Elyse Villa

Elyse Villa is a seasoned and mission-driven informal educator who uses her experience in natural history and art museums to bridge the gap between art and science.

With a focus on school audiences, Elyse is committed to helping educators spark curiosity, joy, and creativity in their students while sharing the wonder present in our natural world. She has obtained certifications in interpretation, science communication, advanced Visual Thinking Strategies, and change management to support her work.

Currently, she is the Manager of Tour Programs at the Birmingham Museum of Art—creating innovative experiences for visitors of all ages and supporting a cohort of college Teaching Fellows in their communication practice. When she’s not working, Elyse is an avid baker and will bore you about milling grains if given the chance.

Elyse Villa will be speaking at the Green Museums Summit 2025:

Drawn to Nature: How the BMA Uses Nature Journaling to Support Place Connectedness and Environmental Stewardship

While Art and Science have informed each other for centuries—spurring advancements in both disciplines—this symbiotic relationship can often be overlooked. One of the strongest examples of this connection lies in botanical illustration. The Birmingham Museum of Art offers a scalable outdoor program to help visitors of all ages learn more about botanical illustration, create their own nature journals, and discover resources to advance their observation skills—all to support close looking and increase connections to nature. Come away with a downloadable nature journal, tips and tricks for teaching nature journaling, and example lesson plans!