Walker Art Center Tour Scheduling Information & Guidelines All guided tour requests must be received a minimum of 4 weeks in advance of your first preferred tour date. All self-guided group visit requests must be received a minimum of 2 weeks in advance of your first preferred date.
Tour Hours Guided tours and self-guided visits are available during regular gallery hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11 am–5 pm, open late Thursday, 11 am–9 pm. The Walker is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Adult groups scheduling a guided tour may request a before- or after-hours tour for an additional fee. Pre-K through 12th grade school and youth groups with at least 30 students on guided tours only can book a tour at the Walker starting as early as 9 am, Tuesdays–Fridays.
Self-guided visits to the Walker are not available until 11 am.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is open daily 6 am–midnight. Groups can schedule self-guided visits to the Garden outside of regular gallery hours. If a group requests a guided Garden tour outside of regular gallery hours, scheduling that tour is contingent upon tour guide availability.
Length of Tour • Guided tours for groups ages Pre-K through 1st grade last 45 minutes. • Guided tours for groups 2nd grade through adult last one hour. • Writing through Art tours are an hour and a half.
Group Size The maximum number of people that can be admitted as one group may vary due to available space, exhibition size, and tour guide availability.
• Guided tours and self-guided group visits for Pre-K, K–12, college students, and adults range from ten* to sixty people per tour. • If the group is larger than 60, half the group may visit the Garden while the other half is in the galleries.
*A group with fewer than ten participants may book a tour at the 10-person minimum fee.
Exceptions are made for groups with accessibility needs.
Chaperone Policy One adult chaperone is required per ten students for Pre-K through 12th grade groups.
Art Labs In conjunction with a guided tour, groups of all ages may schedule a hands-on art-making activity in the Star Tribune Foundation Art Lab. The Art Lab ties in with what the group sees on the tour and is chosen by our Art Lab Coordinator.
The Art Lab lasts 45 minutes for Pre-K, kindergarten and 1st grade groups, and an hour for 2nd grade– adult groups.
The maximum number of participants for an Art Lab tour is 60.
Tour Fees & Payment
WALKER ART CENTER August 2011 To qualify for these special group rates, groups must schedule and pay in advance. Groups may pay by check, cash or credit card. Additional participants who arrive for a scheduled tour/visit are instructed to pay when they arrive. Additional participants may pay the group rate. We do not issue refunds for fewer participants or for cancellations after the tour payment due date. For cancellations, we will credit the amount paid toward a future visit.
Pre-K through College • $3/student Guided gallery or Garden tours, self-guided gallery visits • $8/student Guided tour and Art Lab activity (tour $3, Art Lab activity $5) • Free Self-guided Garden visits • $3/student Writing through Art tours
Groups Designated Over 60% Free & Reduced Lunch • Free Guided gallery or Garden tours, self-guided gallery or Garden visits • $5/student Guided tour and Art Lab activity (tour free, Art Lab activity $5)
Chaperones • Waive Up to two chaperones per ten students • $3/person Additional chaperones scheduled in advance
*Groups with special needs that require more than two chaperones/staff per ten students/visitors are an exception.
Adult • $8/adult Self-guided visit (Free for Walker members) • $10/adult Guided gallery or Garden tours • $5/adult Guided gallery or Garden tours for Walker members • Free Self-guided Garden group visits • $5/adult Art Lab activity
*Groups with fewer than 10 participants pay a 10-person minimum fee ($100/guided tour).
**Guided tour fee still applies to guided tours scheduled during Target Free Thursday Night and Free First Saturday.
Seniors (62+) • $6/adult Self-guided visit (Free for Walker members) • $8/adult Guided gallery or Garden tours • $3/adult Guided gallery or Garden tours for Walker members • Free Self-guided Garden group visits • $5/adult Art Lab activity
*Groups with fewer than 10 participants pay a 10-person minimum fee ($80/guided tour).
Cancellation Policy We do not issue refunds for fewer participants or for cancellations after the tour payment due date. For cancellations, we will credit the amount paid toward a future visit. If you need to cancel a tour, call (612) 375-7609 as soon as possible. Please cite the school name, tour date and time in your message.
School Lunch Arrangements While the Walker does not have a lunchroom for school groups, students may bring lunches for picnics on the green lawn outside the Bazinet Garden Lobby entrance or across the bridge in Loring Park. Please leave the space clean and trash free.
WALKER ART CENTER August 2011 Rain Policy Sculpture Garden tours can take place rain or shine but can also move inside to the galleries if desired. Self-guided groups will not be able to have access to the galleries prior to 11 am. After 11 am, self-guided groups have the option to visit the galleries but will be charged gallery admission.
Prior to Your Visit Your lead tour guide will contact you prior to your visit and may ask for information about the group in order to tailor their tour.
You will receive a confirmation and invoice several weeks before the scheduled visit.
Group Check-in & Parking The entrance for groups is on Vineland Place across from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
Buses should drop visitors at the Vineland Place entrance and park in the Parade Stadium pay lot located west of the Garden off Kenwood Parkway. Buses may remain in front of the Vineland entrance only while visitors are disembarking. To arrange bus parking, call the Parade Stadium pay lot at 612.370.4846. Car parking is available in the Parade Stadium pay lot ($3.50) and the underground parking garage ($4). (During events, car parking is $7.)
All tours/groups need to check in at the Bazinet Garden Lobby desk when they arrive.
Tour guides will meet their group at the Bazinet Garden Lobby desk.
All tours start promptly at the scheduled time. If a group is late, we may not be able to accommodate a later end time.
Confirmation of Reservation We will contact you if we are unable to accommodate your group. Otherwise, we will mail confirmation of your reservation(s) and museum visit guidelines. Review this information thoroughly and share it with all participating teachers and chaperones. A tour guide will telephone you to discuss your guided tour 1–2 weeks in advance.
WALKER ART CENTER August 2011