field trip to museum

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Plan a Field Trip

Explore, imagine, delight. Organize a Museum visit to enrich learning with exciting new exhibits and programs! By reserving a field trip, visitors agree to comply with the Museum’s full code of conduct .

Make a Reservation

Please review the helpful guide below for details around organizing a field trip.

Programs fill to capacity and there is a limit to daily school group admissions. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Please note: school field trips and programs are not offered during Massachusetts holidays and school vacation periods.

Call Science Central at 617-723-2500 to make a reservation. We are available 7 days a week, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Field Trip Reservation Fees

The Museum has limited funding available for students who qualify for field trip assistance. Please inquire about this if there is a need.

Multiple visits: If you return with the same students, you receive 50% off Exhibit Halls admission. When making reservations, inform Science Central that you will be visiting more than once with your students.

Field Trip Rates are not available during MA school vacation weeks.

**The $5.00 Exhibit Halls admission during the months of September, October, and January is available for schools with a population of economically disadvantaged students at or above 25%.

Theater Shows

Fees vary for reserved field trip add-on programs. Receive a discount if you reserve a show along with Exhibit Halls Admission. All prices shown are per-person.

School rates are available to accredited public and private pre-K – 12 schools that deliver compulsory education (primary purpose is required by law), except during Massachusetts school holidays and vacation periods.

School rates are also available for schools with extended days (all children enrolled in the school are involved in extended school hours) or schools in session through the summer months. After-school groups or out-of-school programs are not eligible for the school group rates.

Cost Planning, Savings and Scholarships

Payment for your field trip is required upon arrival and must cover the full number of students, chaperones, and teachers in your reservation.

Accepted Payment Types

Purchase orders: Arrange at least five days in advance with Science Central. Any amount above the approved purchase order amount must be paid in person via cash, school check, or credit card.

Cash: Large bills are appreciated.

Checks: Must be made out to Museum of Science. No personal checks. Bring check with you the day of your visit — please do not mail.

Credit cards: MC, VISA, Discover, or AMEX

Payments not accepted for field trip participants

• family memberships
• overnight patches
• free passes
• discount coupons

Eligible schools can take advantage of special pricing for field trips available during these months. Exhibit Halls admission for students and chaperones is $5 per person. This discount is available for schools with a population of economically disadvantaged students above 25%.

Pair your discounted Exhibit Halls admission with an IMAX film for just $4 more. To find out if your school qualifies for any scholarships: 617-723-2500.

If you plan to return to the Museum with the same students, they may receive 50% off Exhibit Halls admission for the second visit. When making reservations, please inform Science Central that you will be visiting more than once with your group.

Reduced Exhibit Halls admission is available for qualifying schools. Please note that funding is limited and is distributed first come, first served.

Important: If your group size changes after you make your reservation, you must notify us by 4:00 pm on the day before your visit. Contact Science Central by phone: 617-723-2500, or email: [email protected].

There are no refunds for dropped numbers on the day of your visit. Additional participants above 5 per 100 will be charged regular Exhibit Halls admission. There are no same-day refunds if you reduce your number of participants by more than 5 per 100. Any additions are subject to availability and are not guaranteed entrance to IMAX films or other shows/programs.

Please notify Science Central in the event of a cancellation: 617-723-2500, [email protected].

• One chaperone per 10 students is required for grade levels pre-K – 8.
• One chaperone per 15 students is required for grade levels 9 – 12.
• Chaperones must stay with students at all times and are responsible for the safety of the students and the exhibits they visit.
• Chaperones must be at least 21 years old.
• Educators and chaperones should act as facilitators, encouraging inquiry, and assisting students in navigating Museum Exhibit Halls and programs safely and appropriately.
• Stay with pre-assigned chaperone-sized group at all times, regardless of the students' ages.
• Adhere to the code of conduct established by school systems and community centers. Behavior that is not acceptable at schools and community centers is not acceptable at the Museum of Science. Please note: the Museum is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property.
• Sit together with students in venues such as the Mugar Omni Theater, Planetarium, 4-D Theater, and the Theater of Electricity.

Booking Details

There is no bus parking on Museum grounds except for drop-off and pickup. Buses may park at the Boston Autoport in Charlestown.

Chaperones and teachers may park cars in the Museum garage and will receive a $10 flat rate. In order to receive this discount, you must turn in your chaperone badge at the Information Desk at the end of your visit. Please note that credit or debit cards are the only form of payment accepted for garage transaction.

Field trip participants may either purchase lunches in the Riverview Café or bring bag lunches. NOTE: Due to space limitations in the café, you must reserve a 30-minute time slot for lunch when making your field trip reservation.

Pre-order meals are available for $7.25 per person.

Offered in the Riverview Café. Reserved seating, no hassles, and speedy service. Spend time enjoying your lunch instead of waiting in line.

We offer a choice of:

• Black Forest Ham and American Cheese on Sliced White Bread
• Roast Turkey and Cheddar Sub
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Hummus and Fresh Cut Veggie Box
• Black Angus ¼ Cheeseburger
• Individual Brick Oven 3 Cheese Pizza

Available in any monetary amount. Purchase them through Science Central, 617-723-2500.

If you plan to eat your bag lunch in the Riverview Café, please note that seating is currently limited. You must reserve a lunch space and mealtime when you make your field trip reservation. Bins will be provided for the storage of your group’s coats, bags, backpacks, and lunches upon arrival. Please advise students not to bring or store valuable items; the Museum cannot assume responsibility for lost or damaged items.

Home School Information

Home school groups of at least nine visitors can make reservations over the phone and gain access to discounted school group pricing for teachers, chaperones, and students.

We encourage you to collaborate to form larger groups and set up a reservation. Call Science Central at 617-723-2500. Groups of fewer than nine should go to the Box Office where normal admission rates apply.

Frequent home school visitors will find Museum membership to be a better value than standard box office pricing. We offer several levels of membership, all of which include a variety of benefits such as IMAX and Planetarium passes, discounted parking, and admission to other science museums.

Learn about membership levels and benefits

Many public libraries throughout Massachusetts provide Museum of Science passes that allow up to four people per day to visit the Museum's Exhibit Halls at a significantly reduced rate.

These passes can be used for your home school visit. Contact your local library to find out if they participate and how to reserve your pass.

Drop-In Activities

Students can get hands-on science experience with our Drop-In Activities. Investigate human biology at the Biogen Foundation Exploration Hub or create like an engineer with Design Challenges in our Engineering Design Workshop!

To help us better accommodate your group during your field trip, please contact us to discuss planning a drop-in activity into your trip schedule.

For the Biogen Foundation Exploration Hub please email [email protected] . For Design Challenges please email [email protected] .

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Ready to Book Your Field Trip?

Plan a Field Trip

Two Locations, Countless Incredible Experiences

Our field trips are free, available year round, and welcome learners of all ages. 

