Planning and Requesting a Student Group Visit
What is the contact information for Tour Services?
Email:
tourservices@vmfa.museum
Phone: (804) 340-1419
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am–4:30 pm, excluding holidays
How do I schedule a student group visit to VMFA?
To schedule a visit to the VMFA:
- First decide if you would like a guided tour or a self-directed visit.
- Choose three dates and times that work best for your group. Quick tip: Be sure to check the calendar for school holidays, testing dates and bus availability before submitting your request.
- Complete and submit the Student Group Request Form at least three weeks in advance of your anticipated visit date.
- Within 5 business days, a member of the Tour Services team will send you an email to let you know if we were able to schedule your visit. Upon booking, you will receive a separate confirmation email that includes visit details, as well as our Museum Guidelines and Parking Map.
What is a guided tour and how much does it cost?
There is no fee for our guided student tours! Our tour guides lead student groups on 50 minute (in some instances, 90 minute) interactive experiences through the permanent collection. We offer interactive, multidisciplinary programs for students in grades K – 12 that complement the Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools.
What guided tour topics do you offer?
All kinds! Our tours are designed to address a variety of SOL-based subject matter. Check out our
SOL-Based Permanent Collection Tours for K-12 to read the descriptions of our current tour offerings. While there, be sure to note the maximum number of students allowed for your tour(s) of interest.
How many students can attend a guided tour?
The minimum number of students needed to book a guided tour is 10 students. The maximum number of students allowed on a guided tour depends on certain factors, namely tour guide availability and gallery capacity. To see the maximum number of students allowed on a particular tour, please visit
SOL-Based Permanent Collection Tours for K-12.
What is a self-directed visit?
A self-directed visit is just what it sounds like – teachers and chaperones lead their students around the Museum rather than being led by a tour guide. A self-directed group has the freedom to do its own thing! Feel free to roam the Museum at your own pace and see whatever strikes your fancy! And be sure to check out our available
online resources, which can help you plan your visit!
Do I need to schedule a self-directed visit?
Yes! Please contact Tour Services to book your self-directed visit. We will put your group on our schedule and send you information about resources, as well as an electronic copy of our Museum Guidelines and Parking Map. Self-directed groups can visit any day of the week during Museum hours!
How many students can I bring for a self-directed visit?
We would recommend bringing no more than 150 students for the day. If you are bringing a large group, plan to break up into several smaller groups of no more than 10-15 students per group. Once you arrive, have those groups spread out and visit several different galleries independently. Please remember, we require 1 chaperone per 10 students, and chaperones must accompany their groups at all times.
How many chaperones do you require?
We require one adult chaperone for every 10 students. This is for both guided tours and self-directed visits. Upon arrival, chaperones must stay with their students for the duration of their visit. All chaperones must be at least 18 years of age and are responsible for the conduct of their students while visiting the Museum.
Are there resources available that we can use to plan our visit?
Yes! We have all sorts of online resources available on a wide variety of topics! These resources can help you plan your visit and guide your lessons in the classroom. Please visit
Learn to see what online resources are available.
We want to purchase tickets for a special exhibition. What do we need to do?
The first step is to complete our special exhibition tour request form. Once we receive that, we will check on ticket availability, book your tickets, and send you a confirmation email that contains your invoice. Your payment will be due no less than 14 days prior to the date of your visit. Payment can be made by check or credit card. Once payment is made, you will receive a second email that has your receipt attached. Bring the receipt with you to present to the ticket taker at the exhibition entrance and you are all set!
Do you offer guided tours of special exhibitions?
This depends on the exhibition. If you would like to find out if guided tours are available for a particular special exhibition, please contact Tour Services.
We can’t physically come to the museum. Do you offer any distance learning options?
The Evans Distance Learning Program might be a perfect fit! Please visit the
Evans Distance Learning Program page for details.
What do I need to do if I have to cancel or reschedule my visit?
If you need to cancel or reschedule your visit, please contact Tour Services at (804) 340-1419 or email
tourservices@vmfa.museum with as much advance notice as Please note: We will make every effort to reschedule your visit if you wish to do so, but guided tours are booked based on tour guide availability and may no longer be available.
School is closed because of inclement weather. Do we need to cancel our visit?
Yes. When the decision has been made for your school to close, please call Tour Services (804) 340-1419 or email
tourservices@vmfa.museum as soon as possible to let us know that you need to cancel your visit. If you would like to reschedule, we will do our best to accommodate your request. Please note, guided tours are booked based on tour guide availability and may not be available. If we are unable to reschedule your group for a guided tour, we would then suggest booking a self-directed visit.
Is there artwork that may be inappropriate for my students?
As a fine arts museum with an encyclopedic collection of objects that span over 5.000 years of world history, we have content that some teachers or parents may feel is inappropriate for young visitors. If you have concerns, we suggest previewing the art before visiting the museum with your students.
We are bringing several classes and have scheduled each class for a guided tour. What should our groups do when they are not on their guided tours?
Great question! If you are scheduled for multiple group tours in a single day, our suggestion is to have the non-touring groups visit the Sculpture Garden, the VMFA Gift Shop, have lunch or a snack, visit our Interactive Gallery, or pick up some art prompt cards in the Start Orientation Space and use those to do some activities in the galleries. Just check with your tour guide to make sure you won’t be visiting galleries that will be used on your guided tour. Be sure to be back at the School Group Entrance about 5 – 10 minutes before your guided tour time begins.
Can we do an art activity?
The Start Orientation Space has art prompt cards that you can pick up and take into our permanent collection galleries for a self-directed experience. You can also visit our Interactive Gallery, which is a thematic, interactive, and educational space that includes a self-directed art activity. Generally, the gallery theme is related to one of our exhibitions. The gallery is free and open to the public. We do not have a studio/classroom available for student groups to do art activities or have visit discussions.
