Field Trips & Group Visits

Group Admission rates are available during our regular business hours. To qualify for discounted group rates, you must have a minimum group size of 10 paying individuals and make a reservation at least three (3) weeks in advance.

K-12 Schools:

• $8/student
• $9/adult
• A ratio of one (1) adult for every ten (10) students is required.
• We will give one (1) complimentary adult admission for every ten (10) students attending.

Homeschools may qualify for our school group rates. Homeschool educators must show their PI-1206 form to receive the school rates.

Non-Schools:

Daycares, CLCs, Non-Profits, Colleges, Universities, Recreation Centers, Senior Groups, Travel Groups, Girl Scout Groups, Boy Scout Groups, etc.

• $10/child
• $14/adult
• A ratio of one (1) adult for every ten (10) children is required.
• We will give one (1) complimentary adult admission for every ten (10) children attending.

Group rates and programs are already discounted and are not valid with Discovery World memberships or any other discount or promotion. Groups may not use Discovery World membership benefits towards field trips or group visits. 

School Program Add-Ons come at an additional cost.

During the academic school year, we offer school programs you can add-on to your field trip. School programs can run between 9:30am-4:00pm, Wednesday-Friday from October through early June. Space is limited.

Pricing varies by program. There is a 10 student or child minimum required to book a school program.

School Programs Details

Full payment and the final headcount are due two (2) weeks prior to the visit date. We reserve the right to cancel a visit if required items are not received by the two-week deadline date.

Payment is due two (2) weeks prior to the visit date. We accept cash, check, or credit card (Master Card, Visa, Discover Card, American Express). We do not accept Purchase Orders.

• Credit Card Payments: Call the Reservations Department at 414-765-8625 (M-F, 8am-4pm)
• Check Payments: Make checks payable to Discovery World and include your order #. Mail or deliver in-person with your signed agreement to:

              Discovery World
              Attn: Reservations
              500 N Harbor Dr
              Milwaukee, WI 53202

Allow adequate time to submit payment requests to your accountant/bookkeeper for them to process and/or mail payments by the two-week deadline date.

CANCELLATIONS & RESCHEDULES:

• Cancellation or reschedule requests must be made at least two (2) weeks prior to the visit date. Requests made before or by this deadline will be permitted. Cancellation or reschedules requests made after the two (2) week deadline will receive no refunds or credits.
• For reschedules, we will work with the group to find a mutually agreed upon new visit date. In this case, any payments will be applied to the new date.
• Cancellations due to school/organization weather closures will not be penalized. In said cases, please contact the Reservations Department as soon as possible with notice of your school/organization weather closure.
• Late arrivals may result in the cancellation of museum activities or scheduled programs without refund regardless of the reason behind the tardiness, even issues with busing.

CHANGES:

• Changes to a reservation must be made at least two (2) weeks prior to the visit date. 
• No changes to headcount or programs will be accepted, and no refunds or credits will be provided, after the two-week deadline. 

OTHER NOTES:

• No refunds or credits will be given for persons missing or absent on the visit date.
• No refunds or credits will be issued for “no show” groups.
• No refunds or credits will be given for missed programs if a group arrives late or does not arrive for their program.

If a reservation has not been cancelled, rescheduled, or changed by the two-week deadline, all agreements and policies become valid and enforceable.

If a group would like to have lunch onsite, they must request usage of our group lunchroom at least three (3) weeks in advance. The group must bring packed lunches. Lunchroom bookings are 25-minutes long and scheduled on the half-hour.

Groups may be split into multiple lunch periods, if needed, and different school/organization groups may be booked into the same lunch period.

It is a courtesy for us to store lunches and provide a free lunch space for groups. However, to remain so, we require assistance from each group.

• We will require all groups bring their lunches contained in suitable containers labeled with their group name. Suitable containers include, but are not limited to: boxes, coolers, laundry baskets, or plastic storage totes.
• We will require all groups clean their areas before the end of their scheduled lunch period.
• Groups that fail to comply with either of these requirements will be charged a $50 service fee.

Please note, the lunchroom is a shared space. An inherent risk of exposure to allergens exists in any shared or public place where people are present.

• Groups will be given schedules in advance. Schedules within the same school/organization may differ if we need to split the group into subgroups for school programs and/or lunch periods. Indication of any splits will be provided.
• We ask that groups assign students/children to an adult chaperone before arrival at Discovery World. If the group has been split into subgroups, separate attendees into those subgroups in advance and exactly as we specify. Materials and/or space are only prepared and available for the amount of people listed.
• Please inform adult chaperones of group splits and make sure each one knows their group’s schedule for the day.

