Kids can learn about art and art history as they visit some of the world's finest and largest collections without paying museum admission, travelling abroad, or even leaving the comfort of their own homes. Kids can tour museums by thumbnails or take a virtual walk through its gallery halls. They explore images in detail, read submission text, peruse collections or create their own collections through their Google+ account. While this isn't quite a trip to Rome, it does open up a world of possibilities in virtual art travel. Extensive access to the world's most cherished collections lets kids explore and discover the joys of fine art.
Positive Messages
some
Kids are encouraged to develop an appreciation of art and explore their own interpretations of meanings and themes by creating their own galleries to study or share.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that the Google Art Project amasses more than 30,000 great works from different real-world collections like The Art Institute of Chicago or The Tate and presents them in virtual galleries. Kids can browse artworks either on the webpage or by exploring a map (like Google's Street View) of the museum itself. High-resolution images mean you can get a closer look at these digital images than the paintings themselves. Kids could see nudity or depictions of violence in these classic works.
Either the link is broken, or the program has changed from how it was described in the article. The link takes you to the cultural institute page where there are no lessons or activities (as stated in the Common Sense Media article which led me to the link). I was a little disappointed by that, but thought we would check it out anyway. It took my daughter about 5 seconds to stumble upon a statue of pigs mating. I have no problem with nudity/violence in art when historically accurate and tastefully done, but definitely would not give a child/tween free rein on this site. Still curious where the " accompanying lessons and activities round out the experience and let kids interact with the art in different ways," have gone???
What’s It About?
Browse 30,000 artworks by collections, artists, artworks, or user-submitted galleries. Explore galleries by clicking on the little person icon and navigate virtual spaces using the arrows and magnifier. Kids can make their own galleries when logged in to Google by clicking a button within each image and curating collections. The site may not be immediately intuitive for all users, so it's helpful to start with the Visitor’s Guide video, found in the FAQ section.
Google Art Project is a look ahead at the future of art education. The project converges massive databases, high-resolution images, and mapping technology to make art accessible to kids and adults everywhere. With access to works from hundreds of the world's most prominent collections, visitors can delve into art appreciation and history without setting foot outside. A nice selection of activities and lessons make it a fantastic resource for beginners and experts alike.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about which artworks kids are drawn to and why. What piece of art is most interesting to you? What about it do you like?
Visit the DIY section to get some ideas about how to mash-up and interact with the works in the collection. Visit our tips for Creating with Digital Media to learn why creating skills are so important to kids today.
Pick a theme and curate a collection around it using works from Google Art Project. Don't name the gallery but share it with friends and see if they can guess what you were going for.
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Amanda Finkelberg
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
