School and Camp Group Field Trips

Booking Your Field Trip

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[A curvy concrete building exterior; the logo for the American Museum of Natural History unfurls]

VOICEOVER: Here at the American Museum of Natural History,

[a school bus approaches a long line of people waiting outside a glassy, boxy building; students hop down from a school bus]

VOICEOVER: school field trips are one of our favorite ways to serve

[a teacher leads a group of middle-school aged children away from their buses]

VOICEOVER: the New York City community.

[an overhead shot showing a school group lined up in the atrium of the Richard Gilder Center, under a wide concrete arch; a student writes on a clipboard while looking at a case containing live insects; students bounce up and down while touching a fossil that a museum educator is showing them]

VOICEOVER: Follow these steps to book a trip for your students that is both enriching and fun.

[students crouched down looking at a glowing mineral block; a student holds out her arm while butterflies circle her; she is surrounded by many lush blooming plants and a few small signs. An animated graphic that says ‘1 Explore!’ appears]

VOICEOVER: First, take some time to explore what the museum has to offer before you book. After all,

[a close-up shows colorful live grasshoppers munching on lettuce; a teacher leads a class toward a pink column-shaped mineral]

VOICEOVER: the museum covers four city blocks!

[a map showing an aerial view of the museum; the streets around the museum are highlighted: 81st Street; Central Park West; 77th Street; Columbus Ave.; two students interact with a touch screen, and a giant bronze sculpture of a caterpillar is above them]

VOICEOVER: You'll find that by focusing your students’ attention on one

[a student in a read hooded sweatshirt writes in a notebook while looking at pinned insects]

VOICEOVER: or a small number of exhibition halls, they’ll probably get more

[a group of students touch fossils that a museum educator is showing them]

VOICEOVER: out of their museum experience.

[a teacher picks up a laptop from a desk]

VOICEOVER: On our field trips website 

[the teacher reads the museum’s ‘School and Camp Group Field Trips’ website; an animated graphic with the website URL says ‘Visit: www.amnh.org/field-trips’; a close-up of the website appears, and then scrolls to show the page]

VOICEOVER: you’ll find resources for every exhibition hall and everything else you need to know for your trip.

[a close-up shot of the teacher looking at his laptop; the teacher points to possible dates on a calendar; an animated title says ‘2 Pick your dates!’]

VOICEOVER: Then, pick the date you’d like to visit and some back-up dates, too.

[timelapse footage of the school-check in area with many classes filling it, grouped next to colorful pyramid-shaped columns]

VOICEOVER: Our field trip slots fill up fast!

[a guest services representative in uniform gives a teacher instructions from behind a desk; an animated graphic says ‘30 minutes for check-in’]

VOICEOVER: You will need up to 30 minutes to check in;

[two students write while looking closely at rock samples; an animated graphic says ‘1 hour per hall’]

VOICEOVER: up to an hour to explore an exhibition hall;

[students smile while learning about Earth; students sit at long tables in the school lunchroom]

VOICEOVER: and up to 30 minutes for lunch.

[an animated graphic says ‘Up to 30 minutes for lunch’; sign saying ‘Elevator’ with arrow pointing to the left; a finger presses an elevator call button; a teacher pushes someone’s wheelchair onto an elevator]

VOICEOVER: Elevators are located throughout the museum for anyone who needs them.

[teacher begins to fill out a form called ‘FIELD TRIP PLANNING TOOL’ while an animated graphic says ‘3 Use our field trip planning tool, www.amnh.org/field-trips’]

VOICEOVER: Fill out our Field Trip Planning Tool from our website. This will be a great reference when you call to book your trip.

[the aerial map of the museum briefly appears, and then zooms out very wide to show all of New York City and the surrounding area; the museum’s location is marked by the skeleton of T. rex surrounded by a blue circle.]

VOICEOVER: There is free weekday admission for New York City school and camp groups. But you do need a reservation.

[New York City is highlighted in orange. Text on screen says ‘Free general admission for NYC students!!* *with reservations’]

VOICEOVER: You will also need 

[a teacher leads students into an immersive theater with images projected all over the floor and walls that encircle them; students watch a video showing a teen-aged elephant greeting a baby]

VOICEOVER: free, timed tickets for the Invisible Worlds Theater and the latest temporary exhibition.

[students slap each other’s hands as they file through the line in front of the Hayden Planetarium elevators]

VOICEOVER: See prices for the planetarium show,

[a teacher gets tickets scanned by a Guest Services representative next to a poster]

VOICEOVER: the giant screen movie,

[butterflies drink nectar from a flower]

VOICEOVER: and the butterfly vivarium on our website.

