MILWAUKEE, WIS.- The Milwaukee Art Museum, in partnership with Google, will offer a semester-long Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), beginning on February 10, 2015. This free course will allow participants to:

· Get comfortable with looking at art by making personal connections with works of art from around the world and in your hometown

· Develop skills such as observing carefully, reflecting and assessing, and creating meaning

· Connect art to unexpected disciplines

· Learn from and interact with a global community of arts-interested people

· Contribute to a worldwide understanding of art through a final project, creatively responding to a work of art of your choice

“Our virtual classroom will be the Google Cultural Institute, and our physical classrooms will be art museums or galleries located in your hometown. This completely free course will take about twenty-one hours to complete,” said Brigid Globensky, the Barbara Brown Lee Senior Director of Education and Programs at the Milwaukee Art Museum. “It's a combination of brief activities, discussion, and reflection in our forum; live Google Hangouts on Air; and hands-on projects.”

Group sign-ups are encouraged for the various activities involved. Participants do not need to live in the Milwaukee region.

“This isn't your average Art History 101 course. Instead of a chronological walkthrough of art through the ages, we'll be making personal connections to works of art and connecting artwork to unexpected careers and disciplines. Whether you've never been to a museum before or you are a longtime art lover, join us for an informal, fun-filled exploration of art and how we as humans bring art into our lives in varied ways,” said Globensky.

Interested participants can sign up at http://courses.mam.org .