Field Trip Procedures | Springfield Museums

Preparing for Your Field Trip

Review our policies with all chaperones and students.
Provide copies of the Directions to School Group Drop-Off/Pick-Up Location and School Group Bus Parking Instructions to your bus company.
As we host up to ten schools per day, we recommend that all students wear name tags.

Groups must check-in at the check-in location indicated on their confirmation letter. If your group is delayed, please call 413-314-6422 and leave a message.
Late arrivals will result in shortened and/or cancelled programs and refunds will not be issued.
Coats, lunches, and bags will be sorted in the lobby of the museum where your first program takes place.

Payment is due at check-in. Please complete your attendance form prior to check-in to calculate your group’s total payment.
We accept cash or checks (no credit cards or purchase orders), and will only accept one payment per school.
Overpayments of $25.00 or more will be refunded via mail.

If you must cancel your field trip for any reason, please call 413.314.6422 or email fieldtrips@springfieldmuseums.org as soon as possible. Missed reservations without notice prior to the visit are subject to a non-cancellation fee.
If the Springfield Museums are closed due to inclement weather, all field trips are cancelled. Museum closings are announced via local media and on the 413.263-6800 voicemail.

School groups may eat only during their scheduled lunch break. We recommend groups using the restrooms during lunch so as not to disrupt their programming.
Please call 413-314-6422 prior to your field trip to notify Education Department staff of any food allergies.
As lunch locations are subject to change, please divide lunches by the group names listed in your confirmation letter (i.e. A, B1, C2) and bring all lunches to your check-in location.
School groups are not allowed in the Blake House Café. Groups must bring their own lunches or pre-arrange catering through the Blake House Café by calling (413) 263-6800 ext 399.
If your group is scheduled to eat outdoors and rain is forecasted, call 413-314-6422 to reserve an indoor lunch location available on a first come, first serve basis.

Most museum classroom spaces are handicapped accessible. Please notify museum staff members of your group’s special needs or mobility issues prior to your visit by call 413-314-6422.

Please designate an emergency meeting place outside on the Quadrangle prior to your visit. In the event of an emergency, instruct your students to gather at this pre-designated location to await further instruction by chaperones and/or museum staff members.

For the safety and well-being of our visitors, the use of cell phones and/or cameras is not permitted during tours and programs by either students or adults. The only exceptions to this policy are during the designated program photo-ops or in the event of an emergency.

Chaperone Policy: We require 1 adult per every ten students for field trips. Chaperones are required to accompany their students at all times. At no time should students be left unattended.
All chaperones should be provided with a copy of the Springfield Museums Field Trip Overview as well as your school’s confirmation letter prior to your visit.
A staff member from the school must meet additional or late chaperones in the Welcome Center before joining the students.
Visitor count includes students and ALL adults attending. Adults who are not included in the initial booking will be directed to our Welcome Center for a regular admission ticket and may not be admitted into smaller spaces with their group where capacity is limited.

Students and chaperones are required to stay with their groups at all times.
No food, drink, or gum is permitted in the galleries.
Large bags/backpacks are not permitted in the galleries with the exception of bags containing medication.
Running, pushing, and/or roughhousing is not allowed.
For safety of our visitors and our collections, please keep safe distances between yourself and objects.
Please do not knock on glass exhibits containing live animals. Vibration is very upsetting for our animals.
In order to better serve our visitors, large groups are not allowed in our Museum Store. Please divide students into groups of 15 or fewer to shop in the Museum Store.
The Springfield Museums reserve the right to ask a school group to leave due to behavior issues.