Visit one of the most popular museums in the world to explore the history of aviation in space, from the first airplane, to the first people to walk on the Moon, and beyond. 

Reserved Free Timed-Entry Passes (Required)

Passes Required

Field trip groups are required to reserve free timed-entry passes to visit the museum. 

If you reserve a group program, passes will be automatically reserved for your group. 

Up to two reservations of 55 people per group can be submitted for one day. If you require more than 110 timed entry passes, we suggest that you have a different group point of contact (with a different email address) make any additional reservations.

Food and Drink

Outside food and drink are not permitted in the Museum. Bottled water is allowed. 

The Mars Café is located at the lower level and open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The café has limited seating for patrons and food options. Outside food and drink are not allowed in the cafe. 

Bus parking is not available at the Museum. Buses can drop off and pick up at the Independence Avenue entrance.

View thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Discovery and a Concorde, in two large hangars.

Reserve a Free Group Program (Optional)

No reservations or passes are required to visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. If your field trip group is 250 people or larger, please email our Tours and Reservations Office . 

Passes are not required to visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. 

Outside food and drink are not permitted in the object display areas of the Museum. Bottled water is allowed. 

Shake Shack is open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please contact Smithsonian Enterprises Group Sales to set up group orders. Outside food and drink are not allowed in Shake Shack. 

For eating outside food and drink, a small indoor eating area is available on a first come, first served basis that seats a maximum of 75 people. 

Groups are welcome to leave and return. One paid parking ticket is good for the day.

Free parking is available for buses and 16 passenger vans in the Udvar-Hazy Center parking lot. 

Daily parking for other vehicles is available for $15 (free after 4:00 pm). There is a 30-minute grace period if you are just dropping off passengers.

Take Your Field Trip to the Next Level

You can enhance the field trip experience for your students by adding one of our free reservable programs. 

From story times for young learners, to hands on labs and science demonstrations for learners from kindergarten through high school—there is something for any group. 

These experiences are sure to create lifelong memories and inspirations for visitors. 

This unique field trip experience is available for 6th grade students in Washington, DC public schools. 

DC students will enjoy a free field trip to the Museum or visits by a museum educator to explore topics in aviation and space that align with DC curriculum and standards. 

Know Before You Go

Students must be supervised at all times. The required student-chaperone ratios are:

• Pre-K through 3rd Grade: 1 adult for every 5 students
• 4th through 6th Grade: 1 adult for every 10 students
• 7th through 12th Grade: 1 adult for every 15 students

Visit tips, guidelines, and policies for on-site programs.

Please contact the Tours and Reservations Office by email . 

We also offer a variety of virtual experiences for groups, connecting you to Museum resources and experts in unique ways. 

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St Petersburg-Clearwater Field Trips

The FieldTripDirectory.com is a resource of St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida field trips for elementary school students thru high school students, camp groups, homeschool groups and scout troops for day field trips, overnight field trips and youth retreats. Learn about St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s museums, zoos and aquariums, botanic gardens, nature centers, historic sites, amusement parks, recreation, performing arts and more, CLICK on the ACTIVITY FILTER below for further field trip information. For those unable to travel to these locations, check out our  Virtual Field Trips  section or  Outreach Field Trips & School Assembly Programs  section.    

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Laser Ops Gaming Arcade

Learn about the inner workings of a Family Friendly Arcade and Laser Tag Center on this fun and educational Field Trip. Laser Ops is a 25,000 sf Indoor Amusement Center in Tampa Bay.

Pathfinder Outdoor Education St. Petersburg

Pathfinder’s mission is to deliver fun, challenging adventures that help people learn about themselves, others and the environment.

American Stage Theatre Company

Join the American Stage Theatre Company for live performances that will introduce your group to the theatre. Pair your trip to the theater with an in-class workshop.

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

The Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, on 245 acre, features an environmental center, living history museum, 6 miles of trail and boardwalks, unique ecosystems, sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, willow marsh, swamp woodlands, and more.

Chihuly Collection by the Morean Arts Center

Admire the permanent Chihuly Collection at the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, FL. This collection, filled with works by Dale Chihuly, merges art and architecture.

Dali Museum

The Dali Museum celebrates the life and work of Salvador Dali, featuring works spanning his entire career. The collection holds over 2,000 works in every medium of his artistic activity including 96 oil paintings, many original drawings, book illustrations, prints, sculpture and more.

Florida Holocaust Museum

The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions who suffered or died in the Holocaust with emphasis on teaching tolerance.

Great Explorations Children's Museum

Great Explorations Children’s Museum provides learning and play with hands-on exhibits and programs. Choose between self-exploration, an interactive show, and a Learning Lab.

Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibits spans 4,000 yrs of art from antiquity to the present, including African art, European paintings &  also as well as sculpture garden, photography and a glass gallery.

Saint Petersburg Museum of History

The St. Petersburg Museum of History has shared stories of the Sunshine City for nearly a century, presenting exhibits depicting the birth of the City and its history.

Science Center of Pinellas

The Science Center of Pinellas is dedicated to providing innovative, dynamic learning experiences for curious young minds, while laying a foundation in STEM for future career options.

Sunken Gardens

The historic Sunken Gardens features meandering paths, exotic plants from around the world, waterfalls,  demonstration gardens, and more than 50,000 tropical plants, and flowers.

FieldTripDirectory.com offers field trip ideas for class trips, scout group trips, camp group field trips, and homeschool group field trips in St. Petersburg—for early childhood through college. Search for class trips in St. Petersburg/Clearwater by group type, cost, activity/curriculum type, grade level, distance, and venue name or keyword. Day class trips are divided by curriculum and subject area:

• ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Find St. Petersburg art museums, theater, dance, and music concert field trips.
• EARLY CHILDHOOD Find class trips to St. Petersburg children’s museums, petting zoos, and kids’ shows.
• HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES View St. Petersburg history museums, government & civics, historic sites, living history museums, and multicultural field trip ideas.
• LIFE SKILLS Find St. Petersburg team building field trips, health & safety exhibits, and character education experiences.
• SCIENCE & NATURE Find St. Petersburg aquariums, botanical gardens, environmental studies & nature centers, farms & mazes, planetariums, science museums, STEAM & STEM field trips, dinosaur exhibits, and zoos.
• RECREATION Find St. Petersburg  field trip ideas for adventure parks, ropes courses, ziplines, boat excursions, amusement parks, waterparks, kayaking, rafting, tubing, laser tag paintball, roller skating rinks, ice-skating rinks, mini-golf attractions, indoor amusement & recreation centers, and outdoor amusement & recreation centers.