[a map of the greater New York City area, with state abbreviations; New York City is grayed out, but the museum’s location is marked with T. rex surrounded by a blue circle. Text on screen says ‘Please check our website for these costs.]

VOICEOVER: School groups and camps from outside New York City pay for general admission and for special exhibitions.

[additional text animates on screen that reads ‘*reservations needed’]

VOICEOVER: And as for everyone, they will need reservations.

[a teacher looks at his open laptop, while animated question marks float in the air; the museum’s field trips website appears, as the question marks fade away]

VOICEOVER: If you have questions before you book, sign up for our free Field Trip Office Hours.

[the image of the museum’s field trips website scrolls to a highlighted section where teachers can click to sign up for a 15-minute time slot to ask questions]

[a close-up of a hand dialing a phone number, with an animated graphic that reads ‘4 Call 212-769-5200 to book!]

VOICEOVER: Then call 212-769-5200 to book your trip!

[a teacher listening on his cell phone, nods his head]

VOICEOVER: Try to book at least five weeks in advance, for better availability.

[a calendar graphic animates on screen, with X’s marking off 5 weeks’ worth of days; then a school bus icon zooms off screen on the day marked ‘going’]

VOICEOVER: Our agents will want to know which halls you plan to visit and if your group has any special needs.

[a reservation agent listens to the teacher’s phone call, responding to questions; a close-up of the Field Trips Planning Tool shows the “About Your Group” part of the form]

VOICEOVER: You will also have to book seats in the lunchroom,

[a map of the museum’s lower level zooms in on the area labeled “School Lunchrooms”]

VOICEOVER: if you want to bring your lunch to the museum. 

[students eat at long tables in the school lunchrooms]

VOICEOVER: Here are those steps again.

[a school group walks through by cases of minerals; an animated graphic on screen says ‘1 Explore!’; an overhead shot of a school group entering the insectarium.

A shot of a calendar with a teacher tapping on the day marked ‘AMNH FIELD TRIP’; an animated graphic says ‘2 Pick your dates!’.

A shot of a teacher filling out the Field Trip Planning Tool; an animated graphic says ‘3 Use our field trip planning tool www.amnh.org/field-trips’; highlighted text on the museum’s field trip website shows where teachers can sign up for a 15-minute time slot to ask questions. A museum educator talks on the phone to a teacher, and an animated graphic spins on screen that says ‘free office hours!’

Two students interact with a touch screen, and one student mouths the word “Wow!”; an animated graphic says ‘4 Call 212-769-5200 to book!’; three students stand in front of an exhibit case while one excitedly points out all the different insects she sees.]

VOICEOVER: Finally, remember to call 212-769-5200 to make your reservation!

[A student bends down to look through a magnifier]

VOICEOVER: We look forward to helping you book your trip,

[a girl with long braids stands very close to a huge close-up photo of a purpley-blue butterfly]

VOICEOVER: and we can’t wait to see you! 

[a museum scientist-educator talks to two students near some rock samples; a student writes on her clipboard then looks up; a teacher asks questions and points toward a diorama of hunting dogs as students make observations in their notebooks]

CREDITS:

Voice-over by Dr. Raven the Science Maven

“The Joys of Creation” by Michael James Burns

(PRS) / Warner Chappell Production Music

© American Museum of Natural History

www.amnh.org

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[school buses parked at the 81st St Rose Center entrance, with the dome of the Hayden Planetarium behind; the logo of the American Museum of Natural History unfurls]

VOICEOVER: Now that you’ve made a reservation for your school group,

[a school group enters the museum as a security guard watches; a school group walks into an atrium with high concrete arches while smiling emoji faces float upwards on screen] 

VOICEOVER: we’re really excited for your visit! 

[sounds of camera flashes; students look up at African elephants while flashes of light go off around them]

VOICEOVER: You’re about to explore one of the most famous museums in the world.

[two students look closely at an exhibit of colorful pinned butterflies]

VOICEOVER: Some exhibits are brand new,

[leaf-cutter ants carry pieces of leaf while a sparkling effect goes off; a historical black-and-white photo of the Alaska brown bear diorama cross-dissolves to a color photo of the nearly identical diorama today] 

VOICEOVER: and some were designed over a hundred years ago.

[high angle shot of a dinosaur hall, with T. rex facing the camera and a sauropod at right; students in a small group smile and turn as colorful graphics play on screens around them and underfoot; a boy writes on a clipboard as the camera pans to a polar bear]

VOICEOVER: It’s like a journey back in time, and far into the future, in one special place! 

