At the Museum | 50-Minute

Availability
Outdoor programs are available September 14 – November 19 and March 14 – May 27.
All other programs are available September 14 – May 27 unless otherwise noted.

Fees for 50-Minute focused field trips
$180 + discounted group admission
$195 for outdoor programs or programs with animals + discounted group admission

Maximum group size
25 students for ages 4-5
30 students for grades K-8

Programs with animals

Programs held outdoors


Build-Your-Own Animal Program The Museum has a variety of live animals for your students to meet and touch! Are you learning about reptiles, nocturnal animals or North Carolina species? Do you plan to study invertebrates, mammals or carnivores? Choose any four of our animals to customize a 50-minute Focused Field Trip that best fits with your curriculum. *All animals subject to availability	Mammals: Chinchilla, Ferret, Opossum, Rabbit Reptiles: American Alligator, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Box Turtle, Corn Snake, Banded Water Snake, Mud Turtle, Red-Eared Slider Turtle, Red-footed Tortoise, Gecko Birds: Silkie Chicken, Barred Owl, Red-tailed Hawk Amphibians: Tiger Salamander, Yellow-spotted Salamander, American Toad Invertebrates: House Cricket, Giant African Millipede, Giant Prickly Stick, Land Snail, Madagscar Hissing Cockroach, Rose-Hair Tarantula, Vietnamese Walking Stick

Wind and Weather Enjoy your own hands-on experience using the smoke ring and sailboat pond in our Catch the Wind outdoor area! Learn how wind affects our weather and our lives. A Bear's Backyard Get out of the classroom and up-close with our bears! Study the behaviors, diet and lifestyles of these beloved Museum residents. Incredible Insects Explore butterflies, bees, beetles and more! Study live crickets and cockroaches, play with puppets and create insect crafts! Midnight Movers Sleep all day and creep all night - this is the life of a nocturnal animal. Shine your light like a firefly, become an owl and hunt for food, and meet a midnight mover, too! Rain or Shine Become a junior meteorologist as you learn to use scientific tools to figure out which clothes would be best to wear for the day's weather. Measure the weather using thermometers, rain gauges and weather vanes, then share your predictions on "WMLS TV." Investigate moving air and even create a mini tornado to take home.	Three Ring Circus Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the greatest show on earth! Join our troop of circus stars as we discover the science behind a great performance. We'll experiment with concepts such as: vertical and horizontal balance; weight distribution and center of gravity; energy, momentum and friction. Buy your tickets now! Native American Ways (available September 14 - November 19) Experience the ancient ways of the eastern Native American people. we'll grind corn, make paints, play games and even go on a pretend deer hunt. As we listen to legends and learn simple crafts, we'll explore the native traditions of caring, sharing and respecting the earth. Winter Freeze (available December 6 - February 28) Come visit our winter wonderland where we investigate ice and snow. We'll turn into geometric snowflakes and test for the warmest mitten. Learn about solids and liquids as we explore a simple ice cube. We'll create a cool snow snack and even paint with ice. What's Hatching (available March 7 - May 27) Big or little, on land or in water - help match the egg in each container to the animal it becomes. Investigate the perfect shape and amazing strength of a chicken egg. Learn how eggs fit in a life cycle and meet an egg-laying animal.

Butterfly Life Study these beautiful creatures and their fascinating life cycles by looking at real specimens, comparing lifecycles and making microscope slides of wings to see up-close! Weather Watchers Learn about the fascinating, and sometimes unpredictable, world of meteorologists by using their tools to analyze the components of weather.	Life in Wetlands Grab your dip nets and trek down to Explore the Wild to investigate animals and plants that thrive in our wetlands! Work with field guides and your educator to identify what you find. Movers and Shapers Give your bones, muscles and joints a round of applause! Investigate how these important body parts work together to keep people and other animals up and moving. Study our skeleton specimens and x-rays, experiment with our model muscle arm and learn how to keep your bones and muscles strong by eating right.

Force and Motion Join us for a fast-paced, hands-on program that uses sail-cars and motion sensors to learn about the many forces that affect motion. Junior Meteorologists Join us as we create weather at the Museum! We'll make it rain the room and craft a cloud in a bottle as we learn about weather patterns, the water cycle and storms.	Minerals Rock! Become a geologist and practice classifying rocks and minerals using tools of the trade. Lean how we use these minerals in our everyday lives. Animal Eyewitness Investigate our bears and wolves in their Museum habitats to learn how animal behaviors and adaptations are key to survival.
GRADES 5–7
Greenhouse Gases Explore what makes up the earth’s atmosphere, how changes to it can affect life on Earth and investigate solar technology.