Overnight field trips & retreats are available for environmental education, team building, and recreation. We created field trip lesson plans to help teachers, scout leaders, camp counselors, and homeschool parents provide an enriching experience for their groups. We know funds for class trips are limited, so we’ve included grants for field trips that cover admission, transportation, and more. It’s important that students and youth explore new environments, learn about other cultures, and develop an understanding of inclusivity as part of the educational process. People learn in different ways—through hearing, seeing, touching, talking, or doing. Class trips can provide a multi-dimensional learning experience. FieldTripDirectory.com can help you find the right trip for your group. A world of experiences is just a click away at FieldTripDirectory.com.

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Field trips.

Inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds with a field trip to the Natural History Museum!

Visit the Natural History Museum on a field trip!  Explore our exhibit halls, get up-close-and-personal with specimens and artifacts, and experience our museums with your students. Self-guided field trips to the Natural History Museum are free for California Pre K–12 public or private school groups. See below for information on how to book your visit!

Please note: Due to construction for the future NHM Commons, the South Entrance of the Museum is closed . Students and teachers will be redirected to enter at the East Gate Entrance (located off of the Rotunda across from the Rose Garden). Please see our Field Trip Parking and Bus Drop-Off map for specific directions.

Starting November 18 the South Entrance and NHM commons will be open to the public and field trip visitors! Field trips booked from this date forward will be directed to check in and enter the museum through the South Entrance.  

Book Your Field Trip

Field Trip Add-Ons

Before Your Field Trip

Field Trip FAQs

Field Trips to La Brea Tar Pits

Witness discoveries made daily at the largest active urban paleontological site in the world!

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Hands-on and Minds-curious Art Learning

November 13, 2018 Leave a Comment

The Secret to Planning a Successful Field Trip from Start to Finish

Inside: Planning a field trip? Here’s everything you need to plan a successful art field trip to a museum this year–from managing field trip chaperone behavior to scheduling the buses to preparing your students.

I know. I know! Planning a field trip can be a stressful nightmare. Coordinating with administrators, obtaining transportation, getting permission slips, collecting money, keeping track of students, recruiting chaperones, planning with the museum, and more. The list of to-dos for art field trips are nearly never-ending.

You should take your classes to an art museum. There will be paperwork and headaches and hassles, but planning a field trip is all worth it. Seriously. Let’s talk about why to do it and, more importantly, how.

Importance of Field Trip

Seeing art face to face is a singular experience. There is no way to replicate seeing an artwork in person in a classroom. There’s just not. We can do a lot with hi-resolution projectors, updated textbooks, and full-size posters. Our students can and will connect with the artworks we show them at school, but they deserve to lose their breath and feel the goosebumps that only happen when interacting with art directly.

Textures and tiny details that are lost by a lens or scanner come to life under museum lights. Artworks we’re familiar with can astonish and surprise us when we see their true scale. When I saw Picasso’s Guernica in person, I became utterly transfixed by the depth and texture of the paint and the enormous scale of the composition. The terror and heartbreak were inches away. I could see it all with devastating clarity. The emotion and impact of Guernica reached me through pictures, but I literally could not walk away when I saw it in person. My perspective shifted forevermore thanks to an experience that was impossible to achieve via screen or reproduction.

An art field trip can open our students eyes to the varieties and possibilities of art. Museums allow them to walk through history and dive into the expanse of human expression and experience cultures both familiar and otherwise firsthand. Art has the power to change lives. I’ve talked before about a museum trip that changed the course of my life . An art field trip helps mold our students into world citizens, igniting their curiosity and infusing their futures with wonder and delight.

Learning isn’t limited to the classroom and museums offer students a perfect chance to forge connection internally and externally, with their world and their peers. Classmates will converse with one another and their museum guide, making new meaning and gaining new understanding. These social and communication skills will serve them throughout their lives.

Are field trips worth it?

Budget cuts and a heavy focus on test-taking skills have made field trips seem like an unnecessary luxury rather than an important education tool. Across the country, out of school excursions are becoming less and less common , but the importance of field trip cannot be overstated. Students learn an amazing amount from taking their learning outside of the classroom. A recent study  showed field trips help students develop into “civilized young men and women who possess more knowledge about art, have stronger critical-thinking skills, exhibit increased historical empathy, display higher levels of tolerance, and have a greater taste for consuming art and culture”.

In short—yes, that art field trip you’ve been thinking about is 100% worthwhile.

Planning a Field Trip

It’s time to clear your throat, don your strongest teacher voice, and get ready to put your ducks in a single-file line. There’s no such thing as being too prepared when it comes to planning a field trip. That’s why we created a Field Trip Packet with everything you need to plan a successful field trip from start to finish.

Field Trip Packet

The Field Trip Packet includes:

• Why Field Trips are Important
• Why Field Trips are Worth It
• Scheduling Tips
• Funding Tips
• Parent Communication Tips
• Busing Tips
• Chaperone Tips
• After the Field Trip Tips
• Planning Checklist
• Week of Field Trip Checklist
• Day of Field Trip Checklist
• Student Roster
• Parent Communication Template
• Permission Slip Template

For students:

• Museum & Trip Information Page
• Sketching Page
• Scavenger Hunt
• ‘I Am’ Character Poem
• Twitter Perspectives
• Exploring Place: The 5 Senses
• Trip Reflection Worksheet

This Museum Field Trip Packet is full of documents to help you plan a successful field trip + worksheets and activities for students to complete during the museum field trip.

Scheduling your Field Trip

Check with your front office or school administration and find out what information you’ll need for planning a field trip. Usually, you’ll need to provide an itinerary of your trip. Be aware, some schools are sticklers and want near minute-by-minute schedules.

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This is also a good time to find out what dates you’ll need to avoid planning a field trip on—testing dates, other field trips, assemblies, and so on. Be sure to ask when you’re allowed to leave and what time you’ll need to be back. Often, field trip times are limited by bus schedules and pickup times.

With potential dates in hand, call the art museum to book your tour. Museum staff will usually provide you with all the information you need for planning a field trip, but make sure you get these questions answered:

• How many students are allowed per group? (Museum tours usually limit the number of individuals to 15 or so, but ask your museum so you know for sure.)
• How many chaperones are required?
• What time should you arrive with students?
• Where do you park?
• Where do you enter the museum?
• Where can you eat lunch? Are there any museum policies regarding food that you need to be aware of?
• Can students go into the gift shop?

Field Trip Funding

Talk with your front office about funding your art field trip. Art museum visits are usually free, but someone needs to pay for the bus. Figure out if the school or district can pay for it or do you need to collect money from the students. Divide the amount needed by the number of students going to get the amount each will owe. If you teach at a low-income school, ask the museum if they know of any grant possibilities for funding buses.

Ask your school about the best method to collect funds. Some schools do not allow teachers to give students change, in which case you’ll need to ask students to bring the exact amount. If you are allowed to make change, keep a bunch of $1 bills on hand. Keep meticulous records of the money collected. Receipt books are an easy way to keep track and can be purchased cheaply from places like Wal-Mart, Target, or an office supply store. This will make keeping track of all the money paid and owed. Trust me, you’ll be glad to have it when a student insists they already paid.