Where should we park?
Check out our parking map! School buses, charter buses, and oversized vans may park on the side of the Parking Deck. This designated space can accommodate six buses at a time and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Parking Deck is open for individual cars or passenger vans measuring under 7 feet tall and 18 feet long ($6 per vehicle). VMFA Members park for free. Street parking is also available around the Museum.
We are here. Now where do we go?
Buses should drop student groups off at the School Group Entrance, not the Main Entrance. The School Group Entrance location can be found on our
parking map. Please check in at the School Group Entrance security desk. If you are having a guided tour, this is where you will meet your docents.
What happens if we arrive late for our guided tour?
Please make every effort to be on time. Arriving late may result in a shortened guided tour, or possibly cancellation, depending on arrival time. If the tour needs to be cancelled, the group is welcome to do a self-directed visit while at the museum.
Where can our group eat lunch?
Student groups have a few different options for eating lunch while visiting the VMFA:
- Sculpture Garden – Groups are welcome to eat bag lunches in the Sculpture Garden. There are several sets of tables and chairs set up throughout the grounds, or you can bring picnic blankets and have a picnic on the grass. If you are interested in a spectacular view, have your group take their lunches up to The Belvedere – it overlooks the entire Museum!
- Best Café – Lunch items can be purchased and eaten in Best Café. Bag lunches are not allowed in the Café. For groups of 20 or more please call the Café Manager at least one day in advance of your visit to ensure proper staffing and food quantities. (804) 340-1576 or email foodservice@vmfa.museum. Menu items are a la carte and range from $3 – $14. Seating is first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved.
- Byrd Park – This park has picnic facilities and is just a five minute drive from the museum.
- VMFA Lunchroom – The indoor lunchroom can accommodate a maximum of 40 students at one time and must be reserved at least two weeks in advance of your visit. Please contact Special Events at (804) 340-1590 or email specialevents@vmfa.museum to reserve the space. Tour Services does not book the lunchroom. If the lunchroom is not available, please choose one of the above options or make alternative plans if inclement weather is expected.
Can we bring bag lunches and coolers into the Museum?
Bag lunches/drinks and coolers can be stored in the student coatroom or left on the bus. Food and drink items, including gum and candy, are not allowed in the galleries. Bag lunches may only be eaten outdoors or in the lunchroom.
Can I order box lunches for my group?
Yes. If you plan to eat inside the Café, boxed lunches are available for groups of 20 or more guests. Boxed lunches typically include a sandwich, bag of chips, cookie, and beverage. Prices vary depending upon your needs. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call the Café Manager at (804) 340-1576 to order boxed lunches for your group.
Is there a place to store things like backpacks, coats, and umbrellas?
Backpacks, umbrellas, and coats can be stored in the student coatroom or left on the bus or in cars. These items are not permitted in the galleries.
Does the Museum have writing supplies such as clipboards and paper?
The Museum has clipboards and paper available for student groups. Please contact Tour Services at least one week in advance of your visit to reserve those supplies.
Can we bring a medical bag into the galleries?
If you are bringing a bag that contains emergency information/medical supplies, please visit the Student Group Entrance security desk upon arrival so that Security can put an identification sticker on your bag. You may then carry the bag with you into the galleries and around the Museum.
Do you have audio tours?
Audio Tours are available for selected exhibitions and the permanent collection onsite and on the museum’s website. Transcripts of current VMFA Audio Tours are available in Large Print for partially sighted visitors at the Visitor Services Desk. Transcripts are also available for download on the Museum website.
Can students touch works of art in the Museum? What about outdoors in the Sculpture Garden?
Thanks for asking!
The simple answer is NO. This is the golden rule for
all visitors! Artworks –
indoors and outdoors – art cases/platforms and even gallery walls should not be touched or leaned upon. We ask that all visitors maintain a safe distance between themselves and the art, as even the lightest touch can damage a work of art. With care and safekeeping, these works will be here for many generations to enjoy.
So, what is a good distance to maintain? A good rule of thumb is to keep an arm’s length between you and the art.
Who are the people dressed in black shirts and pants that are posted throughout the museum?
These are our Museum Associates and they can be found in all museum areas. Associates are here to welcome visitors and to help. If any of your students or chaperones have a question or need assistance, they should feel comfortable in asking an associate for assistance. Additionally, Museum Associates are here to help protect the art. Please be aware that many associates travel from gallery to gallery, so you might see many of the same people in various locations. Associates pay attention to all visitors to ensure that they are not getting too close to the art, and to make sure visitors aren’t carrying items not allowed in the galleries that can be a danger to the art. Those items should be left in the student coatroom.
Can students take photos during their visit?
Yes! Non-flash photography is allowed in our permanent collection galleries and for some special exhibitions. Please check with Tour Services if you are coming to a special exhibition and wish to know if photography is allowed. Flash photography, tripods, and selfie-sticks are not allowed.
Is sketching permitted in the galleries?
Yes! Students can sketch and write in the galleries, with graphite pencil only. Colored pencils and pens are not allowed. Sketch pads must not exceed 18 x 24 inches. While sketching, students should be mindful of visitor traffic. Sketching may not be permitted in some special exhibitions.
I have a writing assignment for my students to do while at the Museum. Is this allowed?
Yes! We would suggest bringing clipboards and pencils for your students. Visitors are not allowed to lean on object cases or the walls, so clipboards are a great way for students to work on their assignments. Additionally, students should avoid sitting on the floor if at all possible. If sitting, students should be mindful of visitor traffic.
What is the Gift Shop policy for student groups?
Students groups must always be accompanied by chaperones when visiting the Gift Shop. The ratio is 1 adult chaperone to 10 students. We would ask that no more than 10 students enter the gift shop at one time.