Field Trip - FAQs

Who is eligible for an education field trip to the Bishop Museum?

The following rates and programs are valid only for schools in the Hawaiian Islands (preschool through 12th grade).
For other groups, including college groups (from Hawaii and elsewhere), school groups from continental US, adult groups and others, please call Bishop Museum Visitor Services at 808.848.4168 or email moanililia@bishopmuseum.org

How do I make a reservation for my school group?

If you are a Hawaii-based, Pre K through 12th grade school, you can make a reservation as follows:
- Call the Education Department Office 848-4168
- Fill out our online School Visit Request Form
Please have the following information ready:
- School/School Type
- Three alternate dates
- Contact Person
- Phone/Email
- Number of students
- Grade or Age
- Number of adults
- Arrival and departime tim

What is the process once I make a reservation?

Once a reservation request is received, we first confirm the date of your visit.
Once the date is confirmed, we will begin the process of finding out which programs you are interested in for your school group and work with you on creating a schedule of programs for the day of your visit.
Once your day's schedule is set, we will send you a final confirmation with instructions for the day of your visit, a payment form, the day's schedule and a map of the museum.

How much does an education field trip cost?

Fees for Hawaii-based Pre K – 12th grade schools are listed below. This is a “one price includes all” cost; in other words there are no additional costs for educational programs.
- Students: $5.00*
- Adults (beyond the ‘free chaperone’ limit): $6.00
You are eligible for these fees ONLY IF:

*Late bookings and intercession groups (winter, spring, summer, etc.) are subject to a $7 per student rate.

Can my students use their Bishop Museum membership for an education field trip?

For students: because we are providing customized education programs for the students, passes and discounts cannot be applied to the school visit fees..
For adults: adults and chaperones are able to use their membership passes in place of paying the chaperone fee.

When should I make reservations for my school group's field trip?

2-3 months in advance is the recommended time frame in which a field trip should be booked in order to ensure date availability.
Minimally, reservations must be made at least three weeks in advance.
Field trip bookings for the 2013-2014 school year will begin in August 2013.
For groups making reservations less than three weeks in advance:

How many chaperones need to accompany our school group?

To maintain a quality experience for all of our visitors, the minimum number of required adults are as follows:

Can we bring lunch to the museum?

Yes. Bishop Museum does have covered lunch areas and your group will be booked into a lunch area if you wish to have lunch during your visit.
Please bring lunches in boxes or bags with school name printed on the outside. We will assign a storage area for your lunches as they will not be allowed in the museum's buildings.

What payment methods do you accept and when should we pay?

School Purchase Orders (preferred), checks, cash (must be exact as change is not given)
Pre-payment may be sent in anytime prior to your visit or payment will be collected on the day of your visit

What happens if I need to cancel our trip or make changes to the schedule?

Notify us AS SOON AS POSSIBLE of any cancellation or schedule changes. Any change will potentially affect staff scheduling as well as the schedule of other visiting school groups.
Any changes in schedule may result in a complete restructuring of the day's programs.

What does a typical field trip day look like ?

A typical field trip begins at 9am, includes 2-3 hours of programming that is decided upon by you and our education staff prior to your visit, and concludes with lunch on campus.
The earliest arrival time to the museum is at 9am.
Depending on the age of your students, your daily schedule can be from 1 hour up to 3 hours.

Am I allowed to visit the museum prior to my school group's visit?

All Hawai‘i teachers may visit the museum at no charge any day prior to your scheduled visit to become familiar with the Museum grounds and exhibits. Please contact the Bishop Museum education department (848-4168 or schoolgroups@bishopmuseum.org) to set up this visit.