The revered sakura, or cherry blossom, has been celebrated in landscapes, figure paintings, and prints by artists from medieval Japan to Katsushika Hokusai and beyond. Long after the cherry blossoms fall in Washington, DC, you are invited to embrace hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of “flower viewing,” by going cherry blossom viewing in the museum’s Japanese art collections!
Tour of the painted world
1. General Information: Guided tours of the Schulenburg area are offered year-round, Monday through Saturday, except for certain holidays and Catholic holy days. The Painted Churches on the tour are active churches, therefore, tours are not available on Sundays. The tour typically covers 4 churches in the area surrounding Schulenburg, however, by special request we can add 2 more churches to the tour.
There is no minimum or maximum number of visitors per tour. The Chamber strives to accommodate groups of all sizes, whether 1 or 100. For all tours, but especially larger groups, we do ask that you call the Chamber, (979) 743-4514, to book your tour.
2. Reservation/Tour Fees: Select your desired date well in advance and call us to book a tour. A deposit of $50.00 at the time of the booking will reserve your date and guide. This deposit will then be applied to the Guide’s Fee unless otherwise requested.
For Up to 19 people, the Tour Fee will be:
$18.00 per person for 4 Churches ($50.00 Guide Fee)
$25.00 per person for 6 churches ($60 Guide Fee).
For groups of 20 or more, the Tour Fee will be:
$17.00 per person for 4 Churches ($60 Guide Fee)
$24.00 per person for 6 Churches ($75.00 Guide Fee).
A generous portion of the Tour Fees are given to the churches and museums for their upkeep.
If your tour is customized, such as a Photography Tour, the Guide Fee may be more due to the time involved.
3. Tour Guides: A local tour guide will be assigned to your group and will meet you at the Chamber of Commerce office, 618 N. Main St., Schulenburg, TX 78956, at your scheduled time. He or she will have the option to accompany you in your vehicle or, take their own vehicle. As with any member of the Service industry, a Gratuity above their normal fee is appreciated.
4. Tour Times: Tours are scheduled according to the beginning time that works best for your group; however, we recommend for the 4-church tour starting between 9:15 am and 11:00 am; and for the 6 church tour, no later than 10:00 am. These times will ensure that you have plenty of time to enjoy the churches before they close for the day. We do not recommend touring 6 churches for large groups because of the time involved.
5. Lunch: Tours generally make a stop for lunch. The Chamber staff can assist you with selecting a restaurant and with making reservations. A list of local restaurants is available on the Chamber website under “Dining.”
6. Cancellations: If you need to cancel, you are permitted to reschedule and transfer your deposit to another day (up to one year from the original scheduled date). The cancellation must be made within 24 hours of your scheduled time and day or the deposit will be forfeited. Deposits can also be refunded at your request when cancelling.
General Information
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I arrange a tour of the Painted Churches?
When you have a date in mind for a tour, call the Chamber office at least 2 weeks in advance to see if the date is available. The staff will help you with all the details. Please do not send a reservation form and deposit without talking with the Chamber staff first.
2. Why do I have to pay a $50.00 deposit?
The deposit guarantees your reservation with the Chamber and it assures that you will show up for your tour. A guide is not assigned to your group until the deposit is paid. The deposit will become the guides fee when you arrive. If for some reason you do not show up for your tour and do not call to cancel it at least the day before, the deposit will be forfeited.
3. Should I give the guide a gratuity at the end of the tour?
The guides are doing a service much like anyone in the service industry. If you feel that they have exceeded your expectations, a gratuity would be much appreciated. The amount is up to each individual.
4. Is there a bus that we all ride on or do I have to drive my own car?
Transportation is provided by our visitors, and the tour guide will ride in your vehicle with you if there is room. The guide can drive their vehicle, if needed, but cannot transport tour members.
5. Is there a minimum number of people for a guided tour?
The Chamber is happy to accommodate groups of any size, whether it is 1 or 100.
6. If I just have a few people, can you combine my group with another one?
The Chamber strives to accommodate as many groups as possible, but we don’t always have enough docents available on a given day. We also try to limit the guided tours to no more than six per day. We will only combine two groups when it is an emergency. We want each group to feel that it is their special event, not something they have to share with strangers. If we can’t provide a guided tour for you on the date you request, please consider another date or take the self-guided tour.
7. May I visit the churches on my own without a guide?
If you have a small group of no more than 6 people, you may visit the churches on your own. The churches are normally available from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm, Mondays thru Saturdays, with some exceptions. St. Mary’s Church at Praha asks that visitors be out of the church by 3:00 on Saturdays so that preparations for evening Mass can be made. Occasionally, there are weddings, funerals, or special Masses at some of the churches, therefore, it’s a good idea to call the Chamber ahead of your visit to be sure the churches are available.
