Education
The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art offers a wide variety of programs for adults, children, and families including:
Art Bites: On the first Wednesday of every month our Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Julia Jessen or our Executive Director Sean Ulmer speaks about an aspect of one of the current exhibitions. This 30-45 minute presentation is free and includes free admission to all of the galleries.
Art Lovers Book Club: (in person) Our long-running book club selects books based on current exhibitions. Anyone can join at any time. It is held on the third Thursday of every month and is free. You can find a complete listing of upcoming books on the events tab.
One Night Stand with the CRMA via Zoom: ONE NIGHT STAND WITH THE CRMA One work of art. By one artist. For one night. One Night Stand with the CRMA is a free series of art talks on Zoom led by CRMA staff, local artists, or art scholars. By focusing each 20-minute program on one artwork, the audience engages in a conversation about the artist and how the selected work of art relates to their larger body of work.
Family Fun Day: Three times a year the Museum holds a Family Fun Day with activities for all ages to enjoy. You also have the opportunity to view all of the exhibitions for free.
Doodlebugs: Doodlebugs classes are held monthly at the Hiawatha Public Library, Marion Public Library, and the North Liberty Community Library. Each Doodlebugs class has a theme that relates to our exhibitions. We read a story and then do fun and sometimes messy art activity. Free. If you would like to arrange your own art-making class, please contact Erin Thomas at ethomas@crma.org.
Summer Camp: Each summer we have a week long summer camp based with a theme based on our exhibitions. Summer camp is for those students who have completed first grade through fifth grade.
Art is Elemental - CRMA Summer Camp 2026
June 22-June 26, 2026
9am to 12pm
$150 for CRMA members, or $175 for nonmembers.
The four elements of nature have always inspired artists, and are often used to create artwork. This summer, our campers will explore artwork on view in the exhibition Elemental: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. Ancient Greeks believed those four elements, in some combination, made up everything on earth, and they weren’t so far off the mark. Everything is made up for matter, and matter exists in four states: solid (earth), liquid (water), gas (air), and plasma (fire). So campers will experiment with all four natural elements, and watch how the states of matter change, to create artwork. It’s part science, part art, and all fun! From turning sound waves into visible patterns, to using the power of the sun to create artwork, to creating paint from natural pigments, to allowing water to perform beautiful feats of magic, this summer’s camp is sure to amaze and delight! Camp is open to children currently in grades 2-5. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early! To register, contact Education Director Erin Thomas at ethomas@crma.orgor call 319-366-7503.
CRMA Summer Camp 2026-Art is Elemental: Watch this space! The theme for CRMA's summer camp for 2026 will be the four elements, as well as the seven elements of art. There will be fun and messy art projects, visiting artists, and adventures in the galleries. Summer camp registraion will open in January 2026 for children currently in grades 2-5. Space is limited. For more information, contact Education Director Erin Tomas at ethomas@crma.org.
Tours: A wide variety of tours from school tours to group tours for various organizations and clubs are available throughout the year. If you are interested in arranging a tour, please contact Erin Thomas, Director of Education, at 319-366-7503 x203 or ethomas@crma.org.
The Museum's tour schedule is also robust. Each year, the CRMA offers approximately five tours or programs each week. For a full listing of our extensive educational offerings, please click here or visit the Events tab.
For a full listing of our extensive educational offerings, please click here or visit the Events tab.
