The Toledo Museum of Art offers guided tours for K-12 students, led by trained volunteer Docents. Students explore and make connections between classroom learning and the museum experience. Volunteer Docents will guide your group to discover art from cultures and makers that contribute to an inclusive global history. Our guided tours help spark student imagination through guided looking and curiosity through collaborative activities that support school curriculum.

Docents use approximately five works of art. This focused approach gives students time to develop observation skills and critical thinking. We engage students through a range of learning strategies, including open-ended and guided questioning, conversation, small group activities, drawing, and writing.

We can accommodate K–12 homeschool groups for Docent-led tours. Homeschool groups will be charged $50 for their Docent-led tour. Pre-K groups can check out our Family Center. Volunteer Docents will guide your group to discover art from cultures and makers that contribute to an inclusive global history. Our guided tours help spark student imagination through guided looking and curiosity through collaborative activities that support curriculum.

Docents use approximately five works of art. This focused approach gives students time to develop observation skills and critical thinking. We engage students through a range of learning strategies, including open-ended and guided questioning, conversation, small group activities, drawing, and writing.

We're happy to welcome your college or university class on a Docent-led or self-guided visit. Tours can be customized to focus on specific galleries, mediums, or collection areas.

Want to bring a group to the museum, but don't need a Docent guide? Explore the galleries on your own, but please register group. 

We provide teacher resources that extend student learning from the classroom. These resources use hands-on and activity-based approaches, including curriculum areas, lesson plans, and writing prompts. Teachers can also use these downloadable resources to help bring the TMA collection into the classroom. 

Small group sizes are recommended. If you are bringing multiple classes, we require 1 chaperone per 10 students.

Experience the museum with family, friends, and colleagues by scheduling a private, custom tour with a volunteer Docent. Tours last about one hour, and you can choose from a variety of topics. While admission to the museum is free, the following rates apply to private tours; additional fees may apply for tours of special exhibitions.

Number of Visitors / Fee

5-15 people / $150 fee

16-30 people / $250 fee

31-45 people / $350 fee

46-60 people / $450 fee

Larger groups can be accommodated on a similar rate schedule.

Tour independently without a Docent. We ask that you submit a tour request form so we can best prepare for your visit.

Toledo Museum of Art guests are invited to experience the Museum’s collection and special exhibitions in different ways. Click here to learn more about tour accessibility at TMA. 

Touch Tours

Touch Tours, in collaboration with the Sight Center, are a free tour designed for guests who are blind or have low vision to engage with works of art. Each tour includes the opportunity to touch sculptures in the TMA galleries and have a guided discussion with trained Docents. All tours are Docent-led and must be scheduled in advance. Docents can accommodate a maximum of two guests for this tour type.

Register for touch tours

We can accommodate field trips of student groups of 10 to 100 and require one chaperone for every 10 students.

Bus parking is always free and located in lot #7 near the Glass Pavilion. We encourage buses to drop off the group at their designated drop-off before parking. A map will be included with your confirmation. Standard parking rates apply for groups parking personal vehicles in museum parking lots; as always, museum members park for free.

Currently the museum only offers an outdoor lunch space for school and other large groups at our picnic tables. This is on a first come, first served basis. The museum does not have any indoor lunch spaces for school groups available. If groups need an indoor space, we apologize, but we will not be able to accommodate you at this time. If possible, we recommend planning lunch back at school before or after your visit.

For an indoor space nearby, we encourage groups to look into Metroparks Toledo or the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.

We can accommodate K–12 homeschool groups for Docent-led tours. Homeschool groups will be charged $50 for their Docent-led tour. Pre-K groups can check out our Family Center.

Unfortunately, our volunteer Docents are not trained to tour Pre-K groups. Pre-K groups are welcome to check out our Family Center.

Our volunteer Docents are unable to accept tips, but you are welcome to make a donation to support the museum’s educational programming.

• Please talk! Get excited about art. Discussion leads to better understanding and appreciation.

• Stay about two feet away from artwork and do not touch.

• Backpacks, large purses, satchels, umbrellas, and other bulky items are not permitted in the galleries. Please check them at the door prior to your tour.

• Laser pointers are prohibited in the galleries.

• Please walk, not run, through the galleries.

• Handheld, non-flash photo and video cameras are welcome in the permanent collection galleries.

• Eating and drinking are permitted only in designated areas.

• Chewing gum and tobacco products are not permitted in the museum.