The Krannert Art Museum—Week at the Museum (KAM—WAM) and Day at the Museum (KAM—BAM) programs are a partnership with Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana School District #116. In these programs, children have the opportunity to attend school at the museum for an extended amount of time—either a full-day or even a full-week.
Krannert Art Museum has also extended its reach into the greater Champaign County community through its Art Speak Teen Program, which is a partnership with Rantoul Township High School District 193.
If you would like to discuss how to bring these programs to your school or if you have other ideas to suggest, please contact us.
KAM Pen Pals
KAM Pen Pals is a museum initiative to stay in touch with our friends from neighboring schools in Champaign, Urbana, and beyond.
Krannert Art Museum educators will send letters, addressed to your class or grade, that contain images of artworks from our collection, artmaking prompts, and other activities. Your students will have an opportunity to write back to the museum to share their work, ask questions, and continue the correspondence.
Please fill out the KAM Pen Pals Form to participate.
Art Speak Teen Program
Since 2006, twelve creative students from Rantoul Township High School have been participating in this annual museum internship program. During this semester-long program, they explore creative expression through the visual arts, writing, and performance. In addition to several meetings at RTHS, they engage in several museum events: they tour the museum, participate in the open-mic event SPEAK Café, and help staff the Kids @ Krannert family festival.
Meet the Art Speak Teens and see their projects.
KAM–WAM and KAM–BAM Programs
In the KAM–WAM and KAM–BAM programs, Champaign and Urbana public elementary school students have the unique opportunity to attend school at KAM for intensive study for a full day or a week. The goal of the programs is for students to learn in a different context where they can engage with original artwork in a public space within their community. The programs help students cultivate and broaden their perspectives of a variety of global cultures while making connections to their own experiences and the world around them. Simultaneously, the programs strive to encourage both students and teachers to see art as a vehicle for making learning fun and engaging.
Two Levels of Engagement
KAM–WAM: The original week at the museum
KAM–BAM: One day at the museum
Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, KAM-WAM and KAM-BAM programs are currently on hiatus. Virtual tours for K-12 school groups are now available.
What Teachers are Saying
What was the best part of the KAM–BAM/WAM program for your students?
The level of engagement for my students was awesome to see…They were so insightful and it reminded me that children can do amazing things, they just need the opportunity.
Seeing the students succeed looking at art as intensely as they do is really fantastic to see. They are really able to talk about the art they saw in a high level way. I love seeing them excited about what they learned.
Seeing some students that struggle in a traditional school setting just really enjoying learning.
I loved watching my students feel so successful, happy, and creative.
I wish everyday was like this! Students who do not usually engage were doing so. Our "high flyers" were active but in the appropriate way.
Our students enjoyed every moment. I think they loved having different teachers/ sessions throughout the day, as well as learning about art in such a hands-on, meaningful way. Our students look forward to this week for years. That they are invited to come for a whole week helps them to become a part of the museum. They truly feel that they belong there.
- Seeing students shine when they don't normally shine in the classroom. I really liked seeing all the students feel successful, especially those who don't have the most academic success.
What was the best part of the KAM–BAM/WAM program for you professionally?
I felt like I was provided the freedom to try out lessons that I normally could not teach in a public school setting.
I am inspired and happy when I work with the museum staff, and I see teachers light up and become rejuvenated with the experience…KAM WAM helps keep us alive!
I am truly rejuvenated in my teaching career by this experience.
- I feel that this is the ideal way of teaching…Students show incredible creativity and problem solving while at the museum. I feel that I am best able to facilitate that thinking with the opportunities that I am also offered at KAM.
