Field Trip FAQs
Making your registration
What information do I need to make a reservation?
How many chaperones should I plan to bring?
What is your cancellation policy?
Before your visit
Can my group experience everything at the Museum?
What should we wear?
What’s the policy on inclement weather?
How do I purchase train tickets?
Getting here and checking in
When can we arrive?
How do I get to the Museum?
About my field trip experience
How much time does it take to see everything?
What are the most popular exhibits?
Where do we eat lunch?
Is there a gift shop?
About school programs
Where can I view programs available at my location or at the Museum?
Are Museum programs aligned with my students’ essential standards?
How many students can participate in one school program?
What information do I need to make a reservation?
We ask that you have this information ready for when you book:
- Your specific date and time of arrival, plus an alternate date choice if your first choice isn’t available
- Your school’s name, billing address, and telephone number
- The name, telephone number, and email address for your Business Office contact
- The name of your school district
- The names and email addresses of teachers who are in charge of the visit
- The grade level of the visiting school
- The number of students, teachers + staff, and chaperones who will be visiting
If you would like to book a program, please include the name of the program you wish to book.
How many chaperones should I plan to bring?
For students in Pre-K–grade 2, we suggest a minimum of 1 adult per every 5 students.
For grades 3–8, we suggest a minimum of 1 adult per every 8 students.
Is there a cancellation policy?
We are happy to cancel or reschedule reservations for visits more than two weeks away. Note that field trips with programs that are canceled, with less than two weeks’ notice, will incur a $100 late cancellation fee. Notification of cancellations must be made in writing and emailed to: reservations@lifeandscience.org
Can my group experience everything at the Museum?
School groups have access to all parts of the Museum – indoors and outdoors. This means you can play and learn in our two-story interactive science center and then head outdoors to wander our 84-acre campus full of life-size dinosaur replicas, 8 treehouses, a field full of mist, and black bear, red wolf, and lemur environments.
Plan for Mess:
Several of our outdoor exhibits contain explorations with water and sand. This can lead to wet, messy kids and clothes. Please plan accordingly. Our campus is large enough that you can set advance expectations about these exhibits (Hideaway Woods, Into the Mist, Earth Moves) or steer clear if students are unprepared for these conditions.
What should we wear?
Since the Museum provides indoor and outdoor exploration options, we recommend dressing for both indoor and outdoor play. Closed-toe shoes are always our recommended choice (especially as you head outside).
What’s the policy on inclement weather?
In the case of severe inclement weather impacting your trip, please contact our Reservations Office via email at reservations@lifeandscience.org. We will do our best to reschedule your visit and/or program if needed, as our calendar permits. For information on Museum weather delays and/or closures, please call 919-220-5429 or visit our website at lifeandscience.org.
How do I purchase train tickets?
Train tickets are purchased at check-in, based on availability. The cost of a train ticket is $5.50 per student, teacher, and chaperone. If you are part of a group, we suggest a minimum of one adult per every five students. There are no refunds for missed or unused train tickets
When can we arrive?
Check-in for groups begins at 9:30 am. Summer Group Check-In begins at 10 am June – August. This is the time when you will get chaperone stickers, make your payment, store your lunches if you brought them, and get your group ready to explore.
Summer Groups may not depart between 2:30 – 3:30 pm to accommodate summer camp pick up. Please alert drivers that no buses are allowed in the lot during this time from June – August.
Where do I park?
Buses will arrive and unload at Group Check-In, across the street from the Main Museum. Chaperones should park and meet with your group there. You can find a map for chaperone parking locations here.
After your group has checked-in, your bus may be directed to an offsite parking location for the duration of your visit. Bus drivers are welcome to return to the Museum via a Museum-provided shuttle until it is time to retrieve your bus for departure.
How much time does it take to see everything?
It’s easy to spend the whole day with us and explore every indoor/outdoor experience! Our outdoor experiences may take more time, especially factoring in the time to get to different parts of our campus. We generally recommend about an hour per outdoor exhibit and a half-hour for each indoor exhibit.
What are the most popular exhibits?
Every exhibit is worth visiting – but we do have a few favorites by our visiting school groups!
Earth Moves Explore a cave formation made from sandstone, change the flow of a 20-foot waterfall, and experiment with sand, stones, and rolling water. Learn how natural forces form, destroy, and reform rock in a constant process we call the rock cycle. See how people play a big role in changing landscapes, too, as you use machines to mine, move, and mold earth materials.
Hideaway Woods Get ready to see nature in a whole new light! Hideaway Woods is a two-acre, nature discovery environment featuring treehouses, a flowing streambed, and more.
Finally, don’t miss out on Magic Wings Butterfly House! Walk into a 3-story tall glass conservatory featuring over one hundred tropical plants and hundreds of exotic butterflies. Time your visit just right and you can experience one of our daily butterfly releases of newly hatched butterflies into the conservatory.
Where do we eat lunch?
Lunch takes place at the Picnic Dome next to group check-in and across from the Museum. Picnic tables are available first-come, first-served. Group lunch storage is available (please note this space is not monitored and is not climate controlled). Ask a Museum staff member for the location at Group Check-In. Sprout Cafe offers a preorder group lunch option. For details or to order, please contact the café directly at cafe@lifeandscience.org
Is there a gift shop?
Yes! You can visit our school group store, Gizmo Garage, located next to Soundspace just beyond the main lobby. Prices in Gizmo Garage range from $0.50 to $20.00, including tax, to make shopping fast and easy for kids. Storage of your group’s purchases is available upon request. Save some time for a quick trip to Gizmo Garage, our kid’s souvenir store. Prices include the tax, and with all items under $20, it’s simple for even the youngest student to choose a special item to remember their trip.
Where can I view programs available at my location or at the Museum?
For our programs that can be done at your location or at the Museum, click here.
Are Museum programs aligned with my students’ essential standards?
Yes, they are. Just look for the pencil icon to see the NC Essential Standard Strands that align with each program. You can read about our essential standards alignment by clicking this link.
How many students can participate in one school program?
Each program’s session is limited to 30 children. Groups of more than 30 children will require multiple program sessions that will run consecutively. Arrangements can be made for more than one Museum program session to run concurrently. Please indicate in “Special Accommodations” on your reservation request.