Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is highlighting youth-focused programming this month through a series of exhibits, educational activities and interactive experiences designed to engage students with the history and culture of the North American West.
The museum is hosting student visits, hands-on activities and youth exhibits aimed at encouraging creative exploration and storytelling, according to a press release.
Field trips bring students to the museum
Over the next month, the museum, 3830 N. Marshall Way in Scottsdale, expects nearly 480 students from 12 schools. Participating students range from first grade through high school and represent public, private, charter, homeschool and Title I schools.
“So far this school year, we’ve welcomed more than 600 students from 16 schools,” Wade Weber, director of education at Western Spirit, said. “Our programs are highly individualized, aligned with Arizona curriculum standards, and tailored to each school’s educational goals.”
Students take part in activities including interactive art projects, lessons focused on elements of design, hands-on learning with exhibit items, and journaling and storytelling exercises.
“While each activity and interaction was fun, I think making the clay relief animals was a favorite,” Ms. Barbara Perez, art teacher/visual literacy at Pardes Jewish Day School, said. “It was delightful to see the students working in pairs and looking deeply at the paintings. Each group was led by an excellent volunteer.”
The museum partners with Act One to provide arts and culture field trips for students from Title I schools across the Valley, helping expand access to museum programming.
“Act One provides transportation at no cost, and Western Spirit Museum offers free admission for students from the Title I schools,” Mr. Emanuel Class, field trip manager for Act One, said. “These trips are incredibly popular, and students always have a memorable experience at the museum.”
Scavenger hunts offer interactive learning
Western Spirit has also developed three scavenger hunts designed to help visitors engage more deeply with exhibits.
“The main hunt takes visitors through the museum’s seven galleries and encourages kids to take a closer look at the artwork,” Mr. Weber said. “We also offer a second hunt in the museum’s four new expansion galleries that highlights key exhibit details and educational displays.”
A third hunt, titled “Hidden Treasures,” focuses on Zuni stone carvings featured throughout the museum and connects to “The West in Miniature” exhibit.
“These scavenger hunts create a fun family experience,” Mr. Weber said. “It’s always rewarding to see families working together, and kids receive a prize when they complete the hunt.”
Exhibits draw interest from younger audiences
Several exhibits are popular with younger visitors, museum officials said.
“The West in Miniature is always a favorite with kids because it allows them to interact with the small scale pieces using a magnifying glass,” Andrew Nelson, chief curator at Western Spirit, said.
“Younger visitors also enjoy the film posters, film clips, drive-in movie theater playing a full Western film and screen-worn costumes featured in Hollywood Westerns and exhibited in ‘Still in the Saddle.’ The Spirit of the West Collection is another popular exhibit where kids can see hundreds of authentic Western objects on display, including spurs, saddles, guns, chaps and Old West saloon games. And ‘A Fistful of Colors’ is another engaging exhibit where kids can take home a color wheel.”
Programs support youth learning and creativity
Western Spirit has hosted several youth-centered programs, including a National History Day Arizona workshop, Scouts Merit Badge Day and the Youth Art Month exhibit.
On May 2, the museum hosted “A Day at the Museum – Mentoring Day: Prep for Nationals,” in partnership with the Arizona Historical Society’s National History Day Arizona program. The workshop provided ninth- through 12th-grade students with opportunities to explore exhibits, artifacts and research resources while preparing for competition.
The museum also hosted its annual Scouts Merit Badge Day, where participants worked toward badges in architecture, sculpture, American cultures and sustainability.
“Each of these students brought something different to the exhibit, and with 109 pieces on display, it felt important to take the time to recognize each one individually,” Mr. Weber said. “It was meaningful to be able to recognize them one by one and talk about what made their work special. Every piece reflected its own set of skills and creativity, and those differences are worth celebrating.”
Earlier this spring, Western Spirit partnered with the Arizona Art Education Association to present the Youth Art Month exhibit, held March 15–28. The exhibit featured 109 student artworks from 22 schools statewide and concluded with an artist reception March 28.
“It felt very special having my art hung up in a museum for a lot of people to see. It’s very rare for kids to have their art hung up in a museum,” Mr. Abe Ginder, a fourth-grade student, said. “What I love about making art is that you can express your feelings and emotions on a paper or a canvas.”