• Student/child backpacks are not allowed on the exhibit floors. If possible, please refrain from having students/children bring backpacks. Any student/child who does bring a backpack will be required to store it with their group’s coats and they will be locked away until departure.
• Adult backpacks are permitted, but please remember no food or drinks are allowed on the exhibit floors.
• Discovery World assumes no liability for lost, stolen, or damaged items. Please advise all attendees to leave valuable items at home.

The following rules should be shared with all attendees in a group – students/children AND adults.

• No running, shouting, or horseplay.
• Students/children must stay with adult chaperones at all times. Unchaperoned students/children will be delayed and unable to explore or experience exhibits without proper supervision.
• Adult chaperones must stay with their students/children at all times.
• No food, gum, or beverages are allowed on exhibit floors, labs, theater, etc.
• Respect other groups and individuals in the museum.
• Discovery World is a hands-on, self-guided museum. Exhibits are “user-friendly,” but they can be damaged. Therefore, exercise care in their use and respect museum property.
• Everyone (both students/children AND adults) need a wristband to enter exhibit floors. Wristbands must be worn by everyone at all times.

These rules are to keep everyone safe and to allow maximum enjoyment of our programs and facilities for everyone in our building. Discovery World reserves the right to expel any person or group behaving in a manner we deem unfit. In said cases, that person or group will be asked to leave the building immediately and they will not receive any refunds or credits. Persons or groups that are asked to leave may also jeopardize their chances to reserve or attend future visits to Discovery World.

Groups must have at least one (1) adult chaperone for every ten (10) students/children attending. An adult constitutes any and all teachers, aides, paraprofessionals, school/organizational staff, nurses, drivers, guides, and/or parents that will be in attendance with your group and over the age of 18. Failure to meet the required adult minimum requirement will result in a $25.00 charge for each missing adult, plus any program fees that may apply.

Groups may bring more adults than the ones required to fulfill our 1:10 ratio. However, only one (1) adult per ten (10) children in attendance will receive free admission to the museum. Adults outside of this 1:10 ratio will be charged an admission fee, plus any program fees that apply.

Proper adult chaperoning helps to provide a quality visit for all guests. As such, all adult chaperones are required to provide the following support at Discovery World by:

• Actively supervising the students/children assigned to them in all parts of the museum (including the Gift Shop, Café, program locations, theater, and lunch areas.)
• Staying with their assigned students/children at all times and enforcing all of our rules and policies.
• Making sure the students/children in your group stay with their adult chaperones at all times. (Unchaperoned students/children will be delayed and unable to explore or experience exhibits without proper supervision, so please keep that in mind.)
• Being solely responsible for the behavior, well-being, and the discipline of their assigned students/children.
• Being responsible for knowing their group’s schedule and getting the group to scheduled lunches or programs at the appropriate times.

It is the group leader’s job to make sure that all adults chaperoning are aware of their responsibilities.

Confirmation materials will indicate an assigned entry location as either the Main Entrance or the West Pavilion Entrance.

• Main Entrance – If the assigned entry location says Main Entrance, please have buses drop off at our Main Entrance doors which are at the West end of our building. Please remain on your bus(es) until greeted.
• West Pavilion Entrance – If the assigned entry location says West Pavilion Entrance, please have buses drop off  at The Pavilion at Discovery World, which lies on the North side of our building. Please remain on your bus(es) until greeted.

Please note, Discovery World does not have bus parking available on-site. Please relay to bus driver(s) that they cannot park in our drives or lots or in the surrounding Milwaukee Art Museum drives or lots. The closest bus parking is available in the Veterans Park parking lot, located about a 10-15 minute walk from our building.

Once your bus arrives, please remain on it until your group is greeted by a Discovery World Staff Member.

The group leader will speak with the Discovery World Staff Member that greets them to check-in and to submit the group’s actual day of count of how many total students/children and how many total adults are in attendance. Having this information will get your group off on the right foot! Please come prepared with this exact count ready to relay to our staff upon arrival.

From there, we will:

• Welcome your group and give an orientation prior to entering the museum.
• Collect lunches and store them until reserved lunch period(s).
• Collect coats in a bin and store them until your departure.
• Distribute wristbands. Wristbands must be worn by all attendees.

Discovery World assumes no liability for lost, stolen, or damaged items. Please advise all attendees to leave valuable items at home.

If you have any attendees that have special accommodations, special needs, or who have severe allergies we should be aware of, please let us know in advance. We may reach out to you if we have any follow-up questions or need to share any information.

An inherent risk of exposure to allergens exists in any public place where people are present. By visiting Discovery World, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure of allergens.

Discovery World has an all-gender, companion-assisted family restroom available with an adult-weight lift table and height-adjusting sink.

If you have any questions as you plan, please contact the Reservations Department by phone at 414-765-8625 (M-F, 8am-4pm) or by email at reservations@discoveryworld.org.