly rate of $125 per tour guide.

Who leads guided group tours?
Guided group tours are led by specially trained Whitney Teaching Fellows, who either hold or are completing PhDs in art history.

How can I arrange for tea at Sarabeth's before or after my group tour?
To make group arrangements for Sarabeth's at the Whitney, please call David at (212) 570-3670.

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY GROUP TOURS

What does the Whitney Museum offer for college and university groups?
College and university instructors can schedule a self-guided group visit to the Museum. The instructor may choose to lead students as a group or allow them to disperse throughout the galleries. College and university groups may also choose to take a guided tour with a Whitney Teaching Fellow. Please see our section on adult group tours for more information.

How much does a university self-guided visit cost?
CUNY and Columbia groups: free; all other colleges and universities: $9.50 per student, plus a $25 fee for professors who plan to lecture to their students while in the galleries. Reservations are required for all university self-guided visits.

Which exhibitions are available for viewing?
All Whitney exhibitions are available to self-guided groups.

Where can I find more information about the exhibitions?
For information about our exhibitions, please go to Exhibitions.

How do I schedule a university self-guided visit?
For more information or to schedule a university self-guided visit, please call (212) 570-7721 or email schoolvisits@whitney.org at least four weeks in advance.

What information should I have ready when I call to schedule a visit?
When you are ready to schedule a visit, the school group scheduler will need to know the following information:

College/University name
Tour date requested
Tour time requested
Total number of participants
Exhibition you'd like to view
Will your students self guide or will you lecture to them?
Telephone number
Address to which you'd like the visit confirmation sent

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POST-GRADUATE PROGRAMS

How do I apply to become a Whitney Teaching Fellow?
At present the Whitney Teaching Fellows program is not accepting applicants. Future Teaching Fellows openings will be posted in the College Art Association listings. You may also send a letter of interest along with your current C.V. to:

Kathryn Potts, head of exhibition interpretation
Department of Education
945 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021

What is the Whitney Independent Study Program (ISP)?
ISP is an educational program for advanced study of the history of art and architecture, studio art and art criticism. Information regarding ISP is on the whitney.org site. You can also contact someone at the following number and address:

Whitney Museum of American Art ISP
100 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10013
Telephone: (212) 431-1737
Fax: (212) 431-1783

How do I apply for the Whitney Independent Study Program?
Guidelines for applying to the Whitney Independent Study Program are available online. You may also call (212) 431-1737.

How do I apply for the Museum Studies Masters Degree Program at Columbia University?
Applications and information on the program are available online at the Columbia University website or by clicking here. For additional information please check Columbia's art history department website or call (212) 854-4507.