Group Visit + STEAM Workshop
The Museum is under construction to build two new exhibits. Construction will be ongoing through 2024 while we remain open to the public, and the new exhibits will open in early 2025. To help accommodate construction work, the Post Office, Vet Clinic, and Raceways exhibits will be modified and relocated to different areas around the museum. The Dino Detective exhibit will not be available. So things will look a little different this Fall when you visit.
When you book a Field Trip for a date in October, November or December, 2024, we'll give you 20% off your visit! Does not apply to discounted visits for Title 1 Schools.
S.T.E.A.M Workshop visits include a 2 1/2-hour visit to the Museum featuring exhibit exploration, as well as an educator-led lesson containing a variety of creative science inquiry based activities related to the Next Gen Science Crosscutting Concepts.
These visits must be scheduled in advance and must have one adult chaperone for every five children. Any additional chaperones will need to pay regular museum admission, separate from the group.
Number of Children: 12-65 (maximum)
Time: 9:30-Noon, Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays. Not available during NH, MA, & ME school vacation weeks.
Cost: tiered flat rates based on the number of participants
12-25 Students + 5 Adults: $275
26-40 Students + 8 Adults: $440
41-65 Students + 13 Adults: $715
Title 1 Schools:
Thanks to support from the Lincoln Financial Foundation we can offer Title 1 Schools discounted rates on Group Visits + STEAM Workshops
12-25 Title 1 Students + 5 Adults: $150
26-40 Title 1 Students + 8 Adults: $240
41-65 Students + 13 Adults: $390
These fees for Title 1 school visits are not eligible for the 20% Fall 2024 promotional discount.
For Title 1 Schools, we also reimburse 50% of bus costs for these visits, up to a maximum of $200.
To book: A $50 deposit is required. If you need to pay your deposit by check, or need an invoice sent to you, please email ezaleski@childrens-museum.org. The full balance is due at least two weeks before your visit.
Book Online Here >>
Eating Arrangements: The museum does not offer a space for group snacks or lunches. Groups are encouraged to enjoy snacks or bag lunches on the bus before or after their scheduled visit, or during the warmer months, at the outdoor picnic tables, playground, or amphitheater in Henry Law Park.
Chaperones: All groups are required to have one adult chaperone for every five children. Adult chaperones are any adult, including teachers, who will accompany the students during the field trip. Any additional chaperones beyond this ratio will be charged regular admission to the museum. (They may use discount programs if applicable, but there is not a discount for attending with the group). 1-1 Aides are ALWAYS free and do not count towards the total adult chaperones.
Bus Parking: After you have unloaded your students at 6 Washington Street, buses can park in Maglaras Park (down Henry Law Ave on the left).
Drop-in Programs: Due to the discounted rate of group visits and capacity limits, special drop-in activities that are available for regular visitors, are not available for groups.
Accessibility: Ensuring accessibility to museum experiences for all is a central part of our mission. Please visit our accessibility page for more information.
Orientation: Prepare your group for their visit by watching this short 3-minute orientation video. Please note that we no longer offer lunch or snack space for visiting groups inside the museum.
Cancellations: IIf your plans have changed, please cancel at least two weeks in advance. We will make every effort to reschedule visits canceled due to poor weather conditions. The $50 deposit is not refundable.
STEAM Workshop Topics:
NEW!
Animal Adaptations, Grades 1-5
As students explore hands-on activity stations, they will learn about animal adaptations and habitats, and consider how humans adapt to our own environments.
Explore Sunlight, Grades 1 - 5
Students will investigate the sun and how sunlight affects the Earth and its creatures in this hands-on lesson that includes a building activity exploring why sun protection is important.
SCIENCE & MATH
Flight: Pushes and Pulls, Grades 1 - 5
Educators will engage your students with demonstrations as they learn about the forces of flight and try an engineering challenge. This lesson concludes with students trying out a flaying contraption of their own design in our Build It! Fly It! exhibit.
All About Patterns, Grades K - 2
Students will learn about symmetry, shapes, and tessellations while they explore basic foundations of math and create a pattern project to take home.
Digging Dinosaurs, Grades K - 4
Students will explore the Scientific Method by pretending to be paleontologists! This experience includes digging into a mini dinosaur fossil site with other "scientists in training" and identifying the dinosaur that has been unearthed.
Engineer a Fairytale - Grades 1-5
Educators will introduce the engineering design process, and engage students as they travel to different stations and solve fairy tale themed engineering challenges such as building towers, bridges, and walls.
Science of Sound, Grades 1-5
Students will experiment with sound – how do we make it, how do we hear it, how does it travel, and what’s the science behind it?
ECOLOGY & THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Nocturnal Animals, Grades K - 5
This lesson will introduce nocturnal animals through hands-on activities and experiments. Students will learn about the special senses these animals have to help them survive at night.
River Builders, Grades 1 - 5
Students will discover some of nature's best engineers through interactive observation. They will explore structures created by animals, and learn how the river ecosystem supports these animals.
HISTORY & WORLD CULTURES
World Celebrations, Grades 1 - 5
By examining actual artifacts from the museum's collection, students will explore what makes a variety of cultures unique. They will discover and compare every day items, food, and customs from around the world, then use clues to guess which country they are "visiting."
Gyotaku Fish Printing - Grades 1-5
Students will learn about the Japanese art of Gyotaku, aka Fish Printing, and make a beautiful fish print on a piece of fabric to take home.
Decorative Mask Making, Grades K - 4
Students will learn how masks are used by cultures around the world during ceremonies and festivals. They will explore the techniques and materials used to make these works of art while creating their own unique mask to take home.
WHAT IS PLAY BASED LEARNING?
Play Based Learning is essentially exactly what the name suggests - children learning through play. We know children learn through play, but it can be hard to know which activities will target specific skills or learning. We can help! Check out this collection of Play Based Learning Tips >>