Reservations
Reservations are required for each school group (both docent-guided and teacher-guided). To request a reservation, send an application form to the Docent Council. The application is located in the column to your right; one application is required for each tour requested. Please allow at least three weeks for processing your application. You will receive a letter of confirmation. If we are unable to accommodate your group, we will contact you. The earliest postmark accepted for September-through-January docent- or teacher-guided tours is August 25, 2008. The earliest postmark accepted for February-through-June docent- or teacher-guided tours is December 1, 2008.
Prior to the docent-guided tours, a docent will call you to find out more about your students and how you have prepared them for their visit. While your students' curricular needs will be taken into consideration, requests for specific, tailored tours cannot be accommodated. Please be aware that LACMA will be undergoing changes during our construction project, including periodic gallery closures, which may result in changes to your scheduled tour.
Admission
Tours are free to school groups with a confirmation.
Group Size
Group size for docent-guided tours is a minimum of fifteen and a maximum of 120 (not including chaperones) per school per day. However, many tours have special size limits, which are noted in the individual descriptions. Group size for teacher-guided tours is limited to sixty students per school per day.
Chaperones and Their Responsibilities
One adult chaperone per ten students is required at all times. Chaperones are responsible for students' conduct and adherence to the rules for appropriate behavior in the galleries. Failure to properly supervise your students may result in your group being asked to leave the museum.
Entrance and Hours
Use the BP Grand Entrance located on Wilshire Boulevard at Ogden Avenue unless directed otherwise. You will meet your docents in front of the outdoor installation Urban Light. Please arrive fifteen minutes before the tour is scheduled to begin. The museum is closed to the public until noon, and you may not enter the galleries without a docent until that time. The museum offers school tours on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Classroom Preparation
Tours include printed previsit materials. For additional materials also appropriate as previsit preparation, attend Evenings for Educators.
Buses
Upon receipt of your confirmation, please secure your own transportation for your museum visit at once. Buses may park on Sixth Street (one block north of Wilshire Boulevard) or on Curson Avenue. If you carpool, metered parking is available on surrounding streets or you may use the Sixth Street garage. All-day parking is available for seven dollars with validation.
Lunch
All book bags, purses, and lunch bags must be left on the bus. Bags will not be permitted in the galleries. Picnicking is permitted at the tables outside the Ahmanson Building or in the park. Seating is not permitted in the Plaza Café or the surrounding patio. Students may bring sack lunches, or box lunches may be ordered from the café. Orders must be placed one week before your arrival. Please contact the Plaza Café at 323-857-4797.
Teacher-Guided Visits
School groups may tour the museum without a LACMA docent, but a scheduled appointment is necessary. Group size for teacher-conducted tours is limited to sixty people per school per day. Teacher-guided visits may begin when the museum opens to the public at noon. One adult chaperone is required for every ten students. Groups must be chaperoned at all times and yield to gallery tours conducted by LACMA staff and docents.
Special Requests
With advance notice, requests for school tours on different days or at different times will be considered on an individual basis. General tours of the permanent collection may be available in French and Spanish. Please submit a written request to the Docent Council.
Cancellations
To avoid cancellations, please check your school's calendar for test dates, holidays, and special activities before submitting your application. If you must cancel your appointment, call 323-857-6108 immediately, so that the docents for your tour may be notified. Please note that last-minute cancellations may result in loss of tour eligibility for the remainder of the school year.
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