Interdisciplinary Art and Science Tours for Primary and Secondary Schools

looking through a masonry portal at a curved masonry interior with more portals. Structure is open to the sky

Date and Time

Tue Mar 1, 2022 10:00am through Fri May 6, 2022 4:00pm

Part of the Exhibition

We invite local art and science classes and clubs from primary, secondary, and home schools to visit Western’s campus to see tours of the current exhibition, “Nancy Holt: Between Heaven and Earth,” as well as the Holt's sculpture, “Stone Enclosure: Rock Rings." We have prepared an interesting and enlightening tour geared toward teachers who can tie the information into classwork in art, astronomy, geography, geology, and other disciplines.

The Western Gallery’s current exhibition follows Nancy Holt’s career path leading up to the creation of “Stone Enclosure: Rock Rings.” The trans-disciplinary content addresses complexities of her artwork as well as her interests in sciences, including geology, biology, ecology, and astronomy. 

Taking cues from Holt’s practice, the exhibition presents an experiential, immersive installation created by Barbara Miller, Bruce Hamilton, and Wayne Hagen, that visualizes the astronomical aspects of “Stone Enclosure: Rock Rings.”

The multidisciplinary installation employs lights that schematically map the locations of Ursa Major and Minor on the gallery ceiling. As in “Rock Rings,” viewers can align themselves with the cardinal axis of Earth. In the half-lit room, they can engage with Polaris, and explore Holt’s interest in bringing “the [night] sky down to the earth.”

School tours are available by schedule for groups of up to 60 students and chaperones (please contact us if you're close, but a little over. We may be able to accommodate you).

Tours are offered Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When completing the form, please indicate when you would like to schedule your classes to come visit us.

We offer reimbursement for busing fees you may incur bringing your classes to our campus. Please indicate on the registration form if you would like reimbursement for your bus fees, and how much you need.

Feel free to have your students bring their lunches. Food is not allowed in the Gallery, but we can help you store your lunches so you may picnic outdoors; or you may come and eat lunch before your tour.

Events and exhibitions are free and open to the public unless stated otherwise. Visitor information