Visiting Public Galleries with Your Class
Whether you are interested in a broad overview of the institution, or would like to visit a particular exhibition, the Hessel Museum of Art is an excellent option for a class field trip.
To arrange a gallery visit, instructors should contact CCSVisits@bard.edu or 845.758.7573 to ensure no conflicts with previously scheduled tours or events. If you are planning to visit during our off-hours, please reach out at least two weeks before your intended visit. To view our gallery hours, please check here.
Upon arrival we ask that you check in at the reception desk so we can maintain an accurate count of daily attendance. This also helps us assist any late arriving students to meet up with your group.
Faculty must notify their students beforehand that backpacks, oversized bags, food, and drinks are not permitted in the galleries. Items may be placed in lockers located in the atrium. No packages will be held at the reception desk.
Laptops and pencil and paper may be taken into the gallery for class assignments. Please remind students to bring pencils.
Gallery rules are posted in the reception atrium for your convenience.
Viewing Objects by Request
Seeing objects that are not on display is a rare and exciting opportunity for students. Object study works best for small classes, seminars, or groups of 20 or fewer students. Bard College faculty should submit a list of objects and/or archival or special collections materials for study viewing when planning their syllabus to ascertain availability and guarantee an appointment in the semester that the class is being taught. All other requests should be made four weeks in advance.
Collection Teaching Gallery
The Collection Teaching Gallery is a space designed as a viewing and study gallery for fine art, archives, and special collections in a classroom context. It is a limited access space situated within the CCS Bard Galleries. The Collection Teaching Gallery is scheduled for class visits through advance appointments only.
For appointments and guidance for collection resources please contact:
Fine Art Collection
Amy Linker
alinker@bard.edu
845.758.7577
Archives and Special Collections
Ann Butler
butler@bard.edu
845.758.7566
Special Collections materials are listed in CCS Bard’s online catalog.
Collection materials in the CCS Archives are listed in finding aids available online from the Archives and Manuscripts and CCS Bard Institutional Archives portions of the CCS Library & Archives website.
Please provide the following information:
- Name
- Title
- Course name
- Number of students / researchers in group
- Day and Date requesting appointment; alternate date
- Arrival time at CCS
- Departure time
- List of collection materials / objects to view / or subject of interest
All persons must sign in to be granted access. In the case of a class, the instructor must sign in indicating the number of students in attendance.
All persons will be issued an Archives or Collection Teaching Gallery access badge for the visit.
Instructors or group leaders are responsible for the behavior of their groups at all times.
All members of a class will enter the Collection Teaching Gallery and Archives at the same time for an introduction. If all members of the class are not present in the lobby at the appointed time the starting time of the viewing session may be delayed but most likely the session will begin and latecomers may not be admitted.
Coats, briefcases, backpacks, computer cases, purses and other belongings must be left in the lockers provided in the atrium.
Food and drink, including gum, candy, and water, are prohibited from the Collection Teaching Gallery and Archives.
Photography may not be permitted for specific materials.
Reservations and Timely Arrival
All reservations for the Collection Teaching Gallery will require a final confirmation from Amy Linker or Ann Butler in order to facilitate adequate staffing for collections movement, security personnel, and time for general preparations and handling of materials and objects.
Since staff will be specifically scheduled to coincide with appointment times we request timely arrival and consideration for all appointments.
Appointments will end at the appointed time. All materials and objects are returned to storage at the end of each viewing session. This time is built into the staff schedule for the appointment and must be completed within facility hours for limited access areas.
The Role of Security Staff
CCS Security staff persons are responsible for access to all museum, gallery, and collection areas. All limited access areas require prior authorization from the area director, registration in and out at the security reception desk, a visitor or researcher badge to be worn in plain view, and adherence to all rules of protocol prior to being escorted to the appointed area.