B.Y.U. M.O.A. is F.U.N.

I love Brigham Young University's Museum of Art. But I think I really fell in love with it the night my mom and I went and laughed till we cried at the book Unlikely Pairs in the reading room with Minerva Tiechart's murals.
But wait, it gets better. We were admiring a crackled painting of an angel and my mom wondered outloud if it was really crackled-or just looked like it. "Just touch it mom-you can tell then" (I am wicked)
--AND SHE DID!! (she is wicked-er!)
Instantly there was a security guard behind us telling her to keep "20" away from the artwork Ma'am."
"Geez, I'd think you don't know anything about art" I mumbled--getting the incredulous mom face as she feined innocence then burst out laughing at my mocking. (she is an artist)
And the security guard followed us untill they closed...
Good times, good times.

So we've been going to the BYU MOA  Adventures in Art Workshop since the beginning. It is really perfect. Geared to 4-12y/o children are led on a 30 minute guided tour of one of their new exhibits. The programs really speak to their audience by asking questions and having lots of search-and-find experiences, usually with manipulatives involved.

My kids have learned about  texture in paintings then done a rubbings of an elephant's foot, tried on an indian headdress like the portrait behind them, and made clay genie lamps after a tour all about Islam.

I love to recommend it to others but find myself looking sideways to see who's nearby first, because-while it's really great-I don't want that many people going. I mean-then there might not be space for my kids.