Sharing the world’s music with students in Arizona and beyond

PetSmart’s passion for helping people and their pets live fulfilling lives extends beyond the company’s stores and into the communities it serves. As active supporters of art and science institutions across the Valley, the Phoenix-based company is proud to support virtual education programs at MIM. 

Through generous funding from PetSmart, more than 66,000 students from nearly 100 under-resourced schools across the United States were given free access to MIM’s standards-based virtual field trips during the 2021–2022 school year. That meant teachers and students could make music, discover other cultures, and learn about STEM in music right from their classrooms. 

“By investing in virtual education, we provide children across Arizona and beyond an opportunity to explore MIM’s fascinating galleries and deepen their understanding of world cultures,” says Stacia Andersen, PetSmart’s executive vice president and chief customer officer.

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Physicist Don Balanzat and Katherine Palmer, DMA, MIMʼs curator of education, explore electrophones in MIMʼs virtual STEM tour.

Music and the arts are essential to students’ education—they stimulate brain development, support reading comprehension, reduce stress, and connect students to one another. PetSmart believes that MIM is an important cultural gathering spot and that the museum’s global perspective provides great learning opportunities for children. 

“Every culture throughout history has created music, and it can be a powerful vehicle for exposing young students to different languages, traditions, and holidays,” Andersen says. “Music brings people together—it fosters an appreciation for the world’s diverse cultures . . . and it’s a great way to promote understanding.”

Virtual field trips are supported by

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