School Visits

Inspire your class with a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario. The AGO offers guided tours, art-making sessions, custom virtual tours and self-guided tours for students from JK - Grade 12. Select an option below that will work best for your students!

Our guided tours and studio sessions are 75 minutes long and can accommodate groups of up to 25 students. Our combo programs which include a 45 minute artmaking session and a 45 minute guided tour are 90 minutes long.

Guided (Tour or Studio) - 75 minutes
Combo Programs - 90 minutes
Self-Guided

All school visits must be booked in advance via the form below. Fees include access to a coat rack, spaces for your group to meet, lunch table seating, and designated drop-off and pick up locations.

Bookings must be made at least four(4) weeks prior to a guided gallery visit and at least three (3) days before a self-guided visit. Once we have received your booking request, an AGO representative will be in touch.

Guided Tours

Guided School Tours

Primary/Junior (JK - Grade 3)

Explore, Think, Wonder: Art and You!

In this guided tour students are invited to use the inquiry process through play-based learning to closely observe artworks, think deeply about their meanings, and let their imagination roam free with wonder.
Curriculum Connection: Kindergarten Curriculum, Language, Visual Art

Elementary (Grade 4 - 8)

Art and Identity

What does identity mean? How do artists express their personal and cultural identities through the works they create? In this tour, students analyze and reflect on diverse identities represented in the AGO's collection through the lens of their own lived experiences.
Curriculum Links: Visual Arts, Language

Diversity and Expression: FNMI Art and Artists

Explore artworks spanning mediums, to learn how FNMI (First Nations, Metis and Inuit) artists illuminate histories, connect to land and envision the future.
Curriculum Links: Language, Media Art, Language, Social Studies

Art and the Global Community

Art serves as a universal language that connects communities worldwide. In this guided tour, students will explore the collection through the lens of expression, creativity and empathy, while exploring global issues.
Curriculum Links: World Studies, Media Literacy, Language, Visual Art, History, Geography, Social Studies

Muse and Maker: Women and Art

Explore the powerful contributions of women artists throughout history and today. Unpack the diversity in styles from early innovators to contemporary trailblazers, discover how these artists have interpreted the world around them.
Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way – opening September 19
Pacita Abad – opening October 9
Curriculum Links: World Studies, Media Literacy, Language, Visual Art, History, Geography, Social Studies

High School (Grade 9 - 12)

Art, Identity and Intersectionality

Artists possess valuable insights about themselves and the world they inhabit. In this tour, students explore personal and cultural expressions of identity through art, while also examining the social and cultural influences that shape both individual and collective identities.
Curriculum Links: Visual Arts, Language

Diversity and Expression: FNMI Art and Artists

Art and the Global Community

Muse and Maker: Women and Art

Explore the powerful contributions of women artists throughout history and today. Unpack the diversity in styles from pioneering figures to contemporary trailblazers, discover how these artists have interpreted the world around them.
Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way – opening September 19
Pacita Abad – opening October 9
Curriculum Links: World Studies, Media Literacy, Language, Visual Art, History, Geography, Social Studies

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Guided Studios

Guided School Studios

Primary/Junior (JK - Grade 3)

hand holding paintbrush and paint palletes

Watercolour Exploration

In this guided studio, students will dive into the world of watercolours, experimenting with a variety of materials and techniques to create their own unique masterpieces. Students will learn the fundamentals of watercolours including color mixing, brushwork and layering while being encouraged to explore their creativity.
Curriculum: Visual Art

Collograph Printmaking

Students will focus on the elements of design while creating collograph prints using recycled materials. Students will explore printmaking vocabulary as they create their own artworks.
Curriculum: Visual Art

Elementary (Grade 4 - 8)

Collograph Printmaking

Students will focus on the elements of design while creating collograph prints using recycled materials. Students will design a compelling character connected with a literacy extension for the classroom. Students will explore printmaking vocabulary as they create their own artworks.
Curriculum: Visual Art

Lino Printmaking

Using soft linoleum blocks and carving tools, students will expand their printmaking vocabulary and create bold images while printing on paper. Students will also create a collaborative piece that showcases the diversity of perspectives and skills for their classroom.
Curriculum Links: Visual Art

