Minnesota Children's Museum

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Self-Guided Visits

A field trip to Minnesota Children's Museum is a permission slip for fun.

At Minnesota Children's Museum, we pack educational activities into endless amounts of fun. We ensure every visit is loaded with opportunities for investigating, playing and learning. We create a educational environment infused with excitement and interactions, making the Museum one of the top destinations in Minnesota for educator and student visits.

The Museum offers self-guided field trips that let you and your students explore the Museum at your own pace. Call ahead to reserve a visit of the Museum where your students can discover hands-on, curriculum-supporting exhibits that are sure to pique their curiosity and make learning fun.

New! Lengthen Your Museum visit!

Time flies when you're having fun! By popular demand, you now have the option of choosing a 2, 2 1/2 or 3 hour Museum visit during your self-guided visit, your students will without a doubt thank you for it!

GALLERIES

Second Floor

• Our World – Social studies, culture, the arts
• World Works – Physical science
• Changing World – Special exhibits

Fourth Floor

• Earth World – Life and environmental science
• World of Wonder – Special exhibits
• Rooftop ArtPark – Outdoor gallery open May through September focusing on art and nature, city life

Group size: Minimum 20 students, maximum 120 students. Ratio of one adult (admitted free) for every four students
Cost: $4.75/student, $2.50/student through our Access program
Available: Wednesday – Friday year round
Register: By phone at 651-225-6002

FAQ

How do I sign up for field trips?
Call 651-225-6002 to register. Email your questions or comments to Group Reservations.

What is the payment policy?
A non-refundable deposit is due two weeks from the date of the confirmation Letter by credit card or business check. Any remaining balance is due two weeks prior to the scheduled visit. Should more children than the reserved number attend on the field trip day, they can be paid for upon arrival.

Due in part to the extra services we provide for our group visitors, it is necessary that every child in attendance is charged at the agreed rate. Family memberships to Minnesota Children's Museum do not apply for group visits. Thank you.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact Group Reservations online or call 651-225-6002.

How many chaperones do I need?
A ratio of one adult (admitted free) for every four students.

When can groups visit?
Wednesday through Friday, year round. Mondays, June through August and May 11 and 18.

When is the best time for preschool and Kindergarten groups to visit?
The second and fourth Tuesdays of each month are reserved for our youngest group visitors.

Can you accommodate visitors with special needs?
Children and adults alike with disabilities easily experience all areas of the Museum. If you have questions or require assistance during your visit, please ask a Museum staff member.

What about lunch?
Space is available by reservation only in our Great Big Room for a 20-minute period between 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. No other lunch space is available. Bring bag lunches and we’ll store them for you until lunchtime. Lunch capacity: 160 children and adults.

What about buses?
A limited number of stipends to offset bus expenses are available for qualifying schools. Call 651-225-6002 to learn more and request an application.

Are there opportunities for homeschool groups?
Of course! Check out Other Class Options and Resources for a current listing of educational programming for homeschoolers.

How do we qualify for your Access program reduced rates?
To qualify, 75 percent or more of students must be recipients of the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

Field Trip Packet: Rules and Tips

Welcome! Thank you for choosing Minnesota Children's Museum for your upcoming field trip. To ensure that your trip is as successful as possible, please take a moment to review the information outlined below. Please copy and distribute this information to all teachers participating in the museum visit. Thank you!

Before You Arrive

• Be sure to recruit enough chaperones/ parent volunteers to meet our required ratio of one adult for every four children. This predetermined ratio helps ensure a positive and fun learning experience for everyone.

Download a Chaperone Tip Sheet
Download Museum Exploration Cards

• Prior to your arrival, please separate your group into smaller groups, and assign an adult leader to each group. That adult is responsible for supervising the group and should remain with the group throughout the entire visit.
• Please be sure all students and all adults are identified with nametags, T-shirts, or other visible identifiers that include their name and school/organization name.
• Please take a few minutes to go over the Museum Rules with the children. We will review the rules in a brief orientation upon arrival the day of your trip.

When You Arrive

• Plan to arrive at least five minutes (but no more than 15 minutes) ahead of your scheduled time. We will be unable to extend the visit if there is a late arrival.
• Buses will drop you off in front of the Museum on 7th Street. Everyone should remain on the bus until a Museum Group Leader comes onto the bus to greet you.
• Please be ready to give an exact count of adults & children
• One teacher should make the payment for all children and additional adults.
• You may leave your coats on the bus or the Museum will have designated bins for your group to use. They will let you know exactly where the bins will be kept during your visit, but most often they are kept in the Great Big Room or the Museum lobby.
• Look for Museum staff in purple vests, and/or museum volunteers in red vests, to assist you should you have any other questions, needs or concerns.
• If you have an adult who will be arriving late, please let the Museum Group Leader know so they can help unite the adult with the group when they arrive.

During Your Visit

Please be sure children are aware of and follow the Museum rules at all times:

• Please walk at all times in the Museum.
• Stay with your adult leader.
• If you need assistance, look for someone in a purple vest.
• Have fun!

Restrooms are located on the first, second and fourth floors. The first floor restrooms are multi-stall restrooms, suitable for classroom-size groups, while the 2nd and 4th floor restrooms are family-style restrooms suitable for one students at a time.

Lunch

Lunch space is available in the Great Big Room by reservation only. If a spot has been reserved for you, your group will have 20 minutes to eat either before or after your exploration time. Lunches may be left in the Great Big Room and your group will be called down for lunch at the appropriate time. We do not provide lunches for sale.

Museum Classes

If a Museum class is part of your visit, a Museum Instructor will meet your group during orientation and provide specifics for when and where to meet. Additional information on the class chosen will be sent out about two weeks prior to your visit.

Parking

Parking for buses is available across the Mississippi River via the Robert Street bridge on/and around Fillmore Street. Buses must park here, where there are bus-parking signs. Additional transportation from the bus parking location to Minnesota Children’s Museum is not provided.

Parking for other vehicles is available in the World Trade Center Municipal Ramp, kiddy corner from the Museum on 7th and Wabasha. Cars should enter from Wabasha Street. The cost is $3.00 for three hours with a validated coupon from the Museum available at the front desk.

After Your Visit

• When your bus has arrived, we will announce your group name over the loud speaker and instruct everyone on where to meet (usually in the lobby or Great Big Room down on the 1st floor).
• After you have all of your belongings, you are free to load the bus and depart.
• Please take the time to fill out our short survey and let us know about your experience.