FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2024

Stockbridge, MA – November 25, 2024 – The Norman Rockwell Museum (NRM) is pleased to announce the launch of its innovative Virtual Field Trip (VFT) Imagining Freedom, designed to bring art and civic education directly to students and teachers nationwide. Leveraging advanced interactive technology, the program delivers an engaging virtual museum experience, showcasing Norman Rockwell’s iconic works and significant American illustration art alongside the Museum’s rich educational resources—all digitally accessible to classrooms across the country. The Virtual Field Trip is available to educators and schools free of charge thanks to the generosity of dedicated funders.

Spearheaded by NRM’s Digital Innovation Officer Rich Bradway and Chief Learning & Engagement Officer Kathryn Potts, throughout the past three years, the Museum collaborated with educators and advisors in diverse regions of the country to develop this accessible program to bring Norman Rockwell Museum to a national audience. The program has garnered significant education industry recognition, earning the prestigious Anthem Award for Education, Art & Culture – Digital & Innovative Experiences; it was announced last week.

As an experienced art educator, Potts emphasized the critical role of art in fostering creativity, developing critical thinking skills, and building civic engagement  in young people. “Norman Rockwell’s art, especially his paintings exploring Civil Rights and the complexities of contemporary life in a racially diverse country are important cultural and historical touchstones for all Americans,” she said. “Our mission is to provide rich educational experiences that resonate with students, no matter where they are located.”

Recognizing the barriers many schools face in arranging in-person visits to museums, and especially to rural Stockbridge, MA, the VFT program offers a dynamic virtual alternative.

The Imagining Freedom virtual exhibition incorporates the full aspects of the Museum’s global exhibition that toured six U.S. cities and France for the 75th commemoration of D-Day, beginning in 2018 and closing in Stockbridge in May 2021.  The virtual experience offers students and teachers an immersive, interactive journey through ten galleries and more than 250 works of art, with over six hours of dynamic content. Highlights of the exhibition include Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms as well as his iconic Civil Rights images; plus contemporary artists’ visual interpretations of the meaning of freedom today.Participants can zoom in on individual artworks, explore detailed background information, listen to audio recordings available in seven languages, and browse related sketches, photographs, research materials, and media. This advanced platform provides a deeper and more engaging experience than an in-person visit can provide, bringing Norman Rockwell’s artistry and vision to life like never before.

“At Norman Rockwell Museum, we’ve seen steady growth and increasing interest in our online educational resources over recent decades,” said Bradway. “With the exponential rise in demand for virtual learning, especially as our traveling exhibitions continue to reach audiences across the U.S. and abroad, we’ve had the privilege of expanding our impact. Norman Rockwell’s lifetime of illustrations offers a unique educational experience—his work transcends time, delivering narratives that communicate ideas, emotions, and history in ways that resonate deeply with students. The power of narrative art is invaluable for educators, supporting a broad range of curricula and engaging learners of all ages in a meaningful exploration of our shared cultural values.”

The Museum’s VFT program recently recieved the prestigious Bronze Anthem Award for its innovative Virtual Exhibit/Virtual Field Trip experience. The Anthem Awards, a subset of the Webby Awards, celebrate purpose-driven work on digital platforms and recognize those who use technology to inspire positive global change. The Museum’s recognition in the AWARENESS: Digital & Innovative Experiences category comes amid notable competition from prominent organizations such as the National Holocaust Museum, Sesame Workshop, the Kennedy Center, and PBS.

The free Virtual Field Trip program features:

• Thematic Lesson Plans: Aligned with National Education Standards, these plans assist teachers in seamlessly integrating art into their curricula, encouraging connections to contemporary issues and fostering discussions around themes such as Civil Rights, social justice, narrative and storytelling, and the artist’s process.
• User-Friendly Navigation: The VFT experience allows educators to choose pathways tailored to specific grade levels and subjects, ensuring a focused and enriching educational experience for students.
• Interactive Activities: The program incorporates inquiry-based learning, discussion prompts, and engaging activities that encourage students to connect personally with the artworks, enhancing their understanding and relevance of select themes in their own lives.

By continually innovating and responding to educator feedback, the Museum plans to expand the VFT program offerings with ongoing development of lessons on topics such as critical media consumption, civics, satire, and the life and work of Norman Rockwell and other important American illustrators.

For more information on the Virtual Field Trip program and to schedule a session, please visit NRM.org/virtualfieldtrip  or email learn@nrm.org. NRM’s Virtual Field Trips are free to teachers and students.

Norman Rockwell Museum’s Imagining Freedom Virtual Field Trip & Exhibition and its free access for educators and schools was made possible by generous support from The K.A.H.R. Foundation, Irv & Carol Smokler, The Green Foundation, The Elephant Rock Foundation, The Feigenbaum Foundation, The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, Mass Humanities Foundation, The Ruth Krauss Foundation, and the Institute for Museum & Library Studies.

About Norman Rockwell Museum

Norman Rockwell Museum illuminates the power of American illustration art to reflect and shape society, and advances the enduring values of kindness, respect, and social equity portrayed by Norman Rockwell. A comprehensive resource relating to Norman Rockwell and the art of illustration, American visual culture, and the role of published imagery in society, the Museum holds the world’s largest and most significant collection of art and archival materials relating to Rockwell’s life and work, while also preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting a growing collection of art by other American illustrators throughout history. The Museum engages diverse audiences through onsite and traveling exhibitions, as well as publications, arts, and humanities programs, including the Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies, and comprehensive online resources.

NRM is open year-round, six days a week; closed Wednesdays. Admission is charged, Free for Kids & Teens. For details, visit the Museum online at www.NRM.org.