In an effort to support a solid grounding in educational theory within the field of museum education, three texts considered essential reading for museum educators were surveyed for correlations with Merrill's First Principles of Instruction, an influential work in the field of instructional design. Each of five First Principles were found to be represented, sustaining Merrill's claim that First Principles are true "regardless of program or practice," and providing prescriptive tools for successful learning in museums.