School Tours in Major New York City Art Museums: Structures, Programs, and Perspectives

School tours programs are the most common and frequently used way that K-12 students are exposed to art museums in New York City.  Museum educators have been leading school groups through museums in guided tours for many decades, but since the 1970s the practice has become more professionalized.  Not only are the tours themselves designed with a greater attention to learning theories and school curriculum, but many major museums in NYC now staff school tours with paid educators rather than volunteer docents.