Celebrate a birthday with a virtual trip to the Smithsonian! Invite your friends to visit an object or artwork digitally and learn the story behind it. Conclude the party with time to create something based on what you’ve just learned about. Materials not included, but a list of easily accessible materials will be provided prior to the party.
Details:
- Ages: Preschool and Early Elementary parties are available at this time (see below for themes).
- Price: $125
- Length: 1 Hour
- Scheduling: Parties are scheduled according to availability. Parties may be hosted on weekends or weekdays. To schedule, please contact Brooke Shoemaker at Shoemakerb@si.edu
- Guests: price includes up to 15 guests (recommended max guest limit), add up to 5 guests for an additional cost of $40
- Cancelation Policy: In the event you need to cancel, we will refund half the cost up to two weeks prior to the party date. If the event is canceled less than two weeks from the party date, SEEC will keep the entire cost but we are willing to help you reschedule for another date within a calendar year.
Preschool Parties:
- Exploring Nature: Insects & Bugs
For the child who loves to flip over rocks and look at insects. We will look closely at entomologist E.O. Wilson’s portrait to learn about insects and pretend to move like different bugs.
- Exploring Nature: Animals
Perfect for the animal lover! Explore animals and their environments by exploring a series of landscape paintings including The Glades at Dusk, 3 Birds in Flight by Alfred Hair, Bamboo in Snow attributed to Tan Zhirui 檀芝瑞, and Dark Mesa with Pink Sky by Georgia O’Keeffe.
- Exploring Nature: Camping
Go on a virtually camping trip and imagine spending the night looking up at the stars while looking at Here Beneath the Canopy of Stars I Shall Sleep a Thousand Years of Dreamless Nights by Isami Doi. Then discus which tools you would need for shelter and food while in nature.
- Exploring Nature: Where the Wild Things Are
Be introduced to the wonderful world of Maurice Sendak and pretend to be a Wild Thing. We will travel to the imaginary world while looking at Among the Sierra Nevada by Albert Bierstadt and have our own rumpus.
- Art Explorers: Color Mixing with Pat Steir
To explore colors, color mixing, and see the colors change before our eyes, we will look carefully at Pat Steir’s Color Wheel. Then we will experiment with painting on a vertical surface and watch the paint drip down.
- Art Explorers: Self-Portraits with Jacob Lawrence
We will use two different Jacob Lawrence’s self-portraits (Self-Portrait, 1977 and Self-Portrait, 1993) to talk about facial features and think about all the things that make you unique.
- Art Explorers: Clay Art with Roxanne Swentzell
This class focuses on self-expression! Using the clay masks in Roxanne Swentzell’s For Life in All Directions, we will explore feelings and emotions.
- Art Explorers: Trash Art with Turtle Ocean
Learn about how plastic threatens ocean life. This session will combine, art, science, and environmentalism to explore how artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi creates sculptures out of trash that has washed up upon the beaches.
Early Elementary Parties:
- Art: Soundsuits with Nick Cave
You may have never seen art like this before! Artist Nick Cave combines found objects, sound, costume and more to create his famous soundsuits. Discover the science behind sound and create your own sound accessory.
- Art: Color with Alma Thomas
Bring on the color! Through Alma Thomas’ artwork we’ll discover how color is created and how it can tell a story.
- Art: Impressionism with Claude Monet
This class combines space and art! Explore Claude Monet’s paintings and the relationship between the sun and Earth that allowed Monet to capture
- Art: Moving Mobiles with Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder wanted to make art come alive through movement. We’ll take a look at his larger than life artworks before creating mobiles of our own.
- Ocean: Bivalves
You may have found shells on the beach, but have you ever wondered how they got there? Through careful looking of Untitled by Ellsworth Kelly and real life examples, children will gain a deeper understanding of the shells they find on the beach and symmetry.
- Ocean: Coral
Dive into the ocean to see a crochet coral reef and learn what makes a coral reef special. Learn about the many animals that call coral reefs their home.
- Ocean: Sharks
What comes to mind when you think of sharks? This lesson explores John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark and the work of Eugenie Clark to take an in depth look at sharks’ reputation and if it’s deserved.
- Ocean: Bioluminescence & Conservation
Head to the deep ocean to see a natural light show and learn how creatures have adapted to the darkness of the deep sea. Then swim back to the beach and learn about ways in which people can help protect the ocean by looking at artworks by the Washed Ashore organization.
