Museum Field Trips
Education Programs and Education Tours
The Milwaukee Public Museum offers educators a choice in the style and content of education offerings:
Education Programs are designed to explore one or more aspects of a subject area in greater detail in order to meet specific Wisconsin Model Academic Standards.
Education Tours provide a broader overview of the exhibit subject matter. The walk-through tours support, but not necessarily meet, the state standards listed beneath the tour descriptions.
- Programs and tours are grouped according to grade levels: Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-12
- Each 50-minute program and tour provides a hands-on, interactive experience incorporating objects, displays and exhibits
- Available Tuesday through Friday
- Require a minimum of one adult teacher / chaperone (18+ years) for every ten students
- Require a minimum of 10 per program or tour, with a maximum of 30
Full listings of state standards are available at http://dpi.wi.gov/standards/
Available Programs and Tours
Registration
Reservations can be made by calling (414) 278-2714. Click here for reservation hours.
Download our Museum Field Trip Procedures Guide »
Download the new Educator's Guide »
Print out our Registration Worksheet »
Planning Your Museum Visit
Fossil Fuel Fund
With the most intense downturn in the economy since the Great Depression underway, school funding has sharply decreased. This comes at a time when operating costs related to energy, transportation, insurance and other factors are continuing to increase. Facing budget cuts of this nature, many schools are forced to eliminate field trip and other experiential learning programs that provide valuable hands-on opportunities for students.
To demonstrate our commitment to bring students to the museum and to help accommodate for the anticipated lack of field trip funding, the MPM has established the Fossil Fuel Fund. The Fund will provide field trip assistance to Wisconsin schools to alleviate the cost of bus transportation to and from the museum.
Funding for the Fossil Fuel Fund will be competitive, using both need-based and curriculum-based criteria to select recipient schools. Special consideration will be given to schools with students participating in the free lunch program (as a poverty indicator) and their Title I designation. In addition, schools will be evaluated for how the field trip will supplement their existing classroom studies and curricula. Funds will be disbursed on a first come, first served basis to schools that meet the criteria. Each award will provide $100 to underwrite the cost of your museum field trip. Schools may apply for up to five awards per year. The Fossil Fuel Fund will allow Wisconsin students to experience the breathtaking galleries, exhibitions and artifacts available only at the MPM. To apply visit http://www.mpm.edu/education/resources/fossil-fuel-fund/.
Lunch Options
Lunch times are 20 minutes long and scheduled on the half hour. Lunches are scheduled in our student lunch room.
- No Lunch
- You can opt to skip lunch or eat at a location outside of the Museum.
- Bring your own Lunch
- If you choose to bring your own lunches, you will be scheduled for a 20-minute lunch period in the student lunchroom. We will collect your lunches upon arrival, store them for you, deliver them to your group at your assigned time and store them again until your departure. Reservation required 2 weeks in advance.
- Hot Lunch (price: $5.95 per meal) – delivered to school lunchroom at your scheduled lunch time
- Options: all come with chips, fruit cup, cookie bag and pint of milk
- Cheese Pizza
- House-made Macaroni and Cheese
- Mini Turkey & Cheese Sub
- Mini Ham & Cheese sub
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3 Piece Chicken Tenders
* Please order a maximum of 2 varieties for your group excluding any food allergy requests.
Museum Café
Please note that only student groups who purchase lunch from the café may dine in the Museum Café.
The Museum Marketplace
Complete your MPM visit with a stop in the Museum Marketplace. Browse the large selection of books, educational kits, toys and souvenirs for every age level. Remember students must be accompanied by chaperones in the Marketplace. Educators can also shop and save! Show your valid educator ID to receive a 15% discount on all purchases.
Pricing
Individual Pricing:
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MPM Admission & Education Program:
Special Exhibit Pricing (includes Museum admission and admission to Dead Sea Scrolls):
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Field Trip Scheduling Policies and Procedures
- School group rates available Monday – Friday. To qualify for the school group discounts you must make a purchase for a minimum of ten students and belong to an educational organization.
- Educational Programs are available Tuesday – Friday, at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
- The museum requires that you make and prepay your reservation at least two weeks prior to your visit.
- All education programs, theater and Special Exhibit tickets are subject to availability.
- Early Learning groups require a minimum of one adult teacher / chaperone (18+ years) for every five students.
- Grades 1-8 require a minimum of one teacher/ chaperone (18+ years) for every ten students.
- Grades 9-12 require a minimum of one teacher/chaperone (18+ years) for every fifteen students.
- For weekend group program or home schools information contact our reservation office at 888-700-9069 or 414-278-2728.
- All field trip reservations must be made via phone at 414-278-2714 or 888-700-9069.
- Discounted rates are valid for prepaid reservations only.
- School groups not preregistered will be charged full price admission.
You will be e-mailed, faxed or mailed a confirmation letter within one week. Please carefully review your confirmation letter and contact MPM immediately to make changes.
Payments
All payments are due two weeks prior to arrival. We accept cash, check, Master Card, Visa and Discover Cards. We do not accept Purchase Orders. Reservations not paid by the due date are subject to cancellation.
Cancellations, Changes and Refunds
- School Groups may modify their numbers before payment is received. Subject to availability. Please check your numbers carefully. Reservations are non-refundable once payment is received.
- No individual refunds will be given.
- Field trips can only be rescheduled in cases where school has been cancelled.
Directions to MPM
We are located at 800 W. Wells Street, at the corner of James Lovell Drive (7th St.) and Wells. You may also find directions on our location page »
Bus loading/unloading zones
- West side of James Lovell Street at Museum entrance.
- North side of Wells (now 2-way) between James Lovell and 8th at the Museum entrance.
- There is no on-site bus parking.
- Please refer to the bus guidelines in your confirmation packet for parking instructions. Loading zones are reserved for buses from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parked or unattended buses in these areas will be ticketed.
Arrival Information
- School leader needs to check-in at the School/Group Ticket window to acquire wristbands and any Special Exhibit/IMAX®/Planetarium tickets.
- Each school group will receive a welcome and safety talk prior to entering the Museum.
- Lunches will be collected and stored until scheduled lunchroom time.
*Note: Wristbands must be worn by teachers, chaperones and students at all times.
Safety and Rules of Decorum
To ensure a quality visit for all our groups, please follow the guidelines below:
- All students must be with a teacher or chaperone and supervised at all times.
- 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, lunches, gum, beverages or candy are allowed on the exhibit floors.
- Please have students wear school nametags or matching t-shirts to identify your group.
- Please visit our website for complete safety tips and guidelines.