Logistics

October 21, 2025
6:30pm
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway
Buses provided from CSI and Queens College
Night at the Museum Site

What happens at Night at the Museum?

Night at the Museum is a Common Event designed for all Seminar 1 students. Transfer students who completed Seminar 1 in a summer session are also invited to attend. First year students are expected to attend. Faculty are encouraged to attend and to use the N@TM experience in class.

Upon arrival, students attend an introductory session in the 3rd floor auditorium. They hear from the Dean, Provost, and sometimes other speakers about the purpose and tasks for the night.

Students have access to Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art on the 5th floor. There, students complete two activities: one groups and one as individual reflection.


The group activity is designed to elicit responses based on close looking and observing contexts for the artworks. Groups choose one artwork and complete a series of questions. Students are discouraged from researching the artwork before they submit their responses; this exercise is to practice focusing on the art that is in in front of them.

  • What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?
  • What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?
  • How does this object compare to other objects, stories, or ideas you already know about?
  • What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?


The individual responses are focused on reflection and connection to the artworks. Students are able to select and respond to one these prompts:

  • Where and how do you see yourself, your communities, and/or New Yorkers in this museum?
  • Compare how this experience reinforced or challenged your previous ideas about museums. Would you encourage other Macaulay students to visit museums?
  • Choose a piece of art you saw that invoked strong feelings for you. Describe the response you had and why. (Don’t forget to include the title and artist.)
  • What would you add that is missing or what would you like to see in the American art exhibit in the future?
  • How would you relate your current major or field of study to your experience at Night at the Museum? What connections can you see?

Responses are entered electronically and displayed in an online gallery that is immediately available.

Members of the TLC as well as 10 trained peer mentors will be stationed throughout the exhibit to engage students. The focus of the evening is to help students have a sense of belonging, agency, and connection within the space, not just to answer some prompts and leave!

Research and Resources

With thanks to Karen Shelby, @shelby

Visiting the Museum Learning Resource (faculty focus), Art History Learning Resources
How to Visit an Art Museum–a guide for students, Art History Learning Resources
Why Field Trips Matter, Museum Magazine
Teaching and Learning with Museum Exhibitions, Teagle Foundation
Why Look at Art? SmartHistory
Why Art History Isn’t Like Math SmartHistory


Class Activities

  • Share out reflection activities
  • Re-vision/Re-curate: Towards Joy is organized around a number of themes that draw together works across times, styles, and identities. What themes would students add? How else could the same objects be grouped?
  • Student guides: why type of brochure or audio guide (or any other medium) would students develop for their peers visiting this exhibit? What would they include and why?
  • Let’s add more together!