Group & School Tours

Want to bring your group, class, or club to our museum? Or request a virtual program? You can now book a group or school tour online through our portal, Explorable Places!

Our museum offers in-person tours and virtual programs for a wide range of age groups and interests. In-person school tours and virtual classroom visits are most appropriate for students ages 12-13 or older (middle-school, high-school, and college students) in history, social studies, environmental studies, general science, or chemistry courses. We also offer group tours and virtual programs for adult, senior, and non-school groups, clubs, and organizations of all kinds.

In-Person Visits and Tours

We currently offer the following activities for in-person group and school visits:

  • Self-guided activities, such as age-appropriate scavenger hunts, puzzles, and worksheets (example themes: Hidden Figures of Science, Machines in the Museum, Meet the Elements)
  • Science & Activism, a guided tour exploring stories of environmental justice, patients’ rights, community science, and more

  • Women in Chemistry, a guided tour highlighting the central role of women in shaping chemistry and the material sciences across history

  • Synthetic Dyes and Textiles, a guided tour looking at the history of natural and lab-created dyes, as well as modern materials in textiles, and their impacts on fashion, culture, and our environment

In-Person Scheduling

Reservations are required at least two weeks before the date of your visit. All group tours must be confirmed in advance and are subject to availability. We suggest allowing one hour for your group visit. Group visits are available Wednesdays through Fridays, 10am to 4:30pm. Other times may be possible by special appointment.

We can accommodate up to 20–25 individuals per tour group. Larger groups may be asked to stagger their tour times. School groups require a 10:1 student-to-chaperone ratio.

Virtual Programs and Virtual Classroom Visits

We currently offer the following topics for interactive virtual programs or virtual classroom visits:

  • What’s Behind a Nobel Prize?
    Every year, the Nobel Prizes shine a spotlight on a few scientists. But out of the spotlight are the large and diverse teams that make important research happen. In this interactive virtual program, explore who is really behind the science.

  • Synthetic Dyes and Indigenous Craft
    The bright colors of synthetic dyes changed the work of Navajo weavers, forced to move to reservations in the late 1800s. In this interactive virtual program, explore the connections between technology and tradition that are woven into a Navajo “Eye-Dazzler.”

  • Women in Chemistry
    Meet women across history who have shaped scientific knowledge, from 17th-century French alchemist Marie Meurdrac to mid-20th-century biochemist Mary Maynard Daly, the first Black woman in America to receive a PhD in chemistry. See how women have pioneered scientific fields and contributed to discovery and innovation.

Virtual Scheduling

Advance reservations are required. Dates and times for virtual programs may vary by request. The average length of a virtual program is 35–45 minutes.

All virtual programs must be confirmed in advance and are subject to availability.

Further questions? Email us at tours@sciencehistory.org.

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