Field Trips
Ready to take your lesson outside of the classroom?
Bring your students to CMC for a day of learning and fun. Book your field trip today!
Groups that schedule an in-person field trip to Museum of Natural History & Science, Cincinnati History Museum or the Children’s Museum are eligible for one free virtual field trip. Additional virtual field trips charged at $67.50 per experience.
Please note: In terms of qualifying for school/group pricing, a group is defined as a minimum of 15 paying visitors with a reservation at least two weeks in advance.
Plan your field trip
Cincinnati History Museum
Step back in time and experience the history of our city, from our earliest settlers to those actively shaping the Queen City today. Along the way, meet costumed interpreters to better understand and connect with history. Explore a recreation of the bustling Public Landing from the late 1850s and climb aboard the Queen of the West, a replica side-wheel steamboat. Take an aerial view of Cincinnati from the early 1900s through 1940s in Cincinnati in Motion, a 1/64-scale replica of the city complete with the nation’s largest S-scale train model.
DISCOVER MOREThe Children’s Museum
Discover hands-on fun for children of all ages in our eight educational and themed play areas, including two specifically designed for preschool-aged children and younger. We encourage kids to climb, crawl, explore and learn about themselves and the world around them. Go on a wilderness adventure through The Woods, be a part of a complex machine in the Energy Zone and explore the neighborhood in Kids’ Town. Dive into arts, culture, reading, science and more with over 1,800 hours of programming each year.
Field Trips may be scheduled Thursdays through Mondays.
DISCOVER MOREMuseum of Natural History & Science
The Museum of Natural History & Science at Cincinnati Museum Center offers a world of science, history and nature through interactive exhibits and amazing artifacts. Guests can reach their own “ah-ha” moment through creative thinking and problem-solving skills. With something for all ages, there’s always more to explore in the Museum of Natural History & Science.
DISCOVER MORENancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center
Located at Cincinnati’s historic Union Terminal, the site where numerous Holocaust survivors arrived in Cincinnati to rebuild their lives, the museum examines this watershed moment through its local connection. Using innovative storytelling, interactive experiences and genuine artifacts, visitors witness the strength and courage of the human spirit set against the backdrop of one of the darkest chapters in human history. The museum incorporates media, artifacts, art and interactive exhibitions to share this history and its lessons. It also includes the Humanity Gallery where visitors explore moments, meeting individuals who activated their character strengths to become upstanders and bring change to our community and world.
DISCOVER MOREThe Science Behind Pixar (October 22, 2021 – September 5, 2022)
Through eight interactive areas, The Science Behind Pixar empowers you to imagine the STEM concepts behind Pixar’s films by shining a lamp on eight of the steps in the filmmaking process – modeling, rigging, surfaces, sets and cameras, animation, simulation, lighting and rendering. The exhibition delivers an unparalleled view of the production pipeline used by Pixar’s artists and computer scientists, featuring more than 50 interactive elements.
DISCOVER MOREOur Shared Story: 200 Years of Jewish Cincinnati (April 28 – October 2, 2022)
Jewish influences in Cincinnati have shaped our food, medicine, arts institutions, social justice movements, how we enjoy sports and more. Our Shared Story: 200 Years of Jewish Cincinnati is celebrating the lasting influences of Cincinnati’s Jewish community on the city we know today.
Meet the ordinary and extraordinary individuals whose innovation, persistence and creativity founded organizations, businesses and movements that shape our region today. Explore what “home” means, see how Cincinnati has influenced other communities worldwide and discover echoes of your own family’s immigrant and migrant experiences in these vibrant histories.
DISCOVER MOREDinosaurs of Antarctica: The Exhibition (October 14, 2022 – January 15, 2023)
Venture into one of the most isolated environments on Earth on a journey into the unexpected. Uncover never-before-seen dinosaur fossils buried beneath snow and ice in Dinosaurs of Antarctica: The Exhibition.
DISCOVER MOREAmerica’s Epic Treasures featuring Preternatural by Michael Scott (Open through January 8, 2023)
America’s Epic Treasures featuring Preternatural by Michael Scott showcases 32 major works in an immersive exhibition inspired by the beauty of natural landscapes and the destructive and rejuvenating nature of the elements. Vibrant colors and skillful execution create dynamic textures and compositions that draw you into the artwork, evoking a greater appreciation for the magic and mystery of nature.
Holiday Junction Featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains (Opening November 2022)
Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains brings out the wide-eyed wonder in kids of all ages. From the child with their eyes peeled for visitors from the North Pole to the teen counting every LEGO brick to the grandparent watching model trains zip through a mini metropolis, our signature holiday experience brings families together in ageless joy.
The Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater
The Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater takes you to places you can only imagine. Immerse yourself in epic adventures in our five-story domed theater, from the untamed beauty of our natural parks, to the red surface of Mars, to the deep blue sea alongside humpback whales.
Custom films are available at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. All other time slots are subject to the public film schedule. The following films are available during the custom film timeslots:
- Ancient Caves
- Into America’s Wild
- Dinosaurs of Antarctica (opens October 14, 2022)
- Backyard Wilderness
- Great Bear Rainforest
- National Parks Adventure
- Superpower Dogs
- Volcanoes: Fires of Creation
Policies
- Field trip discounts apply to schools and youth-serving organizations that make an advance reservation at least two weeks before the date of visit for 15 or more people with one contact for the group and one method of payment. Toddlers ages 1 & 2 are not included in the minimum of 15 to receive group rates with an advance reservation.
- In order to maintain social distancing, group reservations will be split into smaller groups of 60 people or less and will be scheduled to enter experiences at different times.
- Groups must follow all Cincinnati Museum Center rules and regulations, including COVID-19 protocols. Information on how to prepare for your visit can be found here: https://www.cincymuseum.org/visit-updates/.
- Cincinnati Museum Center is open Thursday – Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For field trip requests with an earlier start time a fee of $100 is required.
- All groups are required to make a reservation.
- Lunch tables must be reserved in advance and cannot be added to the reservation on the day of the visit. The cost for lunch tables is $0.50 per person. Groups that do not reserve lunch tables in advance are not permitted to each lunch at CMC.
- Groups seeking grant funding for field trips must call (513) 287-7021. Grant requests cannot be accepted using the online field trip request form.
- Payment by credit card, check or purchase order is required at least one week in advance. Cancellations made within 48 hours may result in the suspension of privileges or grant eligibility and no-shows are subject to pay 100% of reservation.
Field Trip Information
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Find everything you need to know about educational programs, field trip planning, professional development and other educational opportunities that are offered at Union Terminal as well as in the community in our Educator’s Guide.
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Open Thursday – Monday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
We are not currently accepting in-person field trip reservations.
Please see our Virtual Program and Field Trip options or call (513) 287-7021 for outreach programs.