Material Exploration - Art and the Creative Process

Inspired by artists in the collection, this studio invites students to explore the transformative power of materials to discover the endless possibilities they offer.
Curriculum Links: Visual Art

High School (Grade 9 - 12)

Collograph Printmaking

Lino Printmaking

Using soft linoleum blocks and carving tools, students will expand their printmaking vocabulary and create bold images while printing on paper and cloth patches.
Curriculum Links: Visual Art

Material Exploration - Art and the Creative Process

Inspired by artists in the collection, this studio invites students to explore the transformative power of materials to discover the endless possibilities they offer.
Curriculum Links: Visual Art

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Guided Tour and Studio Combo

Guided School Tours and Studios Combo

Combo Programs (Mini Tours and Mini Artmaking) - 10:15 - 11:45 AM

paint and brushes in foreground of students at tables in art class

Indigenous Collection

FNMI artists from different regions have created diverse and expressive works of art that reflect their identities, histories and visions. In this program, students will explore one Indigenous work in the collection and create a response in the studio. Students will create a personal work and create a collaborative work for the class.
Curriculum Links: Social Studies, Visual Art, FNMI

Artists and Storytellers: Artwork Spotlight

In this combo program, students will explore one artwork in the AGO’s collections to explore the diverse ways artists express themselves through materials. In the studio, students will then reimagine everyday objects and images, transforming them into captivating compositions rich with texture, symbols and narrative depth.
Curriculum Links: Visual Art, Media Art

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Self-Guided

Group Booking - School Self-Guided Description

All Grade Levels (JK - Gr. 12)

Book a self guided tour to explore with your class at your own pace. Beginning September 2024, to help provide the best experience all school visits will need to be booked online in advance. Your booking includes quick entry for school groups, access to lunch table seating, access to coatracks, and access to all exhibitions and gallery spaces for the day.

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BOOK NOW

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School Visits FAQs

Do I need to be a TAP member to book a school visit?

No. All school educators are welcome to book. To learn more about the AGO's free Teachers' Access Program (TAP) and to find out how you can enjoy complimentary General Admission all year long and receive invitations to teacher events, click here.

Are school tours free for TAP members?

No. To provide the best experience and ensure that all school groups have access to lunch table seating, a quick entry, dedicated pick up and drop off locations and access to a coat rack in the Weston Family Learning Centre, all school visits must be booked online in advance and fees apply. Being a member of the AGO’s Teachers’ Access Program entitles teachers to individual free admission to the AGO Collection and special exhibitions throughout the year.

If my group all have annual passes, do I need to schedule and pay for a self-guided tour?

Annual passes guarantee free admission for individual admission only. To provide the best experience and ensure that all school groups have access to lunch table seating, a quick entry, dedicated pick up and drop off locations and access to a coat rack in the Weston Family Learning Centre, all school visits must be booked online in advance and fees apply.

Are guided tours offered in French?

French-language guided tours, and artmaking studios are dependent on the availability of museum educators. When booking, please specify that your request is for a French-language tour, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Are parent chaperones included in the cost of a school visit?

Yes, provided that the total group doesn’t exceed 25 persons, and the number of accompanying adults doesn’t exceed the following teacher-student ratio. For groups JK to Grade 3, we ask for one teacher for every five students. For Grade 4 to 6, we ask for one teacher for every eight students. For Grades 7 to 8, we ask for one teacher for every ten students, and for Grades 9 to 12 we want one teacher for every twelve students. For more information, please contact [email protected].

What teacher resources are available ahead of my visit?

Free downloadable materials, including artist spotlights and videos, are available here. To download a map of the AGO, click here.

How long are the guided programs and when are they offered?

Guided tours and art-making programs are 75 minutes long. Combo programs are 90 minutes long and include 45 minutes of art-making and 45 minutes in the gallery where 1 artwork will be explored. Guided tours are offered Tuesday through Friday, and studio programs are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Who do I contact for help with the booking form?

For all questions regarding school visits at the AGO, please contact [email protected]