Field Trip Reservations

Making a Field Trip Reservation

  • Reserve early! Programs fill to capacity and there is a limit to daily school group admissions.

  • Reserve the following at least 24 hours in advance (subject to availability): Exhibit Halls, Butterfly Garden, Planetarium shows, IMAX films, 4-D Theater.

  • Reserve the following at least two weeks in advance: Drop-in activities, special programs, and special requests for IMAX films or live presentations.

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  • Important reservations information: Reservations for school groups of 9 or more visitors are by phone only. To make a school group reservation, call Science Central at 617-723-2500 (daily, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST).

  • Reservation date restrictions: School field trips and programs are not offered during Massachusetts holidays and school vacation periods.
    • November 28 – November 30, 2014
    • December 24, 2014 – January 2, 2015
    • February 14 – 22, 2015
    • April 18 – 26, 2015
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Planning Your Visit

Investigate the Museum's many offerings — films, presentations, and more — before making field trip reservations.

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.

Exhibit Halls*

Visitor September – August September, October, January
Educators FREE FREE
Students
First Visit $10.00 $5.00**
Second Visit $5.00 n/a
Chaperones
First Visit $5.00 $5.00**
Second Visit $2.50 n/a

*Prices are effective for groups visiting on or after July 1, 2014.

**The $5.00 Exhibit Halls admission during the months of September, October, and January is available for those individual schools with free and reduced lunch participation at or above 35%.

Exhibit Halls Add-Ons

Fees vary for reserved field trip add-on programs.

Add-On Price Per Person
Planetarium $4.00
IMAX Film $4.00
4-D Theater $4.00
Butterfly Garden $4.00
Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed $4.00

Venue Only

Exhibit Halls admission not included

Venue Price Per Person
Planetarium Only $6.00
IMAX Film Only $6.00

Payment Methods

  • Regular Check-In

    Making payments

    • Payment is required upon arrival.
    • Payment 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

  • Express Check-In

    By paying for your next field trip before your visit, you'll save 50% on all chaperone Exhibit Halls tickets and you'll save time by skipping payment lines. You'll just head straight to the "Group Check-In" cart in the Museum lobby after arriving and pre-printed tickets will be there waiting for you.

    To take advantage of express check-in, please call 617-723-2500, 617-589-0417 (TTY) or email fieldtrips@mos.org.

    Making payments

    • Payment is required at least 72 hours prior to date of visit.
    • Payment must cover the full number of students, chaperones, and teachers in your reservation.
    • After payment is received, you cannot change group numbers.
    • No refunds.

    Accepted payment types

    • Cash
    • Check, made out to the Museum of Science and mailed to:
      Museum of Science, Boston, Post Office PO Box 28194 New York, NY 10087-8194
    • Credit cards: MC, VISA, Discover, or AMEX
    • Sorry, no purchase orders.

Savings and Scholarships

  • $5.00 Field Trips in September, October, and January

    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 that offer free and reduced lunch participation at or above 35%.

    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.

  • Multiple Visit Rates

    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.

  • Scholarships and More Ways to Save

    Reduced Exhibit Halls admission is available for qualifying schools. Funding requests should be processed while making a reservation with Science Central, 617-723-2500. Please note that funding is limited and is distributed first come, first served.

    Butterfly Garden – $2.00

    Free-flying butterflies and moths inspire investigations of their survival strategies, relationships with plants, and physical development.

    Find out more about the Butterfly Garden

Changes and Cancellations

  • Changing Group Size

    Important: If your group size changes after you make your reservation, you must notify us by 5:00 pm on the day before your visit. Contact Science Central by phone, fax, or email: 617-723-2500, 617-589-0187, fieldtrips@mos.org.

    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.

  • Cancellations

    Please notify Science Central immediately: 617-723-2500, fieldtrips@mos.org. Missed reservations without notice prior to the visit date are subject to a non-cancellation fee.

Lunch and Parking

  • Lunch Options

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

    Choice of individual cheese pizza, hamburger, turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, chicken caesar salad, and more at a discounted price of $6.25 per student. All lunches come with a bag of pretzels, Teddy Grahams, 12 oz water, and condiments. Please notify us of any dietary restrictions. Call 617-723-2500 to reserve your school group lunch package today!

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

    Food Vouchers

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

    School Group Meals by Wolfgang Puck Catering

    Pre-order meals are available for $6.25 per person.

    Boxed Lunches To Go

    For a larger meal, you can preorder boxed lunches to go for $13.25 per person. Initial orders must be placed at least 10 business days in advance of your visit. To order: 617-589-0447, groupsales@mos.org

    Bag Lunches

    If you plan to eat in the Riverview Café, you must reserve a lunch space and meal time with Science Central. Staff will store lunches in bins until your scheduled meal time. All bag lunches must be picked up before your time slot.

  • Parking

    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 $5 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.

    Learn more about bus parking (PDF)

Home School Information

  • Tips for Home School Visitors

    • Start your visit early by planning your day in advance.
    • With the exception of school vacation periods, Monday is the least-busy day at the Museum.
    • Check the daily schedule to find the times of live presentations you are interested in, and add them to your agenda.
    • You might also consider spending time at one of our staffed exhibit spaces: Cahners ComputerPlace or the Discovery Center (for young learners). On weekdays, these venues are staffed with Museum educators who can answer questions and help with interpretation.

  • Home School Group Reservations

    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.

  • Home School Museum Membership

    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

  • Library Pass Programs

    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.

Guidelines for Student Visits and Chaperone Policy

  • Qualifying for School Group Rates

    • 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.

  • Educators and chaperones must ensure that students:

    • 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, Butterfly Garden, and the Theater of Electricity and other live presentations.

  • Chaperone Policy

    • 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.