MUSEUM HOURS:
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Field Trips!
Join the list of school, preschool, camp and daycare groups that explore our museum offerings every year!
Our state-of-the-art science studios foster hands-on and inquiry-based learning, supporting your STEM curriculum. There’s something for everyone!
Want to enhance your students’ experiences? Try a museum tour or a hands-on workshop! We can also customize tours or workshops to suit your needs. If you don’t see the topics or activities you are looking for, please contact us at 716.896.5200 x338.
Program Fees ( Per student)
- Group Admission $12
- and 1 hour Guided Tour $14
- and Zygmunt Planetarium Experience at BMS $16
- and Hands-on Workshop $16
- and Antarctic Dinosaurs $17
Special Exhibits
We regularly offer limited-time exhibits or experiences as part of our daily offerings, but be sure add it to your itinerary!
ANTARCTIC DINOSAURS (February 5 – September 4, 2022)
Antarctica hasn’t always been icy and barren—around two hundred million years ago, it was a lush, temperate region, home to crocodile-sized amphibians and rhinoceros-sized dinosaurs. On tour from Chicago’s Field Museum, Antarctic Dinosaurs reveals a lost world, illuminated by scientists’ expeditions to the frozen continent. Students and groups will be able to see and touch real fossils from Antarctica, along with full-sized replicas showing how the dinosaurs and their habitat would have looked in life.
Come face to face with the twenty-five-foot-long predator Cryolophosaurus, rhino-sized herbivore Glacialisaurus, and two new species that haven’t even been officially scientifically described yet!
The exhibition contains artifacts from both historical and modern expeditions, including the sledge used by one of the first Antarctic
adventurers over a hundred years ago, and the thick red parkas worn by Field Museum scientists exploring Antarctica today. Students and groups will get a sense of what goes into living and working in the coldest spot on earth.
In addition to the fossils and immersive environments, Antarctic Dinosaurs also offers hands-on experiences, including puzzles explaining plate tectonics and how the continents fit together, as well as an interactive explaining polar light and the midnight sun.
Workshops
Enrich your field trip with special themed activities with our team of facilitators. Workshops are approximately 45-60 minutes unless otherwise noted.
DISCOVERING DINOSAURS (SUGGESTED GRADES K-2)
Discover animals that lived long ago! From dinosaurs to mastodons and more, students will examine fossils and make connections between extinct creatures and those that live today.
LIGHT AND SOUND (SUGGESTED GRADES K-2)
What makes a sound loud or soft? How does light help us see? Explore the properties of waves, light and sound with these exciting, hands-on activities.
WEATHER WHYS (SUGGESTED GRADES K-8)
Investigate weather’s impact on the world around us! Through demonstration and experimentation, students will develop an understanding of the basics of weather, including temperature, density, and pressure.
DYNAMIC EARTH (SUGGESTED GRADES K-8)
Discover the science and wonder of rocks and minerals. Examine the geologic processes that make up the rock cycle, including plate tectonics, erosion, and more.
WILD ADAPTATIONS (SUGGESTED GRADES K-8)
From the Arctic to tropical rainforests, discover ecosystems from around the world. Investigate the adaptations that allow plants and animals to survive in their natural habitats and how changing environments affect living things.
CIVILIZATIONS (SUGGESTED GRADES 3-12)
Discover major world civilizations around the world using artifacts they left behind. Compare traditions, beliefs, language, and geography using items from the Museum’s collection.
STARS AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM (SUGGESTED GRADES 3-12)
Explore our solar system and understand the motions of objects across the sky. Discover different planets, stars, and constellations in the night sky and understand our place in space.
Guided Tours
Join our docents on an engaging tour through the Museum’s science studios. Guided tours are suitable for all ages and take approximately 45-60 minutes
EVERY OBJECT TELLS A STORY (ALL GRADE LEVELS)
Explore the world using pieces from the Museum’s array of items and artifacts. You may choose two or three science studios to visit during this interactive tour, or let our docents choose for you.
Zygmunt Planetarium
Step into our inflatable, digital Zygmunt Planetarium for a 20-30 minute facilitated experience that will allow your students to explore the night sky like never before. Limited capacity of 15 students and 2 chaperones per session.
*Also available as an outreach program to your site. See information under Science on Wheels section.
Group Visit FAQ to Help you Plan your Day
How can I create the best experience for my students?
- Choose your program based on grade level, content and/or process skills
- Decide on the level of engagement from self-guided discovery to facilitated workshops
- Teachers with Educator IDs are welcome to preview (most) exhibits, galleries, and programs at no charge
How many chaperones do you require?
- We require at least one adult for every 10 students. Teachers and chaperones are admitted free of charge, up to 1 adult for every 10 students.
- Additional adults are $10 each. Museum memberships and other discounts are not valid for group visits.
Can I adjust my reservation? What's your policy?
- Final group numbers or changes to your reservation must be provided to the Museum a minimum of 48 hours prior to the scheduled visit. Groups that arrive with fewer people and fail to provide updated numbers 48 hours in advance will be charged the full total due on their initial reservation or the number of attendees the day of, whichever is higher.
- If your program requires an extra supply fee, the number of supplies to be ordered must be finalized three weeks prior to the program. Even if the number of attendants changes, you will still be responsible for the full number of supplies ordered for your program.
How do I book a group visit?
To expedite your reservation, please have the following information ready when you call:
- The complete name and mailing address of your school, the school phone number, fax number, and your e-mail address
- Grade level of your students
- Student total, teacher total, and chaperone total
- The date and time you are interested in booking
- Specific exhibits you wish to see or any programs in which you wish to participate
- Lunch and/or Curiosity Shop reservations
How early should I make a reservation?
Make your reservation at least four (4) week s in advance.
- Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more and are required to receive the group rate
- You will receive your confirmation and pre-visit materials by mail, fax, or email
- If you need to cancel your visit, please call 716.896.5200 x338 to let us know as soon as possible
Anything I should know about my visit day-of?
- Take a head count of students, chaperones, and teachers as you will need that number when you check in *The balance of the payment is due on the day of your visit and can be paid by cash, check, Visa or MasterCard
- Any updates to head counts should be communicated to our Reservations Team 48 hours prior to your visit.
- Payment for all students, teachers, and chaperones should be made by the contact person upon arrival in a single payment
- You will receive your confirmation and pre-visit materials by mail, fax, or email
- Coupons or guest passes cannot be accepted with group admissions
What about visits to Tifft Nature Preserve?
Combination fees are available for more than one experience at either the Museum, Tifft Nature Preserve or both.
What about lunch?
- Make a lunchroom reservation when you book your visit and bring your lunch
- If you are having lunch with us, make sure all students have written their names on their lunch bags and/or class lunches are stored together in a bag, bin, or box for easy location and identification
- In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint we are encouraging all of our visitors to bring reusable lunch bags and other items that do not find their way into a landfill
- Upon arrival bring your lunches into the museum where a bin will be available for storage