Get a big envelope to hold the funds and keep them locked in your desk or file cabinet. Ask your front office if they want it all turned it at once or at the end of each day. Print a roster of all of the students who are supposed to go on the trip to keep alongside your envelope. Make two columns alongside each name, one for money and another for permission slips.

Field Trip Permission Slip and Parent Communication

Make sure you follow your school’s protocol for sending and collecting field trip permission slips. They should have a standard form you can use. Set a deadline for your students to turn in permission slips well before the field trip and write the deadline across the top in huge, bold letters before you copy and distribute it to students.

With the field trip form, send a letter to the parents about the field trip. As a parent, I sometimes get random permission slips with no information and am lost trying to figure out what it’s for. Write a little note about how excited you are to take the kids to the museum and staple it to the field trip permission slip.

Scheduling Buses

First, figure out who is responsible for scheduling the bus. Do you do it? Does your front office do it? Does the district do it? Even if you think you know, double check! Once the art field trip is scheduled, get the bus scheduled as soon as possible. When planning a field trip, be sure to factor in driving time, getting on and off the bus, and any possible traffic into your decisions about when the bus should arrive for pickup.

When the bus arrives, be sure to get the name and cell phone number of the bus driver, as well as the bus number. You don’t want to be lost in a maze of buses with students in tow or be late getting back to school because you can’t find your driver.

Field Trip Lunch

With so many details to consider, you might forget about planning a field trip lunch, but don’t make that mistake! Consider:

• Will you be back in time for lunch or do you need to bring lunches? Work with the front office and cafeteria staff to plan sack lunches for your students.
• Do the students need to order their sack lunches in advance? If so, get the form to send home alongside the parent letter and permission slip.
• For students packing lunches, it is best to put their lunches in disposable containers so everything can be thrown away and you don’t have to worry about kids losing their favorite lunch box.
• Will the museum allow you to store lunches somewhere inside or will they need to stay on the bus?
• Where will you eat lunch? The museum staff can tell you where to go. If they don’t have a designated courtyard or cafe, consider visiting a nearby park.
• Will you allow students to buy food? Many museums have a cafe or are located in metro areas with nearby restaurants. For example, at the Dallas Museum of Art , there are always food trucks at a park across the street. When I took middle schoolers, I allowed a chaperone to accompany them to the park to buy lunch from the food trucks. If so, don’t forget to add that to your parent letter!

What to Bring with You on the Art Field Trip

• First aid kit (Often the front office or nurse will have something already prepared for you to bring.)
• Roster of all participating students
• Cell phone numbers for your chaperones, plus the school and museum phone numbers
• A map with directions to and from the destination for the bus driver—They probably know where to go, but it’s good to have ready just in case.
• An art field trip museum assignment for the students to complete. Get creative! Look at the current collection on the museum website and create a scavenger hunt or bingo cards. Encourage the students to interact with the artworks by using art appreciation worksheets .
• Pencils and paper

In addition to these things, talk with the school nurse about which students are going on the trip to find out if any medications or special precautions are necessary.

Field Trip Chaperones

Once you know how many field trip chaperones you need, recruit other teachers and parents. Your school or the museum you’re visiting will likely have their own guidelines for you to follow. As a rule of thumb for museum tours, be sure you have at least 1 adult per 12-15 kids.

Print personal copies of all the information each field trip chaperone will need—times, when and where to meet, the bus number, names of children they will watch, expected behavior, and your cell number. (Don’t forget to get their cell number as well!) Put the information in a folder or on a clipboard so it’s easy to keep everything together.

For each teacher going on the trip, make sure substitutes will be available to cover their classes. If there will be a sub in your classroom, plan your sub lessons. Pair an art appreciation worksheet with an artwork for an easy, mess-free sub lesson. You can even tie it into the art field trip by choosing one or more artworks students will see in the museum.

Preparing the Students for the Trip

Get your students excited for the art field trip! Beyond the novelty of getting out of school for a bit, you want them psyched for the experience too. Here are some ways to do that:

• Share pictures of the museum and the type of art they will see
• Lead art discussions with students so they can show off their awesome art interpretation skills (They’ll be sure to impress their chaperones and museum guides!)
• Discuss expected behavior. (More on this below)
• Use museum resources—museums often send great lessons and supplemental information before your art field trip. These are perfect for both pre-visit and post-visit lessons and will help students remember what they see.
• Tell students the schedule in advance what you’ll expect from them and and what they should expect regarding lunch, buses, gift shop, free time in the museum, etc. Repeat this information before you leave, on the bus, and when you arrive.

Student Behavior

As a former museum educator, I can tell you I rarely had an uncontrollable student groups. Students love field trips and the museum environment helps them stay in line. Nonetheless, discuss behavior in advance, plan and tell them consequences for misbehavior. Student behavior is a reflection on you and the school, so make sure to follow through on consequences if needed. Remember, if they respect you, they won’t want to make you look bad . Be sure students know that you’re watching and that all of the field trip chaperones will report back on their behavior.

Student Rules for Art Field Trips

• Don’t touch the art—keep an arm’s length from artworks at all times.
• Don’t yell.
• Treat the docent, museum staff, chaperones, and each other with respect.
• Participate in the lesson.
• No bags/backpacks allowed.
• No food/candy/gum/drinks
• No pens, pencils only. (The museum will provide pencils when needed.)

Field Trip Chaperone Behavior

Honestly, the worst behavior I saw when I was a museum teacher came from parents and field trip chaperones. Don’t shy away from including a do and don’t list in the information you give chaperones.

Don’t Do List for  Field Trip Chaperones

• Talk loudly in the background with other adults.
• Treat the tour as a break. The museum teacher needs your help controlling poor behavior and inattention.
• Answer questions asked of students. It’s fun to participate in art discussions, but don’t take the opportunity away from the students. (If you’re still itching to participate in art discussions, join me every Monday at 6 pm Central on Facebook for Masterpiece Monday ! Get reminders by clicking here .)
• Play games or scroll through social media on your phone. If you aren’t respecting the learning and experience, your students won’t either.
• Lose anyone.

What to Do List for  Field Trip Chaperones

• Direct student attention. Pay attention to who is or isn’t engaged. If someone isn’t paying attention, give them your best teacher look, stand by them, and talk to them between stops on the tour about their behavior.
• Model enjoyment and delight in the art. Engage with the art and the students to show them that this is a wonderful, fun experience.
• Know the info—who is in your group, where to go and when to be there, the bus number, etc.
• Constantly check to make sure all of the students in your group are present and accounted for. Count again and again.

