Scheduling Your Visit | Tour Guidelines

Scheduling Your Visit

For tour availability, or to schedule your tour, call 673-4587 x108, or e-mail Jana Bailey at educator@thegracemuseum.org.

Guided tours are offered throughout the AISD school year Tuesday through Friday. Our business hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but early arrivals can be accommodated.

When you call, please be prepared with the following:

• Your Name
• E-mail Address
• Organization/School Address
• Work Phone/Home Phone
• Date(s) Requested
• Time(s) Requested
• Age/Grade Level
• Number in Group

Your tour logistics will be confirmed over the phone.

Your tour is not confirmed until you speak directly with Jana Bailey.

This booking process allows The Grace Museum to offer a well-prepared and more meaningful tour experience.

Please schedule your tour four weeks in advance when possible. A minimum of two weeks advance notice is required for all tours. We are unable to accommodate tours not confirmed in advance.

Scheduling Your Visit | Tour Guidelines

Tour Guidelines

Read these guidelines thoroughly when planning a group visit.

Admission Fees

Tours are free for our partner school district, Abilene Independent School District. For all other Pre K-12 grade schools, and organizations, the group rate is $1 per student. The rate for adult groups and university student groups is $2 per person.

Rates for Supervising Adults

Pre-Kindergarten through Kindergarten
Free for one (1) adult per every five (5) children

Grades 1 through 12
Free for one (1) adult per every 10 children

Adults over these limits are $8 per person.

University Art students coming without booking a group tour will pay the student rate of $4 per person.

Transportation and Parking

Visitors arrange their own transportation to the museum. Buses may unload and park at the North 1st Street entrance.

Group Arrival

Prompt arrival at your scheduled tour time is essential. Late groups cannot be guaranteed their complete scheduled program. Please call the museum to advise of any schedule changes.

Plan to arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled tour. A teacher or chaperone should come into the museum—without students—to register, to pay any admission fees at the front desk, and to meet the museum docent(s) in the Historic Lobby.

Group Size

The museum can accommodate groups of 25 students or fewer.  Schools are limited to 75 students divided into 3 smaller groups of 25 students each.

It is suggested that groups larger than 75 students rotate visits with other downtown Abilene venues, such as the Abilene Reporter-News, the Paramount Theater, the Center for Contemporary Arts, or the NCCIL. 

Kindergarten, day care, and Head Start programs must have one supervising adult/ chaperone per five students. First- through 12th grade classes must have one supervising adult/chaperone per 10 students.

Lunch

Food is not allowed inside the museum. Groups are encouraged to picnic across North First Street at Everman Park or at Minter Park on Cypress Street.

About the Docents (Your Tour Guides)

The word “docent” comes from the Latin verb docere, which means “to teach.”  The Grace Museum docents are volunteer tour guides who facilitate learning on field trips by leading discussions with students and providing additional information about exhibits. Teachers may work in advance with The Grace's education director to tailor tours with class learning objectives (including tours of the Children’s Museum).

Prohibited Items

To help protect the art and historical objects in our galleries, the following are not allowed in the museum:

• Cameras
• Chewing gum
• Food and drink
• Ink pens (Pencils are allowed for sketching)
• Touching of art or historical objects

All visitors are monitored by security staff and closed-circuit surveillance.