Imagine sitting in art class, looking up at a portrait or an image of a sculpture. You are not just memorizing names, dates, and details but looking closely, asking questions, and discussing what the art reveals about each artist. In Scarsdale High School’s Advanced Topics Art History course, every lesson is an invitation to analyze and interpret. 

AT Art History at SHS is not confined to textbooks or slideshows. SHS art teacher Elizabeth Colleary found herself asking, “Can I teach the Advanced Topics Art History course through New York Museum Collections?” The answer turned out to be yes. The course is built around field trips to New York’s world-class museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick, and The Museum of Modern Art. 

Many students find that these trips make the course unique. “It is important to see in person the works of art that we learn about in class. It is a very different experience when you see a painting right in front of you,” Olivia Abramowitz ‘26 shared. 

Beyond the museums, the course emphasized collaboration, discussion, and exploration. “The students’ writing is largely self-driven,” Colleary commented, as students are encouraged to choose the works that most interest them. 

The AT Art History course is not just an elective. It is a classroom that extends into the museum, where lessons continue among galleries and collections. Each trip builds on what students have studied, turns abstract ideas into tangible experiences, and gives students the chance to see history and culture unfold right in front of their eyes.