After your Art Field Trip

When planning a field trip, don’t forget to think about the follow-up! On the return bus ride or when you get back to school:

• Have students write three art field trip takeaways.
• Ask students to reflect and write a paragraph about the experience.
• Lead a class discussion about what they saw and did. (What did they like/not like? What surprised them about the experience? Do they want to go back?)
• Have students draw pictures for or write thank you letters to send to the art museum. (The museum most likely offered that tour for free and the teacher was probably a volunteer. Make their day with a lovely note.)
• Thank students for good behavior
• Follow through on the discipline plan by giving consequences for poor student behavior.
• Send a follow up letter to parents telling them about the art field trip and encouraging them to visit the art museum as a family so students can show their parents what they learned. Make sure to include information and upcoming events at the museum, as well as any free admission the museum offers.

When all is said and done, take time to reflect on the art field trip yourself. Take stock of what went well and what didn’t work. Take note what your students enjoyed and what you’d like to do differently next time. Breathe. Enjoy a job well done. Then, start planning your next artful excursion!

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Field Trips: 6 - 8

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Explore the vibrant history and culture of New York City through engaging exhibits and interactive displays at the Museum of the City of New York. Junior high students will dive into the city’s past, discovering its dynamic stories and contributions to art, filmmaking, and social change. The field trips listed below are offered in either Spanish or English, or as a bilingual experience. / Este programa se ofrece tanto en español como en inglés, o como una experiencia bilingüe.

Please scroll for field trip descriptions, FAQs, rates, and more information. 

Field Trip Experiences at MCNY

Manny Vega: Art in El Barrio / Arte en El Barrio 

In this guided program, students will explore the exhibition Byzantine Bembé: New York by Manny Vega and see the range of artistic media Vega uses to celebrate Puerto Rican, African, and Brazilian music, art, spiritual traditions, and culture, particularly in East Harlem. Students will learn about Vega’s childhood growing up in NYC, practice some Spanish, and discuss how cultural traditions may help shape meaning in their own lives.  

Hands-on Learning: Students will conclude the program by making their own paper mosaics to take home, drawing from selections of the artist’s work.  

Themes : Art, Cultural Identity, Our Communities   

90 minutes. Grades 6-8. Through December 31, 2024.

Activist New York

Engage your students with New York City’s long history of social activism spanning 350 years. Students will examine original artifacts and visuals while a Museum Educator facilitates discussion on topics ranging from immigration to Civil Rights, trans activism, and the current Movement for Black Lives. Please select 2 or 3 of the case studies on view when booking. 

Hands-on Learning : Students will participate in the tradition of activism by creating a wearable button championing the change they would like to make. This field trip aligns with the NYCDOE’s Civics for All curriculum and initiative. 

Themes: Civic Engagement, Cultural Identity, Our Communities  

90 minutes. Grades 6-8.

Activist New York: Black History Edition

In this special edition of the Activist New York field trip, students will examine original artifacts and visuals related to New York’s long history of Black social activism. A Museum Educator will facilitate discussion on three case studies: Abolishing Slavery: The Battle Over Abolition 1830-1865 ; Civil Rights: New York and Civil Rights 1945-1964 ; and #BlackLivesMatter: The Movement for Black Lives 2012-2020 . 

Hands-on Learning: Students will participate in the tradition of activism by creating a wearable button championing the change they would like to make. This field trip aligns with the NYCDOE’s Civics for All curriculum and initiative. 

90 minutes. Grades 6 - 8. 

The Making of New York: From Manhatta to the Five Borough City

In this guided field trip of the Museum’s main historical gallery New York at Its Core: Port City – 1609-1898, students will explore the story of the city as it grew into the nation’s economic and cultural capital on the shores of the Western Hemisphere’s busiest harbor. Alongside more than 200 one-of-a-kind artifacts, including a Lenape ceremonial club, archaeological findings from the Five Points neighborhood , and original models of the Statue of Liberty, participants will “meet” New Yorkers of the past through interactive digital installations.   

Hands-on Learning: Students will practice their historical thinking skills as they sketch and interpret original artifacts.  

Themes: Technology & Innovation, Our Communities, Cultural Identity   

Graffiti: From The Subway to the Museum

The young people who launched New York’s age of graffiti in the 1970s went on to significantly influence global pop culture.  This guided field trip centers on the stories of multiple writers – graffiti artists – as they transitioned their practice from illegally writing on subway cars to creating paintings on canvas and exhibiting in galleries and museums around the world. In the process, students will build knowledge and practice in art criticism, engage multiple perspectives on graffiti, and learn about Hidden Voices including Martin Wong and Lady Pink. 

Hands-on Learning: Students will practice the styles of the writers as they develop their own style through sketching. 

Themes: Arts, Cultural Identity, Our Communities  

The People's Politician: Shirley Chisholm

What responsibility, if any, should the government take in providing for the needs of its citizens? In this guided field trip, students will explore this question through close examination of artifacts related to the story of the barrier-breaking, Brooklyn-born politician Shirley Chisholm – the first Black woman elected to US Congress. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the civic process and the role of public officials as they listen to excerpts from speeches Chisholm delivered and analyze where she stood on critical issues like reproductive freedom, food stamps, and women’s liberation. 

Hands-on Learning: Students will leverage their learning through a collaborative role-play activity where they will serve as representatives, constituents, and voters. 

Themes : Civic Engagement, Cultural Identity  

Please note that this gallery contains objects that reference abortion. Recognizing the relevance of this topic to the present-day, this field trip will address Chisholm’s stance on reproductive freedom.  

"And Scene" 100 of New York through Film

What’s better than watching 1 film about NYC? Watching 400 all at once! In this field trip experience, students will engage in an immersive 21-minute film depicting New York City life across time, boroughs, and cultures featured on 16 screens. This unique narrative film, created for the Museum’s 100th birthday, was crafted from clips of almost 400 feature films and documentaries from the 1920s to today. 

Hands-on Learning: After the film experience, students will transform from the role of observer to creator as they take center stage in a collaborative New York City themed game of charades, clapperboard included! 

Themes : Arts, Cultural Identity, Our Communities  

What Makes New York New York? People, Technology, and Culture: Black History Edition 

In this guided field trip, students will investigate objects that tell rich stories of the creativity and resilience of Black New Yorkers as they have met the challenges of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Bill “Bojangles” Robinson’s dancing shoes – that dazzled Broadway goers during the Harlem Renaissance – to flyers from protests against Robert Moses’ use of eminent domain to transform the creative center of San Juan Hill to what is now Lincoln Center.  

Hands-on Learning: Participants will “meet” New Yorkers of the past through interactive digital installations and practice their historical thinking skills as they sketch and interpret original artifacts. 

Themes : Arts, Cultural Identity, Technology & Innovation  

What Makes New York New York? People, Technology, and Culture in the 20th Century

In this guided field trip, students will discover the creativity and resilience of New Yorkers as they met the challenges of the 20th century. From family heirlooms brought by immigrants to the shovel that broke ground for the first subway, the Museum’s gallery World City: 1898-2012 is filled with one-of-a-kind objects that capture transformational moments in New York, including record-breaking immigration at the turn of the century, the Harlem Renaissance, and the city’s responses to the fiscal crisis of the 1970s and the pandemic of 2020. 

