Field Trip Scheduling Policies and Procedures
School group rates are available Monday through Friday (excluding Tuesdays and Kohl’s Thank You Thursdays). To qualify for the school group discount, you must make a purchase for a minimum of 10 students and belong to an educational organization.
Field trips must be booked and paid for at least two weeks in advance to receive discounted admission rates.
Student Pricing
- MPM Admission
- MPM + an Education Program
- MPM + a Dome Theater Giant Film
Reduced rate of $8 per student available for schools with at least 60% qualifying for free/reduced lunch per the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Chaperone Pricing
- One free chaperone/educator for every five students
- Additional Chaperones — $12 per person
- Giant Film — $4 per person for all chaperones/educators
Click the button below to request your field trip reservation:
- Schools in Milwaukee County receive free student admission to MPM from September through November.
- Planetarium programs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Dome Theater Only Admission available for $6 per person.
- Total chaperone count must include all teachers and adults accompanying the school on the field trip.
Homeschool Information
Homeschools may qualify for the field trip rate. Educators must show their PI 1206 form. Field trips must be booked and paid for two weeks in advance. Homeschools may not use MPM membership benefits towards field trips.
Education programs require a minimum of 10 students to book a program.
STUDENT Lunch Options
- No Lunch - You can opt to skip lunch or eat at a location outside of the Museum.
- Bring Your Own Cold 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.
- MPM cannot provide access to any microwaves or heat any food items.
- Museum Cafe - Students and chaperones are welcome to order food and eat at the Museum Cafe. Cafe lines can get long, we recommend ordering food 10 minutes prior to your scheduled lunchtime.
Payments
All payments are due two weeks prior to arrival. We accept cash, check, Mastercard, Visa, Discover Card, and American Express. We do not accept Purchase Orders. Reservations not paid by the due date are subject to cancellation.
MPM memberships cannot be applied to any portion of a field trip reservation, including chaperones.
Cancellations, Changes, and Refunds
School groups may modify their numbers before payment is received, subject to availability. Please check your student and chaperone/teacher numbers carefully. Reservations are non-refundable once payment is received.
No individual refunds will be given. A group raincheck will be issued for the number of students not able to attend the field trip for the school to use for future field trip reservations.
Arrival Information
A school leader must check in at the School/Group Check-In window and turn in a signed Behavior Contract to acquire wristbands and any Dome Theater tickets.
- Each school group will receive a welcome and safety talk prior to entering MPM.
- Cold lunches will be collected and stored until the scheduled lunchroom time.
- Bins will be provided for coats subject to availability. We recommend leaving coats and backpacks on the bus if possible.
Bus Loading/Unloading Zones
There is no onsite bus parking. Please refer to the bus guidelines in your confirmation packet for parking instructions.
Loading zones on Wells and James Lovell streets are reserved for buses from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parked or unattended buses in this area will be ticketed.
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 chaperones 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 food, gum, beverages, or candy are allowed on the exhibit floors.