|
|
 |
|
Home / Education
Field Trips at HMNS
The Houston Museum of Natural Science welcomes all school groups to explore technology and the natural environment on a field trip designed to meet the learning goals of your students. Learn more about the following:
Who Can Visit? To qualify as a school group, you must have a minimum of ten people, belong to an educational organization, make advance reservations, and visit the Museum Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Groups must have at least one adult chaperone for every 10 students.
How Do We Schedule? Call 713-639-4629 to reserve your field trip. Your payment is due upon arrival. The Box Office accepts credit cards, school district checks and cash (large bills only). A Texas Driver’s License is required on all non-school district (ISD) checks. Purchase orders are not accepted.
What Can We See and Do?
Customized TEKS-based Field Trips
Susan Buck, Field Trip Marketing Coordinator, can provide teachers with curriculum-and TEKS-based units designed to make the field trip experience educationally sound and fun. The units of study cover each of our permanent and special exhibits. These units begin with a list of the specific grade-level interdisciplinary TEKS objectives the trip will address. In addition, you will receive a list of vocabulary words and pre-activities to prepare the students for the trip, questions to be answered at the Museum that are designed to promote higher-level thinking skills, a list of post-field trip activities to extend the day beyond the Museum, and a list of books and Web sites for further investigation. These units are provided at no additional cost to teachers who book field trips. For information on the units contact Susan Buck at (713) 639-4659 or sbuck@hmns.org.
Exhibit Halls
In the Museum’s exhibit halls, your students will discover natural and technological wonders from around the world and beyond. Our amazing permanent collections include stunning gems and minerals, huge dinosaur skeletons, environments from Texas to Africa and Native American artifacts. Interactive halls feature hands-on activities in genetics, chemistry, energy, light, electricity, simple machines, earth and space science.
Cost: $1.50 per person.
Continuous admission from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cockrell Butterfly Center
Step into a rainforest filled with native and exotic butterflies, tropical plants and other living wonders! Your self-guided tour begins with a brief video and a trip through the live Insect Zoo (with tarantulas, giant millipedes, and hissing cockroaches). Then explore the 3-story butterfly sanctuary with lush tropical plants, brilliantly colored butterflies and a fascinating assortment of frogs, birds, lizards and fish. End your adventure by touring a stunning collection of preserved butterflies, moths and beetles from around the world. Discover the necessity of insects in Earth’s biosphere.
Cost: $1.50 per person.
Groups admitted every 15 minutes.
Wortham IMAX® Theatre
The Wortham IMAX® Theatre is the world’s finest motion picture system on a screen six stories high. The ultimate movie experience will make your students feel as though they are part of the action in every adventure. Spring IMAX® features include Forces of Nature, Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure, T-rex: Back to the Cretaceous, and Thrill RIde: The Science of Fun.
Cost: $3.50 per person.
Shows: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Burke Baker Planetarium
The Burke Baker Planetarium has brand-new stars – and they’re brighter, more colorful, and more beautiful than ever before. Our amazing new full-dome movies are presented against the majestic starry night. Discover why the planetarium is a world leader in exciting, interactive, immersive astronomy adventures. Shows include the interactive Secrets of the Dead Sea, Saturn, the Ring World, and MARS (a program that takes you to Mars with the new Mars rovers).
Cost: $1.50 per person.
Shows: 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:20 a.m., Noon, 12:30 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Special Exhibits to See
Gold! Natural Treasure, Cultural Obsession
February 18 – August 7, 2005
Man’s relentless quest for this precious metal has shaped continents, kingdoms, and cultures the world over for more than 5000 years. The most comprehensive exhibition about gold ever assembled, it will feature more than one ton of gold—ranging from natural gold nuggets to priceless golden treasures—to explore its natural formation, chemical properties, uses by cultures worldwide, exciting discoveries, and modern applications.
Cost: $4 per person
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy – The Exhibition
Opening June 4, 12:01 a.m. - Aug. 28
This exhibition provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes exploration of the Oscar-winning film’s groundbreaking technology, special effects, costumes, jewelry and armor. Appearing at only three U.S. venues, the exhibit immerses visitors in Middle-earth through film props, cast, crew and director interviews, and special effects. Tickets for this unforgettable trip through the motion picture trilogy are now on sale. Developed by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in partnership with New Line Cinema.
Cost: $5.50 per person
Diana, A Celebration!
Opens Oct. 21, 2005 - Feb. 5, 2006
This exhibition is a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of the Princess who lives forever in the hearts of millions around the world. On display will be authentic memorabilia and film footage from Diana's childhood and her adult life, a collection of 28 dresses from her public engagements including her resplendent royal wedding gown, original jewels, artifacts, paintings and more. This exhibition is currently displayed at the Florida International Museum.
Cost: $5.50 per person
Other available School Adventures!
Interactive Science Labs
Give your students an opportunity to explore science and nature in our weekday Interactive Science Labs featuring genuine Museum specimens, artifacts, and laboratory equipment. Students inspect natural specimens, investigate technology, meet live animals, and conduct scientific experiments in five different themed labs. Choose from the TechnoScience Lab, Science Foundations Lab, Time Lab, Wildlife Lab, or the Dissection Lab. Each lab lasts one hour.
When: Available Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.
