Field Trip Schedule & Admission

Field trips may be booked on weekdays at either 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m., based on staff and volunteer availability.

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Admission is $6 per student, ages 5 and up, with a minimum of 15 paid attendees required to book a field trip. Children under the age of 5 do not count toward the 15 person minimum. Please keep this requirement in mind when calculating your group size.

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Field trips typically last approximately 2 hours and include:

• A 20-minute educational presentation on either Henry the Triceratops or River Bluff Cave

• A guided tour of the museum

• A short nature walk to our fossil collection site

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Head Count & Payment

A final head count is required two weeks prior to your scheduled field trip. The school is responsible for payment, upon arrival, for all students included in the final head count. Any additional students, chaperones, parents, guardians, or other attendees who arrive beyond the final head count will be charged the regular $6 admission rate per person and may pay for their own admission.

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Chaperone Admission

For middle school and older groups, one complimentary chaperone admission is provided for every 16 students. For elementary school groups, two complimentary chaperone admissions are provided for every 10 students.

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Deposit & Rescheduling Policy

A non-refundable $50 deposit is required to secure your field trip date. The deposit will be applied toward the final balance at the time of the field trip.

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If your school needs to cancel or reschedule a field trip, please contact the museum as soon as possible so we can make the necessary changes to your reservation.

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Deposits are generally non-refundable. A refund may be considered if the field trip must be canceled due to weather or other circumstances outside of the school's control.

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If the final amount due is less than the deposit because of lower-than-anticipated attendance, the remaining portion of the deposit will not be refunded.

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Fossil Collection Site & What to Expect

The fossil collection site is an outdoor location approximately 1/8 mile from the museum through wooded terrain. All participants are encouraged to wear closed-toed, comfortable shoes appropriate for walking outdoors.

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We recommend that students and staff bring:

• Water bottles

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray

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Please be aware that the fossil collection site may not be accessible to individuals with limited mobility and they may have difficulty taking part in this portion of the field trip.

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Fossil collecting may not be available if weather conditions make the outdoor portion of the field trip unsafe. The museum will determine whether the fossil collection portion can take place based on current conditions.

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Bus Arrival

If you are arriving by bus, please pull into the paved parking area on the left immediately after entering the museum drive. A guardrail is located in front of the parking area to help identify it.

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Chaperone Responsibilities & Participant Safety

The fossil collection site requires active and attentive supervision by teachers, staff, and chaperones to help maintain the safety of all participants.

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Adults accompanying the group are expected to remain attentive and actively supervise students throughout the field trip, particularly during the nature walk and at the fossil collection site.

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Students are expected to follow museum rules and the instructions of museum staff and

volunteers. Students who are disruptive in a manner that may cause harm to themselves or others, damage museum property or exhibits, or interfere with the safety of museum staff or volunteers may be asked to leave and will no longer be permitted to participate in the activity.

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Failure to provide adequate supervision may increase the risk of accidents or injury. The museum is not responsible for accidents or injuries resulting from inadequate supervision or failure to follow these guidelines.