Teachers can beat the heat by spending the month of July at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)! During its fourth annual Educator Appreciation Month, current prekindergarten through twelfth-grade teachers, school and district administrators, registered student teachers, teacher’s aides and homeschool educators can enjoy the museum for free.
To participate, educators must show a school- or district-issued ID, fingerprint clearance card or (for homeschool educators) an affidavit of intent upon arrival at MIM. Throughout the month, educators will also receive a 10 percent discount on select items at the Museum Store and Café Allegro.
Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, MIM has already become a premier destination for outside-the-classroom learning in Arizona and beyond. More than 140,000 students have toured the museum since its field-trip program began in October 2010. The school tour program continues to expand with new offerings in 2015, such as a tour for prekindergarten-aged students called “Sounds All Around,” a new social studies–focused curriculum and new professional development opportunities for teachers.
Field-trip options are customizable to best fit students’ needs and align with AZ academic standards in social studies, science, music and physical education and AZ College and Career Readiness Standards in English Language Arts and Math. MIM’s use of state-of-the-art technology immerses students in the subject of the tour while keeping the content fun and interactive.
“At MIM, we believe educators are both leaders in their communities and vital partners of the museum, and that’s why we’re inviting them to explore MIM for free during the entire month of July,” said education manager Carly Ofsthun. “This is a great way for teachers to see the depth and breadth of educational offerings at MIM as they begin to plan their school year.”
To prepare for the upcoming school year, MIM will host four Preview Days (Saturday, July 18; Sunday, July 19; Saturday, July 25; and Sunday, July 26). On these days, teachers and administrators will have access to a live performance by one of MIM’s artists in residence, gallery tours and demonstrations of the “Create a Global Classroom” curriculum. Additionally, educators will enjoy light refreshments and the opportunity to win prizes during their visit.
Access to MIM’s current special exhibition, “Beyond the Beat: Drums of the World” is not included in the Educator Appreciation Month promotion. Entrance to “Beyond the Beat” is $7 for educators during July.
