Bring your class to the ALL-NEW Brooklyn Children’s Museum and let them discover the world in our new, standards-based exhibits on the arts, culture, science, the environment, and more.

To reserve a field trip for your class, please download this Group Reservations Request, fill it out, and email back as an attachment to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Or call (718) 735-4400 x118 to make reservations by phone.

 

SELF-GUIDED EXPLORATION

 

Self-guided exploration lets students explore the exhibits at their own pace, and the Museum provides pre- and post-visit curriculum to complement your classroom lessons.

Visit the streets of World Brooklyn, dance in the Global Beats theater, explore the city’s natural spaces in Neighborhood Nature, investigate living and preserved natural science specimens in the Science Inquiry Center, discover the stories that objects can tell in Collections Central, and experience the special exhibit in the Chase Gallery.

Concentrate on one exhibit or investigate several—you get to choose.

Self-guided exploration is available Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 11am to 1pm (advance reservations are required). 

One chaperone is required for every five children, and students are expected to stay in their chaperoned groups.

The discounted fee is $6 per student; required chaperones are admitted free.  Additional chaperones pay the discounted school-group rate of $6.

Add a program for only $50 more per class!

Teachers may choose to add an optional 10am-11am program to their students’ 11am-1pm self-guided exploration experience.  Pick any of the early childhood, natural science and environmental, or arts and cultural programs described below.

Programs are led by Museum educators in the exhibit galleries, feature select treasures from the Museum’s collection, and—like the Museum’s exhibits—are aligned with New York City grade school curricula and student performance standards and are supplemented with pre- and post-visit materials.

You may also reserve private time in the Museum’s Chase Gallery—where from 10am-11am your students will have a whole hour of self-guided exploration focusing on the special exhibit on display during the time of your visit. 

These optional add-ons are available Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 to 11am (advance reservations are required), with self-guided exploration following from 11am to 1pm, when students are free to check out the rest of the Museum in their chaperoned groups. 

Each program is limited to one class (maximum 18 students for kindergarten, pre-K, and day-care classes; maximum 25 students for first-grade and above classes).

This additional option has a flat fee of $50 per class, including students and chaperones.  It is only available as an add-on to your 11am-1pm self-guided exploration.

 

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS

Explore natural science and world culture with playful learning, music and singing, movement, role-play, and more!

 

(EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS: To fit the developmental needs of early learners, you may choose to reserve just one of these programs for kindergartners and younger, from 10-11am, and skip the self-guided exploration from 11am-1pm.  The cost for the program-only option is $125 per class; maximum 18 children per class.  If you choose this option, reservations for tables in the Kids Cafe will not be available.)

 

What’s for Dinner? (Pre-K to Grade 1)

Students discover the unique diets of different types of animals. They investigate and decipher how some animals only eat meat, while others eat only fruits and plants. Students learn how to classify animals as carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores based on the shape of their teeth and the foods they eat. Students examine skulls and teeth of animals from the Museum’s science collection.

Arts and Culture (Pre-K to Grade 1)

Students are introduced to the concept of folk art and cultural traditions. They learn about cherished artistic practices and how they have been preserved through generations. They explore an international array of folk arts, such as Chinese lion dances, Mexican papel picado, and West African kente and adinkra cloth. After investigating authentic art objects from the Museum’s collection, students create a craft based on the folk art studied in the lesson. 

Sing, Chant, and Move to the Beat! (Pre-K to Grade 1)

Students investigate where sound comes from, how it is produced, and how it is heard. They explore the science of sound by conducting experiments, and looking at musical instruments from around the world. Through storytelling, songs, and movement, students explore rhythm, beat, and more.

Amazing Bugs and Other Creatures (Pre-K to Grade 1)

Students explore the amazing body structure of joint-legged creatures known as arthropods. Students conduct hands-on investigations of objects from the Museum’s collection and live specimens such as crabs, Madagascan hissing cockroaches, crickets, and more in the new Neighborhood Nature exhibit.

Animal Tales (Pre-K to Grade 1)

Students actively participate in a variety of animal stories and legends. They discover live woodland animals such as a snake or a turtle, and the tales these animals inspired. Students learn about physical traits that have helped animals adapt and survive in the world today.

Animals in Action (Pre-K to Grade 1)

Students slither like a snake, crawl like a turtle, and leap like a frog. From the discovery of how animals move, they draw conclusions about animal locomotion. Students listen to stories and investigate a live animal from the Museum’s collection.

 

NATURAL SCIENCE PROGRAMS

Investigate and experiment with live plants, animals, and scientific specimens through inquiry-based learning in the all-new Neighborhood Nature exhibit, Garden, Greenhouse, or Science Inquiry Center!

Fantastic Fiber (Grades 1 to 6)

Students will investigate plants up close in the Museum’s Greenhouse and Garden. Discover how people all over the world use plants for medicine, food, clothing, aromatherapy, and paper-making! Paper can be made from different plant fibers, recycled products, or non-plant materials. Students explore a variety of raw fibers and objects from the Museum’s collection as inspirations for designing their own paper.

