School Group Tours

Charles E. Burchfield

The Burchfield Penney Art Center has three galleries permanently dedicated to Charles E. Burchfield's art and a reproduction of his studio. This is an in-depth tour for your students to study our namesake. An optional hands-on artmaking experience can also be added to dive deeper into Burchfield's process.

Architectural and Green Building Tour

The Burchfield Penney Art Center was the first "green" museum in New York State and the last building designed by noted architect Charles Gwathmey. This tour will focus on the architectural and environmental features of our LEED Silver building.

Access Tours

This tour offers a guided gallery experience and hands-on art activities for students with special needs and disabilities, as well as a supportive and engaging experience. This tour program provides a 30-minute guided tour tailored to the group's needs, focusing on highlights of the exhibitions to ensure an enjoyable and inclusive experience. Following the tour, students will participate in a 30-minute art activity, allowing them to explore their creativity in a relaxing environment. This option can be added to a larger group tour with your school, ensuring all students can enjoy and benefit from the visit. Please inquire about this when booking your tour.

K-3 Guided Tours

This tour is designed just for young learners in grades K–3. Students will explore the museum's current exhibitions through close looking, playful conversation, and invite them to express what they see, feel, and think. An optional hands-on artmaking experience can also be added to extend learning beyond the gallery.

4-12 Guided Tours

This tour invites students in grades 4–12 to explore the Burchfield Penney's current exhibitions through close observation, open-ended dialogue, and personal reflection. Using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), students will practice describing what they see, backing up their ideas with evidence, and respectfully considering the perspectives of others.

Through facilitated discussions and interactive engagement, students will deepen their visual literacy, strengthen critical thinking and communication skills, and connect emotionally with art. Tours are designed to support a range of curriculum areas—from ELA and social studies to science and studio art—and can be tailored to highlight themes such as identity, the environment, community, or storytelling.

Higher Education

College classes of every discipline are welcome to tour the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Tours can inspire creative writing, build observational skills, develop and defend a point of view, and create a practice of connecting to prior knowledge, inference, and reflection on what is seen. 

Book your tour on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm to explore the museum with your students during our designated school visit hours.

Please contact the Manager of School and Studio Programs, Michaela Worosz, at (716) 878-3818 or email if you wish to book your tour during non-museum operating hours.

• The maximum number of students per tour is 100, and 50 if a hands-on activity is scheduled following the tour.
• All K-12 groups must have at least one adult per 10 students.
  • There is no limit to the number of teachers or staff accompanying a school visit.
  • However, we ask that no more than 1 non-school chaperone per 10 students join the tour. Extra parents must pay the full admission price. Younger siblings are not permitted on the guided school tour.

School buses can drop off students at the entrance of the museum. Limited bus parking is available in the lot directly in front of the Burchfield Penney Art Center (Lot R-3)

If there are chaperones attending the field trip and are arriving separately from the buses, please note that the parking lot directly in front of the Burchfield Penney Art Center (Lot R-3) has a fee of $2 per hour.

The Art Center cannot waive or assist you with a parking violation. Please contact the Buffalo State University Parking Services office at 716-878-3041.

You will receive an email confirmation upon scheduling a tour. Please note that your tour is NOT SCHEDULED until you send the confirmation form included with the confirmation email.

After your visit, we welcome you and your students to complete our Tour Feedback Form. Our education department prioritizes providing high-quality experiences, and hearing from you will give us valuable feedback and insight regarding our school tour program.

If you have further questions or concerns, please email Michaela Worosz, School & Studio Programs manager, or call (716) 878-3918.