Hands-on Learning: Participants will “meet” New Yorkers of the past through interactive digital installations and practice their historical thinking skills as they sketch and interpret original artifacts.

Themes: Arts, Cultural Identity, Technology & Innovation  

90 min. Grades 6 - 8 . Offered Oct 1 - Dec 31  

Times: Programs are available Tuesday—Friday beginning at 10am .  

Cost: The pricing of in-person and virtual field trips is different. Please see the relevant section below for group pricing.

Programs: Field trips are 90 minutes. Programs can be modified for groups of all needs and abilities, and program time can be adjusted under special request.

Scheduling: Advance reservations are required and must be made by using the field trip request form.  Please note that due to the volume of requests, it may take up to three weeks to receive a response from our School Programs Scheduling Team. Field trips are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. More details are listed below. 

In Person Field Trip Pricing

Note: We reserve the right to limit reservations to two groups per school per day. Teachers and chaperones are included for free in the group fee pricing.

Please fill out the Field Trip Request Form to request a trip. 

Field Trip Request Form

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Virtual Field Trips

Take a Museum field trip without leaving your classroom.

When you can't come to Griffin MSI, take a virtual field trip with us instead. Participate in a facilitated Learning Lab livestream, or take a live virtual tour of some of our most popular exhibits. And check out our free online STEM learning tools for new ways to engage.  

Virtual Field Trip offerings

Live from the heart.

Go live into the operating room to watch heart surgery and learn about careers.

Virtual Crime Lab

Solve a crime with fingerprint analysis, chromatography, white powder analysis and more.

Virtual Mars 2040

Learn how NASA plans to get the first manned mission to Mars by the year 2040.

Virtual MedLab: Diabetes

Learn about vital signs and medical examinations while you analyze data to diagnose and understand diabetes.

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Explore atmospheric phenomena and learn how scientists predict weather.

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Field Trips & Group Visits

Purposeful play..

Research continues to show the social, emotional and cognitive benefits of play for child development. Please Touch Museum embraces its role as a destination for important informal learning, offering custom field trips and group visits that provide children (and adults!) with rich learning experiences in a welcoming environment.

A museum experience unlike any other.

Please touch museum exhibits come to life for young learners. groups can explore historic neighborhood in centennial innovations, design rockets and other inventions in makerspace studio, go fishing in river adventures, or search for animals and insects in happy camper or our please touch garden..

And beyond our permanent exhibits, visits can be enhanced with special programs to create a full day of learning through play with theater performances and workshops, art programs, traveling exhibit-based programs, STEAM workshops, and group rides on our historic Woodside Park Carousel!

Learn about self-guided and guided field trips to Please Touch Museum below or book your field trip now .

Self-Guided Field Trips

$18 per person

Self-guided visits are perfect for teachers and group leaders who want to conduct their own tours* of the Museum. Children experience new worlds and make new discoveries about science, the environment, culture, math, and the arts as they visit our 18 engaging and interactive exhibits. Find a lesson wherever their curiosity leads, join in our daily programming with our Museum educators, and explore the attractions that have been entertaining young minds for years.

*Due to capacity limits in our exhibit spaces, we ask that you explore the museum in groups of no more than 15.

Guided Field Trips

Wednesdays — Fridays Only: $20 per person

Guided field trips include a 45- to 60-minute educational lesson or workshop with a Museum educator in one of our exhibits or studio spaces, in addition to unlimited exploration time in the Museum’s exhibits. Select from one of our guided field trip themes below. All guided group visits with our Museum educators are scheduled based on availability, so contact us today to book your trip !

Guided Field Trip Themes

We’re going on a camping trip: a lesson on sharing & cooperation.

Young learners will engage in a guided, imaginative, play-based experience with a camping theme that has some social-emotional connections! Join us in learning about sharing and cooperation as we go camping with our friends.

Recommended for PreK – 3rd Grade

Pollinators at Play in the Food & Family Market

Young learners can explore plants and discover who pollinates them through activities in the Please Touch Garden. They will also learn about how pollinators help to create the food we eat through a grocery game in our Food and Family Market.

Recommended for K – 3rd Grade

Blast Off to Space! in the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace

Engineer rockets and test different designs to see how far yours can travel in our Makerspace Studio! As young learners build rockets and watch them fly, they can make hypotheses about which rocket will travel the farthest and continue testing theories in our Rocket Room!

Recommended for 1st – 5th Grade

Change our World Today!: Learning About Helping Others Through Actions

Discover what civic engagement is by learning about some people whose ideas and ingenuity have changed our world. Practice taking action to help others through imaginative play in our Centennial Innovations exhibit.

Recommended for 2nd – 5th grade

Looking Through Time: Learning About Philadelphia’s 100th Birthday

Travel back in time to 1876, when Philadelphia was home to the Centennial World’s Fair, the country’s first! Discover some of the inventions that were displayed, explore an exact replica of the Centennial Fairgrounds, and learn about historic Memorial Hall.

Little Inventors: Inventing Solutions to Everyday Problems

This field trip is meant to spark the curious minds of learners who want to solve problems! Learn about different inventions, create an invention of your own, and design your own world’s fair in our Makerspace Studio and Centennial Innovations exhibit!

Field Trip Information

Chaperone Policy

To ensure the highest quality experience for all visitors, the Museum requires one (1) chaperone for every five (5) children. For every five children visiting the the Museum, one adult chaperone will be admitted free of charge.

Lunch Reservations

All groups are welcome to reserve a lunchroom for 30 minutes at an additional cost of $75 (max capacity of 75 people). Lunchrooms should be reserved and paid in advance.

All field trips and professional development workshops include:

• Private entrance to the Museum and Educator orientation
• Free bus parking on Lansdowne Drive, behind the Museum

Carousel Tickets

Single carousel rides are available for groups! Each ride is $3/child and must be reserved and paid in advance.

Ready to book your group visit? Complete the field trip reservation form .

Please note :

• Memberships, general discounts, PA ACCESS card and/or other promotions cannot be applied to group visit rates.
• The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
• These programs are not offered on New Year’s Eve or free community days.

Contact Us to Learn More

• Phone: 215-578-5167
• Email: [email protected]

Group Sales: Contact Us

Thank you for your interest in visiting the Please Touch Museum! We are now booking school field trips, daycare visits, and summer camp visits. If you know which trip you would like to book, please fill out the Field Trip Registration Form . If you have additional questions, please fill out the form below or email Group Sales Manager Aaron Lawson directly at [email protected].

• Name * First Last
• Self-Guided Field Trip
• Guided Field Trip
• Other Group Visit
• Additional Information Please include any additional information regarding your interest.
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Student Visits

Museum Field Trips

Empower students with civics knowledge and reflect on America’s founding documents – and their role in students’ lives today – with a class visit to the National Archives Museum! During our free museum field trips, educators and students embark on an interactive gallery experience and engage in lively discussions about what the records reveal (or don't!) about the people and events that shaped who we are today.

