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Education

Welcome teachers! We are proud partners of classroom teachers of all disciplines who want to infuse contemporary art into their teaching while making their classrooms more inclusive, collaborative, and learner-centered. We value teachers as learners by providing personalized coaching and by creating shared time to build community among professionals. We hope you’ll join us!

Join our teacher mail list to receive information about upcoming programs for teachers and students.

Contemporary Art Start

CAS 2024-25 applications are now available! Register by May 24, 2024 to be a part of MOCA’s yearlong classroom partnership program, Contemporary Art Start (CAS) in 2024-25, either in-person or online. CAS costs just $25 for the year and for in-person participants includes professional development (with great meals!), multiple staff-guided museum visits including a free bus, classroom curriculum, and family involvement perks throughout the year. CAS Online includes the same professional development, just online, classroom curriculum, and two virtual field trips.

3rd-5th Grade Application
Secondary Application

Please note that professional development for each track starts in June (for returning CAS teachers) and July (for first-year CAS teachers), 2024; please see each application for specific start dates.

“It's the best PD ever. Not an exaggeration.”

“This is such a valuable experience for both students and teachers alike. I URGE your school to apply!”
–CAS participants, 2022


CAS is MOCA’s sustained, collaborative partnership program for 3rd-12th grade classrooms of all disciplines. CAS supports teachers with discussion-based classroom curriculum and personalized coaching on how to lead inclusive and catalytic conversations about the art of our time–as well as texts from across the curriculum. CAS is now available as an in-person program for schools in Los Angeles County and as an online program for classrooms across the country (including LA County).

CAS includes:

  • Professional development for teachers: learner-centered PD in summer, fall, and spring at MOCA, plus a Classroom Coaching session for first-year participants

  • Two MOCA staff-guided visits for students (MOCA pays for the spring bus for those coming in person)

  • Yearlong, discussion-based classroom curriculum that is SEL and ELA standards-aligned

  • Free family programs and unlimited-use passes for students and their families

  • MOCA memberships for participating teachers and key administrators

Cost: $25 per teacher (online or in-person)

Want to learn more?
Schedule a faculty-wide professional development workshop at your school to learn more how MOCA can support your students, teachers, and families. Email education@moca.org to schedule one today!

Join our teacher mail list to receive information about upcoming programs for teachers and students.

Professional Development Workshops at Schools

Photo by Sean MacGillivray, courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

We offer free 20- or 40-minute staff PD workshops for 3rd-12th grade faculty groups, either in-person (for schools in LA County) or online. We can customize a workshop for you that includes an introduction to MOCA, our yearlong classroom partnership program, Contemporary Art Start, and an interactive demonstration of our discussion-based teaching method that emphasizes communication, critical thinking, visual literacy, and community-building. See you at school!

To schedule a PD workshop, please email Allison Koehler, Lead Senior Educator.

Tours for 3rd-12th Grade

Staff-Guided Tours
Photo by Sean MacGillivray

MOCA offers guided tours to 3rd-12th grade students primarily through our multi-visit partnership program, Contemporary Art Start (see details above). Occasionally we can accommodate single-visit tours for classes outside of CAS; please email us for more information.

INFO: 213/621-1745 or education@moca.org

Self-Guided Tours

Photo by Sean MacGillivray

Enjoy a visit on your own! For groups in 3rd grade and up. All accredited academic institutions are free; all reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Book a Tour

INFO: 213/621-1745 or education@moca.org

Download this Writing and Sketching in Response to Art guide in advance: seven fun activities to get your creative juices flowing when you’re in the MOCA galleries! Suitable for visitors of all ages.


Education at MOCA courtesy of Terri and Michael Smooke. Support provided by The Hearst Foundations. Contemporary Art Start at MOCA, including The Rebecca Smith Summer Institute endowed by Lois Rosen and The Len Hill Classroom Coaching Program made possible by The Leonard Hill Charitable Trust, is supported by Susan and David Gersh, The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, and the MOCA Projects Council. Additional support by City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation, and May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc.