Wide Eyes and Open Minds: First Graders Discover Art and Imagination at the Detroit Institute of Arts

The museum was quiet—but not for long. 

A busload of energetic first graders poured in from The American Montessori Academy in Livonia Michigan, through the grand entrance of the Detroit Institute of Arts, their eyes wide, their voices bubbling with excitement. For many of these children, this was their very first time inside a museum—let alone one filled with masterpieces from around the world.

“I feel like I’m walking into a storybook!” exclaimed Janelle, age six, as she strained her neck to look up at Diego Rivera’s legendary Detroit Industry Murals.

This field trip, part of the United Way Summer STEM Program, is more than just a day out—it’s a chance to ignite imaginations and bridge learning through hands-on exploration. While STEM typically focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math, this initiative understands that creativity is a core part of innovation—and the arts play a vital role in keeping young minds engaged.

“We want kids to see that learning happens everywhere—not just in books or classrooms,” said Mrs, Kolar a first-grade teacher who led the group. “Art opens up their world. They start to see they can be inventors, builders, designers, or storytellers. It’s all connected.”

Inside the museum, students marveled at African masks, explored ancient Egyptian artifacts, and even tried sketching in their own notebooks as they stood before paintings that sparked their curiosity. Some paused thoughtfully. Others danced in front of sculptures or asked rapid-fire questions about color and texture.

“Art is like science with feeling,” said one student, after touching the cold marble floor in one room and then a warm wooden floor in another room. The children noticed that the temperature was different and they could feel the difference in real time. “ This is direct discovery, said Mrs. Kolar.”

The United Way Summer STEM Program runs throughout the summer, keeping children actively learning and imagining even when school is out. For families across Detroit, programs like this are more than enrichment—they’re access to opportunity.

Photo by: April Christian- Davis, Brantley Bartos, Kai'Von Thompson,Laron Griffin, Kobe Andrews listens to Mrs Linda Kolar as she ask students what do you like so far at Museum?

These kids are not just seeing art,” Mrs. Kolar said. “They’re seeing themselves in it. They’re discovering they belong in places like this.”

As the group prepared to leave, one child tugged on her teacher’s sleeve and asked, “Can we come back next week?”

For the Detroit Institute of Arts and for these young learners, the answer is written in every wide-eyed smile: this is just the beginning of a new discovery.

Photo by April Christian-Davis  Students Brantley Bartos, Kaii'Von Thompson, Laron Griffin, Kobe Andrews and Teacher Linda Kolar view the Diego Rivera : The Detroit Industry Murals

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