DETROIT – Students and teachers can soon take a field trip to tour the exhibitions at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) for the first time since the pandemic struck.
DIA officials announced Thursday that schools can once again schedule field trips to the museum starting Oct. 5. After closing when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March of last year, the museum reopened its doors to the public months later. However, school field trips were still not permitted amid the museum’s reopening.
“We are so excited to welcome back students and educators to the DIA for field trips in October,” said Jason Gillespie, Director of Education Programs at the DIA. “It is hard to imagine that it has been 19 months since we’ve last heard the sounds of students and teachers exploring the galleries. Artie has missed you!”
Officials say the field trips will operate differently than before: School field trips to the DIA will be guided by the teachers visiting the museum, and not by museum gallery staff. Classroom teachers will walk their students through the museum, and they will have access to the DIA’s online teaching resources for lesson plans, writing prompts and more, officials said.
The museum hopes that in-person field trips guided by DIA staff will be available in early 2022.
According to officials, students and teachers will be required to wear face masks inside the DIA. Lunch and snack spaces will not be provided inside the museum for field trip groups.
Admission and bus transportation for school field trips are reportedly free for all K-12 schools in the counties of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne. Learn more about field trips to the DIA on the museum’s website right here.
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