Museum & Science Center
Field Trips
Embark on a journey of discovery with your students at the RMSC Museum & Science Center. Find the program to match your curriculum needs using the search tool below or call us at 585.697.1942 and we’ll help you identify the best program for your class.
Educator Programs
Explore school programs using our Program Search below. This tool is designed to help you find the RMSC experience that best fits your needs. As always, we’re here to help. Give us a call at 585.697.1942 and we will answer any questions you have.
WE OFFER THREE TYPES OF SCHOOL EXPERIENCES TO BEST FIT YOUR NEEDS:
- In-Person Field Trips: Guided or self-guided experiences
- RMSC Delivers: Live science experiences at your site (Thanks to Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Vision Auto Group for their support of this program!)
- Virtual Field Trips: Highly interactive sessions via Zoom
- Self-guided bins are available if you’d like to explore the Museum & Science Center with your own spin or independently!
bring your curriculum to life & Plan Your Visit!
Once you have perused our offerings and are ready to request a program, fill out the form below. You can expect to hear back from our Guest Services team within 3-5 business days.
Educator admission Discount
Teachers and Educators who book a field trip with the RMSC Museum & Science Center, the Strasenburgh Planetarium, or the Cumming Nature Center may receive a free admission pass to explore and aid in your lesson planning ahead of your scheduled visit.
Admission and Transportation scholarships
Thanks to generous contributions from Avangrid Foundation and Bosch Community Fund, the RMSC has limited scholarship opportunities available to fund educational experiences! Follow the button below to explore options for funding.
minimums for field trips
Please note, the RMSC has a 15 minimum requirement for school group visits. Self-contained classes are an exception, you can read more here. Please note on your form if you qualify for this exception!
Featured Field trip!
Insect Investigations
Grades k-3
Explore the incredible world of insects and the important roles they play in the ecosystem. Discover the wonder of butterfly metamorphosis, learn how insects communicate, and meet the live insects that make their home in the RMSC Carlson Inquiry Room.
Alternative Energy on the Red Planet
Grades 2-8 | Become part of an elite team of astronauts as you construct an energy grid for the first human settlement on Mars.
Animal Adaptations
Grades PreK-4 | Beavers, bears and birds, oh my! Structure follows function as students explore the adaptations that abound in the animal kingdom!
Bats
Pre-K-2 | This fun and interactive program will help your students to understand bats, and the important part they play in our ecosystem.
Dinosaurs
PreK-2 | This very interactive program expands the students’ imagination as they learn about and “create” a fossil. Students become “paleontologists” to uncover answers.
Energy
Grades 1-12 | The question is: “What is energy?” Demonstrators guide students in exploring these different forms of energy, how they connect, and how they are used.
Erie Canal Simple Machine Challenge
Grades 4-8 | Simple Machines to the rescue! It’s time to clear the path to make way for the Erie Canal, but we need your team to build a “stump puller.”
Expedition Earth
Grades 2-9 | Get hands on with rocks, minerals and fossil and discover the Earth Systems that shaped our local geology.
Flight to Freedom–Rochester’s Underground Railroad
Grade 3-8 | Follow the North Star on a journey from slavery, to the doors of abolitionists, and on to freedom during this Underground Railroad Immersion Experience in our Flight to Freedom exhibition.
Inquiry Room Exploration
PreK | Explore science in a less structured setting as you learn and play in the unique Carlson Inquiry Room. Meet our live animals and investigate magnetism. Learn about states of matter as you experiment with vinegar and baking soda and make your own slime to take home.
Insect Investigations
Grades K-3 | Explore the wonder of butterfly metamorphosis. Learn how insects communicate and meet the live critters that make their home in the RMSC Carlson Inquiry Room.
Journey of Sound Waves
Grades PreK-4 | Explore how sound travels by experimenting with spouting bowls and tuning forks! Investigate how vibrations and sound are related. Listen, sing, and play your way to a deeper scientific understanding of sound!
Life Cycles of Reptiles & Amphibians
Grades 1-4 | Herpetology Heroes hang onto your hats! We’re diving into the study of everything slimy and scaly. Be prepared for a mess as we discover more about the Circle of Life.
Light and Color
PreK-8 | Explore how and why we see colors in this fun, interactive show. Experiment with color mixing and learn about the different kinds of primary colors.
Live Science: Electricity Theater
Grades 1-12, adult | Experience two six-foot tall Tesla Coils throwing 8-foot arcs of plasma (lightning) while the arcs actually play music. Our Faraday Cage can make the day electrifying!
Live Science: Solids, Liquids & Gases
Grades 2-12 | Our coolest demonstrations, literally! This program explores temperature’s effect on solids, liquids, and gases using liquid nitrogen.
Our Changing Climate
Grades 6-12 | Calling all Climatologists! Deep dive into the science of calculating Earth’s health by looking at real data from around the world!
Plastics & Pollution
Grades 1-6 | What’s in your water? In this program, students will learn real strategies and tools used by scientists to protect our planet’s water.
Plate Tectonics and Earth’s History
Grades 4-8 | Earth History ROCKS! Catch the seismic waves of Geology as we delve into the past and present of our planet.
Predicting Weather
Grades 3-8 | Meteorology is SNOW laughing matter! Learning about storms, temperature, and precipitation can be a breeze, this program can’t be MIST!
RMSC Delivers: Insects
Grades K-2 | This fun, interactive program will get your class buzzing about insects. Students will take on the role of dragonflies, bees, crickets, and other insects, as they learn about insect anatomy, eating habits, and how they communicate.
Rocks, Fossils, and More
Grades 1-5 | Explore fossils from the RMSC teaching collection. Sort rocks into three groups and learn about the minerals that make up rocks.
Same Sky: Different Cultures Same Cosmos
Grades K-8 | (Exhibit only) Embark on a journey through the cosmos as you explore the sky-watching traditions of the Diné, Hodinöšyö:nih (Haudenosaunee), and Maya peoples. Discover how Indigenous peoples from all over Turtle Island have used the night sky and stars.
Simple Machines & Fantastic Forces
Grades K-4 | Explore simple machines while experimenting with pulley systems and ramps. Learn about friction, gravity and inertia while investigating the forces of motion.
States of Matter
Grades PreK-2 | Explore the states of matter by comparing and contrasting solids, liquids and gases. Do hands-on experiments about liquid density and chemical reaction. Learn about polymers and make slime to take home.
The Hodinöšyö:nih (Haudenosaunee)
Grades 4-8 | Immerse yourself in learning about Hodinöšyö:nih culture and leave with a better understanding of the people who have belonged to this land for many centuries.
Thunderstorm Science
Grades K-3 | Button up your raincoats and get ready to chase some storms!
Tour of the Solar System
Grades PreK-2 | All Aboard! Next stop, OUTER SPACE! Grab you astronaut gear, we’re headed to all 8 planets, with a few fun stops along the way.
Under Pressure
Grades K-8 | The formula “Force over Area” is brought to life with this program about the pressure all around us, and what happens when it’s not.
