Education

When Alice Austen turned 11 years old in 1877, she received a camera from her Uncle Oswald. It allowed her to express her inner thoughts and feelings; it allowed her to see the world in a new light. It enriched her life and her images continue to enrich ours. Our ambition is for our education programs to play the part of Uncle Oswald and to introduce the camera and its creative possibilities to anyone from school children to senior citizens.

To schedule a class visit, please complete this form.

School Programming

A National Historic Landmark devoted to the life and work of one of America's earliest and most prolific female photographers, the Alice Austen House is proud to present education programs that enhance your curricula and stimulate your students. The Alice Austen House is committed to the creation and delivery of equitable programs that provide all students the best tools for learning success through the arts. Although the content of each program varies, each program includes essential components: a short history of Alice Austen, looking at and discussing her photos, and learning how to use a digital camera. These 75 minute programs meet NYS standards S.S - #1, 2, 3; Language Arts- #E2, E3, E4; and The Arts- #1, 2, 3, 4.

As of 2019, we offer the following in-school programs:

Meet Alice Austen; Alice Austen, Photographer; Women’s History and Alice Austen; and History Through the Lens of Women Photographers

At the museum, we offer the following museum programs:

Young Alice Austen and Her Family, Through Alice’s Eyes, Women’s History and Alice Austen, Self-Portrait Photography, and Immigrant Life at the Turn of the Century

LGTBQ Programming

As a nationally designated site of LGBTQ history, we feel strongly about providing creative education to local Pride Centers, Clubs, and GSA's. In 2018, we offered the program "Intergenerational Storytelling Through Photography" to Staten Island SAGE and Wagner and Curtis High School GSA's. This program consisted of a 6-week workshop series, culminating in a joint visit to the Alice Austen House where students and seniors came together to interview each other and have conversations about LGBTQ identity of the past and present. We offer "Storytelling Through Photography" as an in-museum class for GSA's. For more information on this program, contact Alyssa DeMarco, Director of Education, at (718) 816-4506 x13.

Pinhole Camera Education Program

The Alice Austen House has developed a pinhole camera education program. The museum participates annually in Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day on the last Sunday in April and offers a family workshop the week prior to make-your-own pinhole camera. Customized pinhole photography programs are available for groups.

Vintage Camera Day

Every year Alice Austen House hosts "Vintage Camera Day" in November, where you can marvel at the art of photography with hands-on demonstrations and displays of vintage cameras. Vintage Camera Day always features a talk from a local artist, a family workshop, and the opportunity to talk to our camera doctor, who will help diagnose and fix any issues you may be having with your own camera. More information can be found on our events calendar after the date is announced.

For more information, please contact Alyssa DeMarco, Director of Education at (718) 816-4506 x 13.

Our education programs are generously supported by:
The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs

Councilmembers Debi Rose and Steven Matteo
New York Community Trust
The Richmond County Savings Foundation
The Staten Island Foundation

Staten Island Arts
Lily Auchincloss Foundation
Con Edison
The Board of the Alice Austen House