9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Cost: $100 per lab (includes Museum admission, excluding special exhibitions)
Max: 25 students and up to 3 chaperones
Challenger Learning Center
Students become astronauts flying to the Moon and on to Mars. They learn high tech skills, the latest space science content, and experience careers for the 21st century. Each mission comes with a classroom curriculum to prepare students for their mission. The Museum operates Challenger Learning Centers at the Museum and at the Museum’s George Observatory in Brazos Bend State Park.
Cost: $280 for a full 2-hour mission (40 students in grades 4-12) and $160 for a mini-Mission (20 students grades 4-12). Advanced missions and missions for younger students are also available.
Guided Tours for 5-7 Year Olds
This program combines a 45-minute, hands-on classroom program with a 45-minute tour of a Museum exhibit hall. Eight topics are available: Texas Wildlife, Paleontology, Under the Sea, Native North Americans, Native Latin Americans, Ancient Egypt, Africa, and the Insect Zoo.
Cost: $1.50 for Museum or Butterfly Center admission
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Docent Tours
Explore the Museum exhibit halls through docent led tours. Experience hands-on presentations with touch carts located in the exhibit halls. Docent led tours available for schools and groups may be booked through the Box Office.
Cost: $10 per docent, one docent for every 10 students
Time: 10 a.m. - Noon
George Observatory
Set within beautiful Brazos Bend State Park, less than an hour’s drive from downtown Houston, the George Observatory offers a close-up look at the planets and stars. Daytime astronomy classes include Exploring the Night Sky, Deep Space and Beyond, The colorful Night Sky, Our Neighborhood in Space and Mars!
Cost: $120 per class for a maximum of 40 students (plus $0.50 per person state park admission fee)
Field Trip Planner
The HMNS Field Trip Planner is a great resource to assist with planning your field trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This planner is focused towards educators and youth group leaders that need to understand all the opportunities the HMNS offers, and to make your field trip a more enjoyable experience for everybody.
Or, you may call (713) 639-4625 to request a free copy with a bonus classroom calendar!
Please note that advance reservations are required for school groups.
How Do I Schedule A Field Trip?
The Museum requires advance reservations for all visiting school groups, and advance ticket purchase for other groups (if group discounts are to be applied). School group reservations may be made by phone by calling (713) 639-4629. Please let us know if you have any special needs.
For customized TEKS-based field trips information (available at no extra cost) contact Susan Buck, Field Trip Marketing Coordinator, at sbuck@hmns.org or (713)639-4659.
FIELD TRIP HOW TO!
Learn more about the following:
POLICIES
To qualify for school group discounts, you must have at least ten students, belong to an educational organization, make advance reservations, and visit us Monday – Friday, 9am - 5pm.
Chaperones (includes teachers, parents, bus drivers, etc.) are responsible for the behavior and discipline of their groups at all times and are required to accompany students for the duration of the visit.
Each school group must meet a 1:10 student chaperone ratio (18 years or older). These chaperones will be admitted free of charge (excluding Special Exhibits).
RESERVATIONS
We strongly recommend scheduling your trip early in the school year to avoid over-crowding and the possibile unavailability of your ideal dates and programs.
Field trip reservations must be made by phone.
Phone reservations call: 713-639-4629
Upon completion of your reservation you will be given a confirmation number and mailed a confirmation letter. Please carefully review your confirmation letter and contact HMNS immediately to make changes.
Fax or mail reservations: Print out and complete the Field Trip Planning Form (Amy, please paste a link to the planning form here) and submit your completed request to:
HMNS SCHOOL SERVICES
Mail: One Hermann Circle Drive
Houston TX 77030
Fax: 713-639-4761
Fax or mail reservations must be made at least 3 weeks in advance of your proposed visit date to allow for adequate processing time.
PAYMENTS
Your payment is due upon arrival. PLEASE DO NOT MAIL PAYMENTS IN ADVANCE.
The Box Office accepts credit cards, checks, and cash. Purchase orders cannot be
accepted.
The signer’s driver license number must be written on the front of the check, unless the
check is imprinted “ISD”.
SCHOOL GROUP RATES are already discounted; no additional coupons or
Membership discounts apply.
CANCELLATIONS, CHANGES & REFUNDS:
ALL CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS MUST BE MADE FOUR BUSINESS
DAYS IN ADVANCE. After that time, you will be charged for the entire reservation.
Refunds will be made only in the event of Museum equipment failure, power
failures, malfunctions in projection equipment, etc. NO OTHER REFUNDS WILL BE
ISSUED.
GUIDELINES
Students must be supervised at all times – teachers and chaperones are responsible for maintaining the discipline necessary for proper behavior while visiting the Museum. For the safety and enjoyment of all visitors, disruptive or unsafe behavior will not be permitted and may result in the entire group being asked to leave without a refund.
No backpacks, headphones, lunches, gum, or candy allowed inside the Museum.
Lunches may be eaten outside in Hermann Park. We regret that the Museum is unable to provide an indoor lunch space. In the event of bad weather, please plan to eat in your vehicle.
The Discovery Gift Shop requires one chaperone for every five students. Students are not permitted in the Collector’s Gift Shop.
HMNS reserves the right to change program dates, times and prices without prior notice.
QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHEDULING A FIELD TRIP?
Call 713.639.4629
|
|
|
|
|