[an overhead shot of a teacher directing her students into line under a sign that says Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium; a low-angle shot of students walking under the Great Canoe through the Northwest Coast Hall] 

VOICEOVER: We’ve put together these tips so your trip can be a big success.

[an animated title says ‘How to Prepare’; a teacher taps his phone screen; a shot of the teacher’s phone shows him searching for directions to the blue whale exhibit]

VOICEOVER: Before you go, you’ll probably want to download our cool Explorer app,

[the teacher looks up from his phone, to his right; a shot of the teacher’s phone in his hand shows an app with animated maps, arrows, and directions]

VOICEOVER: which will give you turn-by-turn directions through the museum.

[the teacher selects “Take accessible route” in the app and the directions change to a different route] 

VOICEOVER: The app is also helpful if anyone in your group has special needs. 

[a laptop screen shows someone searching for an email from “[email protected]”; a teacher looks at his open laptop] 

VOICEOVER: And have you got your order number? The number came in a confirmation email from [email protected].

[an animated graphic shows one figure holding their phone; above them an email screen shows that they are forwarding an email with the title “MUSEUM TRIP!!!!” to four other email addresses. A dashed line shows the email being forwarded to four other figures. The figures pump their fists when they receive the email.]

VOICEOVER: The email was sent to whomever booked your trip.

[a teacher looks lost, looking up from her phone; she looks back at her phone and begins to scroll] 

VOICEOVER: It’s helpful if every teacher and chaperone in your group gets a copy of this email.

[A shot of this teacher’s phone in her hand, as she zooms in on the order number in her copy of the confirmation email]

VOICEOVER: That way, if your group splits up, any adult can check in for your scheduled activities. 

[a teacher leads a class in front of a wall of illuminated collections cases. The teacher we have seen before tilts his head, looking at his laptop; an animated graphic says ‘Educator’s Guides’]

VOICEOVER: It’s important to know your total headcount for both students and chaperones. Remember, teachers: 

[a shot of the museum’s website shows the mouse pointer clicking on “Learn & Teach” and then moving slightly down to where the website says “Resources for Learning”]

VOICEOVER: Look under “Learn & Teach,” and then “Resources for Learning” on our website.

[the heading of the Resources for Learning webpage; the teacher appears to be looking at his laptop intently]

VOICEOVER: Here you'll find helpful educator guides, worksheets, and other resources, 

[lower on the Resources for Learning webpage, the pointer selects Museum Hall Guide under the Resource Type list; then the page scrolls to reveal images of the educator’s guides that are available] 

VOICEOVER: full of activities tied to our exhibition halls.

[a school bus enters a parking garage; an animated title says ‘Arrival’; the bus pulls through the garage toward a woman waving in a fluorescent vest]

VOICEOVER: Whichever way you travel here, bus greeters and security guards will be ready and eager to meet you!

[a class of students gets off a tour bus in front of the 81st St Rose Center museum entrance; a class enters the museum as a security guard welcomes them] 

VOICEOVER: There are a few different ways to enter the museum: 

[a class of young students walks by several school buses inside the parking garage; a wide shot of the wide arch of the Rose Center, with the Hayden Planetarium dome behind it; students enter the museum through the garage entrance; a subway sign that reads “81 St, Museum, Planetarium, B C, 24 hr booth”] 

VOICEOVER: the Rose Center entrance, the garage entrance, or the subway entrance. 

[a teacher and class file off the subway platform; a teacher walks next to her students as they exit the subway to the street]

VOICEOVER: If the subway entrance is closed, you’ll have to walk to the eighty-first street planetarium entrance.

[a white coach bus pulls up in front of the 81st St Rose Center entrance]

VOICEOVER: Coach buses usually drop you off in front of the Rose Center entrance.

[overhead shot of a school bus entering the parking garage]

VOICEOVER: School buses should drop you off in the garage. 

[a museum transportation staffer hands a teacher a yellow bus form, in front of a school bus; kids disembark from the bus]

VOICEOVER: One teacher will get a yellow slip from your bus greeter that you’ll need at the end of your visit. 

[a class with a chaperone passes through a metal detector and by the security guards who are nearby; students line up near tall colorful pyramid-shaped columns; an animated title says ‘Check-in’] 

VOICEOVER: After you head through the metal detectors, your first stop should be the school reception area on the first floor.

[a teacher receives information from a Guest Services representative at the check-in desk; a confirmation email fills the screen; a red circle animates around the order number, and the image zooms in on the circled area] 

VOICEOVER: Any adult can check in your group using the order number at the top of your confirmation email.