8. Why can’t I visit the churches on Sundays and Holy Days?
All of the Painted Churches are active parishes, with services on weekends and special days.
9.Do the churches get any of the money that the Chamber makes from tours?
The Chamber gives a generous portion of the money from the tours to the churches.
10. Are there any special rules we need to follow while visiting the churches?
There are several rules of church etiquette that must be followed:
- Please remember to close all doors behind you; you are welcome inside but we prefer the birds and wildlife stay outdoors.
- No food, drinks, chewing gum, tobacco, or pets are allowed.
- You may sit down in the pews, but please do not go into the choir loft or in the altar area.
- You may not touch the statues, sculptures, or paintings.
- Please do not take the prayer books as these are used at each Mass by the congregations.
- These churches are still active today and do have services, prayer times, weddings, and funerals.Please respect the congregations by remaining outside if an event is in progress, and be mindful of those who may be coming in to worship.
The Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce is not responsible for accidents or injuries. Be especially mindful of the pews in the church at Dubina because of slight protrusions at the bottom of each pew.
All churches are handicap accessible.
Virtual Tours
Schedule a free virtual tour for your group of ten or more adults. These live, interactive tours feature high-resolution images of artworks and provide online visitors an opportunity to engage in conversation with the museum’s docents. The tours are thematic explorations of both the museum’s permanent collections and special exhibitions. Using the online meeting platform Zoom, participants have the opportunity to examine and respond to exceptional artworks. These tours for adults are approximately one hour long and can also accommodate children. To schedule your adult group, please use the virtual reservation form. All virtual tours must be scheduled at least four weeks in advance.
Virtual tours for adults are offered in the following languages by request: English, Cantonese, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.
Tour topics
New! Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings
Book a virtual tour of a special exhibition, Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings, featuring artworks excavated from the capital of the ancient Shang Dynasty (ca. 1250 BCE–ca. 1050 BCE), including jades and bronze vessels. Learn about the advanced technology of bronze casting, explore intricate and sophisticated designs of ritual objects, and discover famous “oracle bones.”
A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur
Immerse yourself in the ambience of an Indian city with a tour of the special exhibition A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur. Established in 1553, Udaipur was the capital of the Mewar kingdom in northwestern India. The exhibition features paintings commissioned by Udaipur’s royal court between the seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries. Colored with opaque dazzling pigments, these large paintings on paper and cloth feature topographical landscapes of Udaipur’s palaces, lakes, and hillsides. Join the tour of Udaipur’s painted world and experience the moods of its court ceremonies, festivities, hunting grounds, and temples.
Art Across Cultures
The creation of art is a universal human endeavor, but what connects artworks across cultures, and what sets them apart? Freer Gallery of Art founder Charles Lang Freer wrote, “For those who have the power to see beauty. . .all works of art go together.” The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is home to more than 44,000 objects, with strengths in arts of the Islamic world; the ancient Near East; South, East, and Southeast Asia; and the United States. On this museum highlights tour, your group will enjoy selections from diverse regions and time periods, exploring commonalities and differences in cultures, aesthetics, and ideas.
Arts of the Islamic World
The arts of the Islamic world encompass a great diversity of traditions far ranging in geography and historical period—from North Africa to India and since the advent of Islam in the late seventh century. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery hold one of the country’s finest collections of arts of the Islamic world, with particular strengths in illustrated manuscripts and ceramics. Explore selections from the museum’s more than 2,200 Islamic art objects in an interactive online tour with one of our docents.
Cherry Blossom Tour
The revered sakura, or cherry blossom, has been celebrated in landscapes, figure paintings, and prints by artists from medieval Japan to Katsushika Hokusai and beyond. Long after the cherry blossoms fall in Washington, DC, you are invited to embrace hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of “flower viewing,” by going cherry blossom viewing in the museum’s Japanese art collections!
Chinese Brush Painting
In traditional Chinese literati culture, painting is esteemed as one of the “Three Perfections” alongside poetry and calligraphy. The Freer Gallery of Art houses one of the most important collections of Chinese painting outside of Asia, including masterworks and representative pieces from diverse genres and categories. In this online tour, participants will view stunning imagery and will examine refined brushwork in a selection of Chinese handscrolls, hanging scrolls, and more.
Chinese Ceramic Art
Ceramics is one of the most significant forms of Chinese art, and Chinese ceramics are among the most prized examples of the art form globally. A Chinese invention, porcelain ceramics are so identified with the country that they are still called “china” in the English-speaking world. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art houses an impressive collection of Chinese ceramics spanning more than four thousand years, from the Neolithic period to the early twentieth century. Highlights include works from renowned kilns and representative pieces from diverse genres and categories. Participants in this online tour will take a close look at beautiful ceramic works, gaining an appreciation of the creativity, artistic expression, and technical mastery of Chinese potters while also learning about the evolution of ceramic art in China.