There are a limited number of museum field trips available each day. The maximum number of students on any one field trip is 35 to allow smooth, timely movement through our exhibits. Please inquire about availability as you schedule your field trip:

• Available for grades K-12
• Size limit: 10–35 students
• Length: 90 minutes
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with programs beginning at 9:30 a.m. or 12 p.m.
• Availability based on staff and volunteer guides

Reserve your program today! Select your workshop and email  [email protected]  to discuss availability and scheduling your visit. All field trips must be scheduled at least 45 days in advance.

Museum Field Trip Options

Art and architecture of the national archives.

Grades: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12 90 minutes

Designed by American architect John Russell Pope in the 1930s, the National Archives Building and especially its half-domed Rotunda offer an awe-inspiring setting in which to visit the U.S. founding documents. This program asks students to engage critically with the art and architecture of the National Archives Building and consider the ways in which the environment -- the building's neoclassical style, scale, imagery, and proximity to the National Mall -- frames their encounter. Students will consider the following questions: What do you think the architect wanted you to feel while standing in the Rotunda? What message did they want to share? How does this match what you know about the history of American democracy? At the end, students will be invited to imagine their very own artwork decorating the empty niches lining the Rotunda. How might they update the space to represent American society today?

America’s Freedom Train

Grades: 6-8 or 9-12 90 minutes

This program focuses on America's founding documents and their continuing role in shaping U.S. society. Inspired by the Freedom Train special exhibit dedicated to the history of American democracy that toured the United States in a seven-car train from  September 1947 until January 1949, students will tour the National Archives Rotunda to view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights and visit other highlights of the National Archives. Then, working in small groups, they will exercise civic literacy and historical analysis skills to justify which museum objects they would select for an updated Freedom Train exhibit marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In what ways has the United States fulfilled the democratic ideals outlined in the founding documents? What could it have done better? How would you tell the story of American democracy today? How have ordinary Americans used the rights outlined in the Constitution to create a more perfect union?

Unveiling Stories: Power and Light: Russell Lee's Coal Survey

Grades: 3-8 90 minutes

This experience focuses on the temporary exhibit Power and Light: Russell Lee's Coal Survey , which features more than 200 of American documentary photographer Russell Lee’s photographs of coal miners and their families. Journeying into the gallery, students will engage in slow-looking to strengthen their observation and analytical skills while learning about the history and meaning of Lee's photographs. This program also asks students to make connections between photographs and story-telling. What stories are (and are not) present in Lee’s coal survey photographs?

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Getting the Most Out of Museum Field Trips

A plan to give students agency over what they learn while visiting a museum creates a significantly more beneficial experience.

I’ve led many learners on several museum excursions, not just as a classroom teacher, but also as a museum educator and guide, and I’ve seen a lot of different takes on the field trip to a museum. Students can be divided up into tightly managed groups, or they can be let loose to explore. They can arrive equipped with worksheets, clipboards, and iPads, or just the questions in their heads. 

In thinking about all the ways this learning experience can work, I’ve observed that the most pronounced differences in the value of this kind of experience came as a result of how a teacher answered three essential questions: 

• What kind of structure will be provided for the visit? 
• What will be done before and after the visit happens?
• How can the visit go beyond content acquisition? 

Structuring For Success

Teachers have often asked me what level of independence is best for their visit. I’m not referring to freedom of movement or the level of supervision that students need. When I say independence, I’m talking about room to explore. Do you allow students complete freedom to move through the galleries and exhibits at will, or do you tightly schedule and curate their time to ensure that they get the topical information aligned to your learning goals? 

In my experience, for a museum visit to be truly impactful, balance is needed, and the research seems to agree. Allowing learners a degree of choice in what they interact with in an informal learning space leads to deeper learning. However, we also know that students benefit from structure. Without it, they might end up seeing everything, learning nothing. You can use a scaffolded framework to get the best of both worlds, regardless of how long your visit might be.  

First, begin your visit with the entire group together. This allows you to set the tone and model behavior for the visit, and you can take advantage of any educational programs the museum offers as a shared experience for your students. It also allows the staff to orient your students to resources that are relevant to your learning goals.

Then, divide your students into groups. Direct them to a specific exhibit or gallery that pertains to the learning goal that prompted your visit. As students move between the different displays or resources, you can circulate and provide guidance on things they should make sure to see, also noting which students are able to conduct themselves appropriately with less direct oversight.

Finally, allow them free choice. Students can explore other areas for the remainder of their trip in small groups. They can pursue unrelated but engaging topics that they might be interested in, even if they don’t directly relate to the purpose of your trip. 

Teachers who have used this model to structure their visit reported higher participation and richer understanding from their students as a result. 

Focus on the Before and After as Much as During

Permission slips, chaperones, worksheets. Teachers’ main focus when it comes to field trips is usually the logistics involved in getting there. Helping students think about the experience within the context of the unit or project they’re working on comes second, but there’s a simple way to bring it back to the forefront—anchor questions.  

Creating an open-ended anchor question that guides the museum experience by tying the learning goal to the place is useful not only during the visit, but also before and after the experience. If you introduce the question to students early, they can focus on what they need to learn prior to their visit, and afterward they can use it to measure the success of their visit and consider next steps.

Here are some key questions that students can consider:

• What background information do you need in order to answer the question? 
• What information or questions are you hoping to gain insight into during the visit?
• What sections or exhibits will be most helpful to explore when we arrive?
• What tools and resources can you gather ahead of time that will help you with finding answers?
• What resources or exhibits from the museum contributed to answering the anchor question?
• Did the visit leave any questions unanswered or generate new questions? 
• Are there any new topics, even unrelated ones, that inspired curiosity?     

Use Museums For More Than Content

Utilizing museums as a source of content information is fine, but textbooks do the same thing. So, if that’s your only plan for a museum visit, you’re missing opportunities to engage students in critical analysis. Many museums were built decades ago, and updating their exhibits to make them more relevant sometimes takes decades more. Without careful consideration, you might be unintentionally exposing students to developmentally inappropriate exhibits, outdated narratives, or less inclusive, and therefore inaccurate, information.  

However, you can use the experience to create ownership and empower students to find ways to make these spaces more inclusive. When you do this, students not only consume information but are actively engaged in a revision process that asks them to think critically and play a role in the improvement of the experience for other visitors. Try the following three activities.

An option for young students. Art museums are great resources, but they are generally not designed for younger learners. Elementary students can engage with art and develop literacy at the same time when you give them adjectives and ask them to find a piece of art that fits their word. They can then write the name of or present their artwork and share why they think it’s a good fit for their assigned words. I’ve seen this done masterfully with Apples to Apples: Green Cards .

