21세기 고도의 지식 정보화 사회에서 국가 경쟁력을 강화시키기 위해 영재교육진흥법(교육인적자원부, 2000), 영재교육진흥법 시행령(교육인적자원부, 2002), 제1, 2차 영재교육진흥종합계획(교육인적자원부, 2002, 2007) 등이 시행되면서 전국적으로 영재교육이 실시되고 있다. 최근에는 그동안 소외되었던 문화예술교육의 중요성이 부각되고 예술영재에 대한 관심이 높아지면서 미술영재교육이 점차 확산되고 있는 추세이다. 하지만, 양적인 증가에 비해 질적 향상을 위한 노력은 다소 부족해 보인다. 특히 미술 영재들을 위한 체계적인 교육과정에 대한 연구는 아직 미흡한 실정이다.
While for about past 10years the gifted education in visual arts have been rapidly invigorated, only few researches on curriculums for the gifted in visual arts have done. Most of education programs for the gifted in visual arts focuses only on creative art making process, whereas understanding art and art criticism are overlooked. Therefore this research developed an art museum education program for the gifted in the visual arts. To do so, firstly this research examined the definitions and characteristics of the gifted in the visual arts and curriculum theories of the gifted education for the visual arts. Based on this theoretical foundation, the principles of art museum education program are defined as 1) facilitating self-directed learning, 2) developing creativity, 3) improve reflective thiking skills, 4) enrichment of museum experience through creative art making process, 5) professionalism. In this context, each program is consisted orientation, recognizing themes, viewing the artworks, internalization, art making, and evaluation. Four programs were developed and applied to the 5,6th grade students who are gifted in visual arts. As a result, experiences in the art museum not only stimulated students’ artful thinking but also motivate them to engage in the creative art making process.