The Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford (Cantor Arts Museum) is a fantastic place to take your child/ren on a weekday. Admission is free, the galleries are diverse and there is a lovely Rodin sculpture garden with a sprawling lawn if your child gets antsy and needs a break.
Keep in mind ...
- If the museum is really busy you may have to check your stroller and bags.
- Parking can be a little tricky so make sure to watch signs and avoid a parking ticket.
- The museum has a book store and cafe featuring healthy treats ($$) on the main level next to the left side entrance facing the Rodin sculpture garden. Visit or avoid, your call.
- Docent-led tours are available but I wouldn't recommend trying to participate with children.
- If you are up for a short walk the university campus is pedestrian-friendly. Palm Drive leading to the famed Memorial Church and Hoover Tower is just up the street from the museum.
| VISITOR HOURS | |
|---|---|
| Wednesday – Sunday | 11am – 5pm |
| Thursday | 11am – 8pm |
| OPEN: Wednesday
through Sunday, including Easter April 8 CLOSED: Monday and Tuesday; Thanksgiving Day |
| ADDRESS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lomita Drive at Museum Way Stanford, CA 94305-5060 Telephone 650-723-4177 |
Taylor's Tips for Teaching Children to Appreciate Art
I am a huge art enthusiast and I am always desperate to step into any museum. After schlepping three children through nearly every museum in Northern California I have learned a lot along the way.
- If you are visiting an art museum with small children don't plan on actually enjoying the art yourself. Let's be honest, the focus will be on keeping your children engaged while simultaneously keeping their little hands away from the priceless pieces.
- Explain to your children beforehand that they are not permitted to touch the pieces of art and precisely why: oil and dirt on our fingers will destroy the art.
- Don't be offended if security guards follow you around - they are also worried that your children will touch said priceless pieces.
- Pick galleries that you personally enjoy because you will generally be more comfortable fielding questions from your children with a certain level of knowledge. It is okay to say that you don't have the answers to their questions because unless you have a Master's degree in Art History you probably won't come close to knowing the answer. Write down questions to answer at home or to bring on your next visit.
- Don't be upset if your children are aloof! At the Santa Barbara Museum of Art my youngest son sat down in the first gallery, crossed his arms and stated, "I hate art". It happens, we move on, don't get mad, just hope the next visit is better.
- If your child doesn't like a piece keep moving, they can lose interest very quickly. If they aren't interested in anything, don't force it. Art is diverse and what they see may not be pleasing to their senses and/or they'd rather be somewhere else in the moment.
- Only pick a few galleries versus the entire museum. An entire museum will be a visual overload for a child and their cranky-level will go straight through the roof. 45 minutes is a good amount of time to see two or three galleries at a decent pace.
- Borrow a library book specific to the genre or artist that you will be seeing and bring it with you to the museum. Let your child "find" similar pieces of art.
- If you are planning on visiting a large-scale art museum like San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) or Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), visit the Google Art Project before your visit for an interactive study with your children. Google Art Project
- Bring along a pad of paper and pencil and encourage them to sit in front of a piece (that they like) and sketch a version of their own to take home.
- Plan some art projects at home that parallel what you saw at the museum for a couple of days after your visit.
- When in doubt, try again on another day, there is no minimum number of times you should visit a museum.
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