Pond Ecosystem (Grades 1 to 6)

Investigate pond ecology from the inside out. Students go on a research mission to explore plant and animal interactions through hands-on activities. Students meet a live pond inhabitant up close, crawl underneath the Museum’s pond to get a “fish eye view” of life underwater, assess predator and prey relationships, and explore different organisms living in distinct mini-habitats within the pond community.

Amazing Arthropods (Grades 2 to 6)

Students explore the amazing body structure of joint-legged creatures known as arthropods. They conduct hands-on investigations of artifacts from the Museum’s collection and live specimens such as crabs, Madagascan hissing cockroaches, crickets, and more in the new Neighborhood Nature exhibit.

Woodland Animal Mythology (Grades 2 to 6)

Students actively participate in the exploration of animal legends and stories. They discover live woodland animals such as a snake or a turtle, and the tales these animals inspired. Students learn about physical traits that have helped animals adapt and survive in the world today. 

 

CULTURAL PROGRAMS

Discover different arts, traditions, and cultures from around the world through hands-on exploration, authentic artifacts, music and dance, storytelling and folk tales, and the all-new World Brooklyn exhibit!

 

The World at Our Feet: Journey to New York City (Grades 2 to 6)

Students explore the past and present of New York City’s immigrant communities through storytelling, photographs, and artifacts from the Museum’s collection. They discover the cultures and neighborhoods that make this City one of the world’s most diverse regions. To strengthen their own cultural identities, students learn to situate their stories and experiences within the context of a larger community.

New York City: Cultural Arts (Grades 2 to 6)

Students are introduced to the concept of folk art and cultural traditions. They learn about cherished artistic practices and how they have been preserved through generations. They explore an international array of folk arts, such as Chinese lion dances, Mexican papel picado, and West African kente and adinkra cloth. After investigating authentic art objects from the Museum’s collection, students create a craft based on the folk art studied in the lesson.

Untold Stories (Grades 2 to 6)

Offered from January 19 to April 30, 2010.

What are the untold stories of Black history? Students become historians as they uncover the hidden narratives of the African Diaspora. Visit the special exhibit, Tales from the Land of Gullah, to be immersed in the world of the Gullah people who live on isolated islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina.  Students investigate authentic African and African-American objects, including musical instruments, cooking utensils, and games.

Native American Arts and Cultures: Natural Resources (Grades 2 to 6)

Students explore various Native American cultures through geography, investigating how environment and natural resources impact artistic and daily practices. They examine cultures of different regions, from the icy terrain of the North to the Southwestern desert, and explore how their crafts reflect the resources found there.

 

EXCLUSIVE USE OF THE SPECIAL EXHIBIT

New this year, your class can enjoy private use of the Museum’s Chase Gallery—which features a different hands-on exhibit every few months—from 10-11am!

 

TOP SECRET: Mission Toy

Offered from October 1 to December 18, 2009.

Put on a lab coat and embark on an important mission—to inspect toys from around the world—in this exhibit that shows how toys take many forms and shapes, from simple wooden tops to remote-controlled robots. You’ll discover a playful world as you attempt to crack the code, learn some Russian phrases, or identify the mystery toys from across the globe.

 

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL PROGRAM INFORMATION

 

SPECIAL NEEDS

All school programs are adaptable for students with special needs. Programs are hands-on and composed of multi-sensory activities. The Museum is wheelchair accessible.

Please specify student needs when scheduling your field trip.

 

RESERVATIONS

To reserve any of these programs for your school group, please download this Group Reservations Request, fill it out, and email back as an attachment to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Or call (718) 735-4400 x118 to make reservations by phone. Daily priority will be given to forms received by email.

A credit card number is required to hold all reservations. Should you wish to change the date of your visit, the Museum will gladly reschedule for you if notified no less than seven calendar days before your reserved date, subject to availability. Cancellations occurring less than seven days before your reserved date (including “no-shows”) will incur a charge to the credit card of 50% of the reservation amount.

 

PAYMENTS

There are no deposits. Full payment for your group’s visit will be made when you arrive. You may pay at that time by cash, check, or credit card.  If paying by approved purchase order, please mail it−prior to your visit−to:

Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Attn.: School Programs
145 Brooklyn Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213

 

KIDS CAFE

Cafe space can be reserved for groups during the reservation process; space is limited.

Food is available for purchase onsite, and box lunches are available if ordered during reservation process.

 

KIDSHOP

The Museum’s KidShop features a range of souvenirs, and is an memorable way to conclude your visit and bring home a lasting memory of your visit to Brooklyn Children’s Museum!

 

TIPS

Please arrive on time to ensure your students get their full experience on the exhibit floors. You will only be allowed to enter the Museum galleries at your designated time.

To ensure you and your class have the best possible experience at the Museum, groups must have a chaperone ratio of one adult for every five children. Chaperones are responsible for staying with their group of children and monitoring their behavior.

The Totally Tots exhibit for children 5 and under is not available for the World Exploration program.

There is no eating, drinking, or gum chewing allowed in the Museum’s galleries.  Food and drink may be consumed only in designated dining areas.

Students and chaperones should be respectful to other visitors in the Museum.