[more students and chaperones line up near the colored pyramid-shaped columns]

VOICEOVER: Students wait to the side during this process.

[a teacher approaches the check-in desk; another teacher gets information from a Guest Services representative] 

VOICEOVER: At check-in, friendly Guest Services representatives will ask for your headcount, print your tickets, and help you with directions. So feel free to ask them questions about your day!

[people load lunch bags into a bin; a Guest Services representative pulls the rack of bins off screen] 

VOICEOVER: If you check in before 11, and you have a lunch room reservation, Guest Services can store your lunches until you eat. 

[animated graphic of a figure bent over carrying a large bag, which makes the figure collapse under its weight]

VOICEOVER: Try not to bring a heavy coat or bag, as you’ll need to carry it with you the whole time. 

[a teacher asks a security guard for directions]

VOICEOVER: Now for getting around the museum.

[a student holding a clipboard looks with curiosity and awe at the fossil skeleton of T. rex; she runs to catch up with her teacher who has been waiting for her]

VOICEOVER: There will be lots of wonderful things on display that catch your eye, so stick with your group through the crowded halls. 

[animated graphic of four chaperone figures raising their hands; shorter student figures divide into groups by each chaperone]

VOICEOVER: It's a good idea to assign each chaperone to a small group of students.

[shots of a class of students dividing to stand next to their chaperones]

VOICEOVER: This will make it easier to keep your group together as you move around. 

[a teacher asks a security guard for directions, then beckons to his class to follow him down stairs]

VOICEOVER: As you make your way to your destination, security guards are always available to help you find your way.

[a teaching volunteer wearing a red vest touches a large rock with several students; another teaching volunteer in a red vest holds a fossil that students also touch] 

VOICEOVER: In the exhibition halls you might find teaching staff and volunteers wearing red vests.

[a teaching volunteer in a red vest talks with kids, and moves a fossil from kid to kid as they touch it; another teaching volunteer raps on a rock sample as kids respond to her question] 

VOICEOVER: They have carts with cool stuff on them you can touch. They’re here to answer any questions, so ask away!

[a graphic of bathroom signage animates, with the figures squeezing their knees together as if they need to use the bathroom; a chaperone gathers students]

VOICEOVER: We know you'll need a bathroom break at some point. This is another reason assigning each chaperone to a small group works well. 

[a teacher walks through a doorway marked ‘School Lunchrooms’ as a Guest Services representative pulls a rack of lunch bag bins]

VOICEOVER: If you’ve brought lunch and have a reservation, the school lunchroom is on the ground floor,

[animated map of the lower level, with a dotted line showing the way to the school lunchrooms; kids eat lunch at long tables] 

VOICEOVER: left and down the hall from the food court. Reservations are twenty minutes, but allow some travel time.

[animated graphic of all floors of the museum, in side view]

VOICEOVER: Here are tips on finding some of our famous exhibits. 

[in animated graphics, the camera zooms in on ‘Floor 1’ of the museum; text says ‘Space Show Boarding’ above an artist rendering of a galaxy; the text changes to say ‘Gems and Minerals’ above a photo of a giant sparkling amethyst; the text changes to say ‘Blue Whale’ above footage of kids walking up stairs beneath a life-sized model of a blue whale. 

The animated graphic changes to say ‘Floor 2’ next to text that says ‘Butterfly Vivarium’ above an image of butterflies resting on a flower. The animated graphic changes to say ‘Floor 3’ next to text that says ‘Invisible Worlds’ over computer graphics of dolphins swimming. The animated graphic changes to say ‘Floor 4’ next to text that says ‘Dinosaurs’ over footage of the fossil skeleton of T. rex]

VOICEOVER: You can easily find these exhibits and maps of the whole museum . . .

[animated graphics of maps of all floors of the museum]

VOICEOVER: on the Explorer App.

[a teacher at the school check-in desk asks questions of a Guest Services representative]

VOICEOVER: And if you have any questions, just come on back to school reception any time, and we’ll be happy to assist you.

[a teacher looks back at her students who are following her; an animated graphic says ‘Departure’; the teacher looks at her yellow bus receipt; on a full-screen image of the bus receipt, a red circle animates around the words ‘Bus Parking Location & Instructions’] 

VOICEOVER: When it comes time for you to leave, if you came by bus, remember to look at the receipt you got from your bus greeter. That will tell you where to meet your bus. 

[a teacher and students leave the museum through glass doors; a bus pulls away from the museum’s 81st Street entrance]

VOICEOVER: We hope these tips will help make your field trip smooth and inspiring for everyone! See you soon!