Eat and Celebrate
Food is an important part of holiday celebrations throughout the world. You can join our docents to investigate works of art across Asia to discover how people in the past and the present celebrated through food and rituals. What foods were important and how they were grown or made? How and when were certain foods eaten? What special meaning did some foods have and why? What rituals and foods are still part of cultural traditions that people observe today? Explore food culture and celebrations through art.
Explore Buddhist Art
Encounter the beauty and diversity of Buddhist religious art across Asia on this docent-led online tour. From Buddhism’s origins in India and Nepal to its eventual arrival in Japan and Indonesia, participants can follow the journey of Buddhist art throughout the continent. Featuring works from the exhibit Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia and selections from the permanent collections, participants will receive an introduction to sites of contemplation and sacred power in Buddhist art and practice.
Freer in Egypt
In addition to his travels throughout East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and West Asia, museum founder Charles Lang Freer visited Egypt three times between 1906 and 1909. Freer saw Egyptian art as an important part of his vision of universal beauty. His acquisitions included valuable Biblical manuscripts, glazed ceramics, glass, and other artifacts dating back thousands of years to pharaonic Egypt. Join your docent on this online tour to explore Freer’s vision, retrace his travels, and look carefully at the objects he acquired during his visits.
Korean Ceramic Art
The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, house an excellent collection of Korean art, especially ceramics. Charles Lang Freer (1854–1919), founder of the Freer Gallery of Art, acquired nearly 500 Korean art objects. When the museum opened its doors in 1923, Freer’s assembly of Korean art was considered unparalleled in quality and historical scope, and the collection has been expanded over the years.
This docent-led online tour will feature works of art from the museum’s collections of Korean art. The tour will provide participants with the opportunity to take a close look at and gain an appreciation of the beauty of these artworks, including Korean celadon—one of the world’s best-known types of ceramics—while also learning about the history of Korean art and listening to interesting stories of how these works were acquired.
Nature in the Arts of Asia
How are human relationships to the natural world expressed in art across cultures? How have artists throughout time celebrated the beauty of Asian landscapes? From flora and fauna to sea and sky, explore nature motifs in the museum collections in this online tour. Join our docents for an exploration of the natural world through art—perfect to get you ready for warmer weather and for being outdoors in the summertime.
The Peacock Room and American Art
Freer Gallery of Art founder Charles Lang Freer did not only acquire diverse holdings of Asian art; he also assembled outstanding examples of American art in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Today, the Freer Gallery of Art houses the world’s largest collection of works by James McNeill Whistler, including his famed Peacock Room. Also represented in the American art collection are Thomas Dewing, Dwight Tryon, and Abbott Thayer, among others. Participants in this tour will compare and contrast American masterpieces with select Asian artworks, as Freer intended audiences to do more than a century ago.
Past Exhibitions
If you missed the exhibition when it was on view, you can still request a virtual tour.
Fashioning an Empire
Virtually visit the new exhibition Fashioning an Empire: Safavid Textiles from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha. View extraordinary seventeenth-century textiles, full-length portrait paintings from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha and beautiful illustrated manuscript folios from our collections.
One of our docents will share the art and culture of Safavid Iran (1501–1722), including textiles with sumptuous surfaces, original designs, and technical sophistication. These luxury textiles played a critical role in the social, cultural, religious, and economic life of Safavid Iran. Used for clothing, furnishing, and movable architecture, fabrics also functioned as important symbols of power and as ubiquitous forms of artistic expression.
The tour begins on March 1 to coincide with Nowruz, the celebration of the Persian New Year.
Hokusai and the Art of Japan
The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is widely recognized for a single image—Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa, an icon of global art—yet he produced thousands of works throughout his long life. Come view the exhibition Hokusai: Mad About Painting, which features works from the world’s largest collection of paintings, sketches, and drawings by Hokusai. Works large and small are on view, from six-panel folding screens and hanging scrolls to paintings and drawings. Together, these works reveal an artistic genius who thought he might finally achieve true mastery in painting—if he lived to the age of 110.
My Iran: Six Women Photographers
This online tour, featuring the 2019–2020 exhibition of the same name, highlights Iranian postrevolutionary women’s photography in the museum collections. Discover nuanced and compelling stories of Iran through the contemporary lenses of Hengameh Golestan, Newsha Tavakolian, Shadi Ghadirian, Malekeh Nayiny, Gohar Dashti, and Mitra Tabrizian.