Stories told, stories hidden. Sometimes, what a museum doesn’t display can be even more informative than what it does display. Challenging students to look critically at the displays and consider what information is shared and what information might be missing can lead to interesting discussions about access and relevance. A great resource for this kind of exploration is the Field Trip guide from Monument Lab .

Remix the resources. Much of curators’ work in a museum involves the sequencing of objects so that they tell a story. Exploring “how objects speak” is a compelling concept that can lend itself to deeper learning after a visit. During a visit, students can look at objects from a particular gallery, take photos, and then create their own exhibits that incorporate the objects in service of new narratives. They can fill out their new exhibits with images or objects from resources like Google Arts & Culture .   

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Register Your Field Trip Group

For pre-K–12th grade students in Illinois

Schools and community groups in Illinois serving Pre-K–12th grade students can register for a FREE field trip by completing this form at least 14 days before your desired visit date. After you submit a registration form, we will review availability for your visit, create a group reservation, and email you a confirmation within two days.

Field trips are available to groups of at least 15 students with the appropriate number of chaperones. In order to ensure that groups have a great visit, pre-K through 5th-grade students must be accompanied by a minimum of one adult for every five students. Students in 6th through 12th grade must be accompanied by a minimum of one adult for every ten students.

To register for a field trip, all Illinois groups must fill out the registration form below. Groups that are interested in eating lunch at the museum must register for a lunch time prior to their field trip.

For more information about field trip reservations or questions about your visit:

• Illinois schools can call 312.665.7500 or email [email protected]
• Out-of-state groups can contact 312.665.7300 or email [email protected]
• College and university groups, please use our group visit packages .

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Have you seen our latest free teacher workshop?

20 Famous Art Museums You Can Visit from Your Living Room

Art from around the world has never been closer to home.

Did you know that you can access art museum virtual field trips, tours, and resources from around the world for free ? Why not take your students on virtual museum tours to the lavish Louvre in Paris? Or the majestic Metropolitan Museum of Art? Or any one of these historic art museums from around the world? Check out the list below to get started!

1. Benaki Museum

Located in Greece, the Benaki Museum features European and Asian pieces of artwork dating all the way back to prehistoric ages. In addition to having a massive collection of art you can explore virtually, the Benaki also offers audio tours for several of their larger exhibits. Our favorites include Chinese and Korean Art, Historic Heirlooms, and Childhood, Toys, and Games.

2. The Frick Collection

Frick, yeah! Click your way through this interactive map for a tour of the beautiful building and collections of art from the likes of Bellini, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and more.

3. The J. Paul Getty Museum

Explore thousands of items in the Getty’s collection  with help from Google Arts & Culture. The J. Paul Getty Museum specifically has several interactive options for exploring their collection: a “museum view” virtual tour, three ebook-style online exhibits, and the library of over 15,000 collected pieces of art.

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4. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

The largest art museum in the western United States is offering art museum virtual field trips. Watch videos and museum walkthroughs, listen to soundtracks and live recordings, learn with online teaching resources and courses, browse their art collection, and more on LACMA’s redesigned website.

5. The Louvre

One of our favorite art museum virtual field trips—and the world’s large museum—is the Louvre with options for some of their best exhibition rooms and galleries. Explore rare Egyptian artifacts, iconic paintings, the beautiful structure of the building, and much more through their 360-degree viewing feature.

(NOTE: Several of these virtual tours require Flash Player.)

6. Metropolitan Museum of Art’s #MetKids

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka the Met) developed #MetKids for, with, and by kids—but we think parents and teachers will have just as much fun using it. Our favorite features include a fun and highly interactive map, a “time machine” search function, informational and how-to videos, and so much more.

7. Musée d’Orsay

Instantly transport to the middle of Paris with the Musée d’Orsay and their online tours and art collection. Here you can explore art history with the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces from renowned artists such as Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and many more.

8. Museo Frida Kahlo

Also known as La Casa Azúl (the Blue House), this historic art museum was developed where renowned artist Frida Kahlo lived and created masterpieces. While there, you can learn about her life, her art, and more as you take a virtual tour through her former residence.

9. The Museum of the World

The British Museum and Google Cultural Institute teamed up to create one of our favorite interactive projects: The Museum of the World. The British Museum’s digital art collection lets users travel through time—starting with 2,000,000 BC—while seeing how each historical piece in their collection connects with others. Wow!

10. The National Gallery

Click and scroll your way around the National Gallery in London with their three interactive virtual tour options. The National Gallery has hundreds of paintings in its collection ready to be viewed online, many of which are from the Renaissance period.

11. The National Gallery of Art

Washington D.C.’s National Gallery of Art has a wide variety of great educational resources,  including video tours of their exhibitions, in-depth looks at the best pieces of their collection, downloadable learning resources and exercises, pre-recorded lectures by artists and curators, and more.

12. Pergamon Museum

One of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon is home to a variety of ancient artifacts, including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the Pergamon Altar.

13. Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is the museum of the Netherlands and contains an online collection of well over 160,000 items. Not only is their digital collection incredibly stocked, but it’s also one of the more immersive collections online today. In addition, we highly recommend you try their “stories” feature (shown above), which walks users through the story and emotions behind the artwork created.

14. San Diego Museum of Art

Step inside the San Diego Museum of Art from anywhere! Enjoy 360-degree scans of your favorite galleries, zoom in to see art details, and read full label text in both English and Spanish, all from the comfort of home.

15. San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts

The San Francisco MoMA offers exclusive content featuring artists and their work online. Watch videos, read articles, and more right on their website.

16. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation has several art museums around the world, which means more history to absorb virtually! Their Collection Online has over 1,700 diverse artworks by over renowned 600 artists—and it is definitely worth checking out as one of our top art museum virtual field trips!

17. Tate Modern: Andy Warhol Exhibit

The Tate Modern put together this video tour of their famous Andy Warhol exhibit. Museum curators Gregor Muir and Fiontán Moran talk in-depth about Andy Warhol and his work through the lens of the immigrant story, his LGBTQ identity, and more.

18. Uffizi Gallery

Here you’ll find the art collection of one of Florence, Italy’s most famous families, the de’Medicis. Wander the halls from any classroom!

19. The Van Gogh Museum

With an obvious focus on Vincent van Gogh, the Van Gogh Museum is home to the largest collection of van Gogh pieces in the world. The museum, virtual tours, ebook “stories,” and online collection dive into the life of van Gogh and the inspiration behind his art. Moreover, we think teachers everywhere will appreciate how big a fan he was of reading books!

20. The Vatican Museums

You can finally say you’ve seen the Sistine Chapel thanks to this online program! And, you can also virtually visit the Raphael Rooms, the Chiaramonti Museum, and more historic sites through these virtual tours by the Vatican Museums.

Did we miss one of your favorite art museum virtual field trips? Share them with us, and we might just add it to this list!

Also, check out the best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too).

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