School Programs
UCR ARTS offers K–12 arts education programs that connect students to the collections and exhibitions of UC Riverside’s California Museum of Photography and Culver Center of the Arts. Based in Riverside, California, our programs include hands-on art workshops, interactive museum tours, and film and media projects designed for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Each workshop is led by experienced arts professionals, practicing artists, and dedicated educators who bring creativity and expertise directly to students.
Exhibition Tours
Book a docent-led tour of our exhibitions of photography and contemporary art.
Duration: 1 hour
View Current Exhibitions
Archives Visit
Guided by our experts, delve into highlights from the CMP collection or customize your archives visit to fit your classroom goals.
Duration: 1 hour
Workshops
UCR ARTS offers workshops related to digital photography, visual storytelling, and more!
Introduction to Digital Photography
Join our beginner’s workshop for middle & high school students to explore the fundamentals of digital photography. Learn essential camera skills to unlock your creative potential behind the lens.
Level: Beginner
Duration: 1.5 hours
Offered: October to May
Storytelling Through Photography
Calling all photography and digital media middle & high school classes! Join us for an interactive workshop where students discover the art of storytelling through photography.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Duration: 1.5 hours
Offered: October to January
Off the Block
Off the Block is an annual month-long immersive workshop that exposes high school student filmmakers to the history of film and the documentary format as well as equipping them with the artistic concepts and technical skills necessary to complete their own documentary. Beyond learning practical filmmaking skills, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and team building, as well as positive self-expression through the arts. Applications for 2026 will open in March.
Off the Block is now offered as an in-school workshop that can be customized for your class needs.
Camera Obscura
Step inside the original camera—no electricity required.
Visit our rare, walk-in camera obscura, built into the California Museum of Photography. This fascinating device is the earliest form of camera technology, and only a few like it exist in California today.
“Camera obscura” means “dark room” in Latin. When light passes through a small opening into a dark space, it creates a real-time projection of the outside world—flipped upside down, but full of movement, color, and detail.
It’s a powerful, hands-on way to experience how photography began.
Included with all school field trips.
