The Metropolitan Museum of Art-Explore & Learn

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• Learn more about American history, archaeology, art history, artists, ceramics, crafts, fine art, sculpture, textiles, visual learners, world cultures, and world history.

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There is a wealth of appealing resources to be discovered at the Explore & Learn section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website. Features such as “Just for Fun,” “A Closer Look,” “Themes and Cultures,” and “Publications for Educators” offer presentations that are appealing to the senses and as entertaining as they are educational. These online resources are perfect for use in the art classroom and for studying the history and cultures of varying regions of the world. Truly, the best way to begin using this site in the classroom is to set out on a personal exploration. A great place to start is in the Just for Fun section, where you can check out interactive presentations on Cezanne’s Apples, Van Gogh, Romare Beardon, and much more.

This site has so many treasures tucked away that it’s easy to miss some great material when just browsing the main page. Try the link for the Index by Subject on the top navigation bar to have a better look.

Here are a few brief examples of how these resources could be used in the classroom.

• Use the interactive presentation Look for the Symbol in the Sculpture to teach about symbolism in an art or literature class.
• Use the virtual representations of works of art and artifacts to teach about the history and culture of varying countries or regions, including the United States, Africa, Asia, Greece, the Medeival World, and Renaissance Europe.
• Use the onlne exhibits and multimedia presentations to study particular artists and their works, including Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Anselm Keifer, Auguste Rodin, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cezanne, Romare Beardon, and more.
• Have students explore one of the online presentations, such as “Cezanne’s Astonishing Apples” and use it as an idea springboard for their own presentations about other artists and their work. Have students research the artists and the time periods in which they worked, in order to come up with appropriate music, images, maps, and other useful materials for their presentations.