Field Trips: School Year

Our Field Trips are engaging and interactive experiences that bring the students into the conversation—either through an Interactive Guided Tour or one of our *new* Skills Workshops for Middle and High Schoolers. On a visit to the city museum, your students will have the opportunity to come face-to-face with the objects held and crafted by fellow New Yorkers to create this city. Through conversations, facilitated gallery exploration, movement activities, and art-making, learners of all ages will reflect on their own place in the city’s story—and the role they want to play in shaping its future.  

At the Museum of the City of New York, our field trips are:     

• Grade-Band Aligned: We offer in-person field trips for students in four grade bands, with programs aligned to curriculum topics and themes such as Civic Engagement, Artistic Expression, and Change Over Time.    
• Hands-on & Interactive: Each guided field trip is a unique 60–90 minute experience, driven by student inquiry, dialogue, and hands-on activities.  
• Accessible: Programs can be modified for groups of all needs and abilities, and program time can be adjusted under special request.     
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) Experience Available for *Every* Program: Damos la bienvenida a estudiantes de toda nuestra ciudad multilingüe. Ahora todos nuestros programas se ofrecen en inglés o español, o como una experiencia bilingüe. We welcome learners from across our multilingual city. Our field trips are currently offered in either English or Spanish, or as a bilingual Sp/Eng experience.   

                                        Book your trip today and let the city’s stories unfold!

School Year Field Trip Experiences Information

Do I need a reservation? Yes! All K-12 groups require advanced registration. Fill out a Field Trip Request Form for your K-12 group, linked on the pages above, and a member of our team will be in touch to schedule your visit. 

Note: If you are interested in bringing your group on the weekend, or your group is not in the K-12 age range, please reserve a time to visit or schedule a private tour with our Group Tours colleagues. 

Are all of your field trips guided? Yes, all of our K-12 programs are guided experiences. All of our tours and workshops are facilitated by experienced museum educators and include hands-on, interactive activities that are not otherwise available. Teachers and chaperones are expected to stay with the group at all times and engage with the students, the museum guide, and the program activities. 

What if I want to visit as a self-guided K-12 group? Due to the small size of our galleries, we offer a limited number of slots after 1pm for self-guided K-12 groups. Please fill out a Field Trip Request Form, linked above, to inquire about availability.

When are K-12 Field Trips Offered?  Guided K-12 field trips are offered Tuesday-Friday starting at 10am. Self-guided K-12 groups may request a time at or after 1pm. Summer Session field trips are available through Friday, August 22. School Year field trips begin September 30, 2025.

How many students can I bring?  Each field trip experience can serve up to 35 students. For an optimal experience, we do not recommend putting two smaller classes together - though you know your students best! For schools wishing to bring more than 35 students, our form allows you to request up to four groups (140 students).

How far in advance do I need to book my trip? Two weeks.  If you are traveling by school bus, you will need to book at least two weeks in advance. Due to the volume of field trip requests we receive, it may take up to one week to receive a response from our School Programs Team. Field trips are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis—it is best to put in a request for your preferred trip and dates as soon as you know. It may book up!

Can we talk to someone before our trip to go over any special requests? Yes! We understand that not all tour requests are the same. The Field Trip Request Form is the best place to put any information that would inform how we will book your group(s) (e.g. specific dates, multiple group breakdowns, booking restrictions); this ensures that all pertinent information is linked with your specific trip request at the moment we are placing your tour on our calendar. If you would like to speak directly to a member of our team before your visit, please submit a Field Trip Request Form first and let us know on the form.

Can we have lunch indoors at the museum?  No. There are no indoor eating facilities for groups at the Museum. The Museum's front courtyard is open to the public and may be used by school groups on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that there is limited table seating in this area. Additionally, the Museum is located across the street from Central Park, offering many locations for groups to sit and eat.    

Can we visit other galleries before or after our visit?  To ensure the best experience for your students, we schedule our field trips so that each guided K-12 group is the only group in their respective gallery. Schools that wish to visit additional galleries before or after their tour will be told upon their arrival at the museum which other galleries, if any, are available. Due to capacity constraints, we cannot guarantee in advance that a group will be able to visit any gallery other than the space reserved for their field trip.

I have a confirmed field trip reservation with the museum and need to make a change or an update - who should I contact?  Thank you for reserving your trip! The best way to make any changes or updates to your reservation is to reply to the confirmation email we sent you. 

My field trip is today and we are running late/early - who should I call?  For day-of updates *only* please call 917.492.3334 to let us know your timing or emergency. Please note: this is not a continuously staffed phone line.

Please contact us at schoolprograms@mcny.org with other inquiries and questions. 

School Year Field Trip Request Form 

School Year Field Trip Booking and Pricing

What days and times are tours available? Tours are available Tuesday—Friday, beginning at 10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. or 12:30 p.m., and limited spots at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. Experiences range in length from 60-90 minutes, depending on the type of experience.  

How much does a K-12 field trip cost? Trip pricing is based on your school type and location. Our pricing model below reflects a flat rate per group of up to 35 students. Teachers and chaperones are included for free in the group fee pricing.

Note: We reserve the right to limit reservations to two groups per school per day. 

How do we pay for our trip?  Credit card, cash, or check. Once your field trip reservation(s) is/are confirmed, we will send you a link to pay your deposit of $50 per program via credit card. The remainder of your balance is due no later than two weeks later. Balances may be paid by credit card, check, or cash. Please note, we are unable to accept DOE Purchase Orders for K-12 school groups at this time.  

How do I book a trip? Our Field Trip Request Form (linked below) Fill out and submit our Field Trip Request Form. As we receive a large number of requests, we ask for up to one week to respond to all requests. All requests are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.   

Please fill out the Field Trip Request Form to request a trip. 

School Year Field Trip Request Form