Early childhood students have been broadening their knowledge about art over the past few months and have been introduced to the concepts of still life and abstract art. The students have created their own masterpieces including self-portraits and landscape paintings. They learned about famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollack and created their own works of art inspired by these artists. “Museums can provoke imagination, introduce other worlds, and offer opportunities for quality time with family,” says Shani Skydell, director of early childhood. Last week, students enjoyed a special presentation from a national and state recognized program called “Mummies and Masterpieces” which values the importance of experiential learning and enhances lessons through worldwide museum collections. The students “visited” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and The Museum of Modern Art and explored the unique architecture of these famous structures, examined some of their most famous collections, and learned about the many exciting jobs that exist in the museum world. “I want to be a painter when I grow up,” said student Baron Ness. “I would paint New York City.” The students are excited to use their newfound knowledge of museums to create their own classroom museums and display all of their beautiful masterpieces.