Group Visits

Take your learning beyond your classroom with Discovery World’s onsite field trips and school programs that encourage exploration and put the wonder of science in your hands.

Planning a group visit can be hectic—we’re here to help! Take a look at the sections below for important information about group pricing, requirements, hours, policies, deadline dates, and more. Once you’ve read everything over, start the reservations process by either filling out a request form online or by calling the Reservations Department at 414-765-8625 (M-F, 8am-4pm). From there, we will review your needs and work with you to book your visit.

Reservations must be made at least three (3) weeks in advance. No reservations will be accepted without at least three (3) weeks notice. Availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so advanced booking is highly encouraged. Group rates are only available for groups of 10+ with advance booking and payment.

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.

DPI Certified 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 optional educational programs you can add-on to your group visit. Programs can run between 9:30am-4:00pm, Wednesday-Friday from October through early June and options are available for students in grades K5-12. Space is limited.

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

Group Program Add-On Details

All required items are due two (2) weeks prior to your visit date. Required items include:

  • Final Headcount (# of students/children AND # of adults)
  • Full Payment
  • Signed Agreement

We reserve the right to cancel your visit if the required items are not received by the two-week deadline date.

Full payment is due two (2) weeks prior to your visit date. We accept cash, checks, and credit cards. We do not accept Purchase Orders. No deposit required. No tax added.

Any person not included or paid for in your final headcount by the indicated due date will be charged general admission pricing of $18/child and $22/adult. In addition, these individuals will not be allowed in any scheduled lunch period or program(s). We will not accept day-of walk-up payments or walk-up additions at the discounted group rate.

HOW TO PAY:

  • Credit Card Payments:

    • Process by phone.
    • Call the Reservations Department at 414-765-8625 (M-F, 8am-4pm)
    • We accept all major credit cards.
    • There are no card transaction fees charged.
    • No online payment links or portals are available.
  • Check Payments:

    • Prepare and send checks ahead of your indicated due date.
    • Include your order # with payment.
    • Make checks payable to Discovery World.
    • Mail or deliver in-person to:
      Discovery World
      Attn: Reservations
      500 N Harbor Dr
      Milwaukee, WI 53202
    • Allow adequate time for your accountant/bookkeeper to process and mail payments so they arrive by your indicated due date.

NO REFUNDS OR CREDITS FOR:

  • Changes, cancellations, or reschedules made after the indicated due date.
  • Persons missing or absent on the visit date.
  • “No show” groups.
  • Missed or cancelled programs if a group arrives late or does not arrive for scheduled programs.
  • Persons or groups asked to immediately leave due to inappropriate behavior according to our policies.

Any request to make changes, reschedule, or cancel your group visit must be made two (2) weeks prior to your visit date. Requests made after the indicated due date will not be accepted, nor will any refunds or credits be given.

Cancellations due to school/organization weather closures will not be penalized. Please contact the Reservations Department as soon as possible with notice of the weather closure and we will discuss rescheduling possibilities.

Ensure a timely arrival at Discovery World by allowing extra time for weather, traffic, road conditions, etc. Late arrivals, regardless of reason (even issues with busing), may result in the cancellation of museum activities or scheduled programs without refund or credit. If your group will arrive later than scheduled, please contact the Reservations Department as soon as possible.

Once you’re here, please report to scheduled meeting places per the timing on your schedule(s). Program times and lunch periods are firm and cannot be held or pushed back for tardiness. Late arrivals may result in the cancellation of programs without refund or credit.

While adult chaperone backpacks are permitted on the exhibit floors, student/child backpacks are not. Any student/child who brings a backpack will be required to store it in our locked storage room until departure.

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

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 accessible elevators and an all-gender companion-assisted family restroom available with an adult weight lift table and height-adjusting sink. Please alert or update us if you have any group members that require special accommodation, have special needs, or have severe allergies we should be aware of.

Please share the following rules with ALL group members regardless of age. These rules are to ensure everyone’s safety and allow an enjoyable experience for everyone in our building.

  • No running, shouting, or horseplay.
  • Respect other groups and individuals in the museum.
  • Students/children must stay with adult chaperones at all times. Adult chaperones must stay with their students/children at all times. (Unchaperoned minors will be unable to explore without proper supervision.)
  • No food or drinks are allowed on exhibit floors, labs, theaters, etc.
  • Exhibits are “user-friendly”, but they can be damaged. Exercise care in their use and respect museum property.
  • ALL group members must wear a wristband for the duration of their visit to enter exhibit floors.

Discovery World reserves the right to expel any person or group behaving in a manner deemed unfit, without refund, and jeopardizes their chances of any future visits.

Groups must have at least one (1) adult chaperone for every ten (10) students/children in attendance. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a $25 charge for each missing adult and jeopardizes any future visits.

To ensure a quality visit for everyone, all adult chaperones are required to provide the following support by:

  • Enforcing all our rules and policies.
  • Being solely responsible for the behavior, well-being, and discipline of assigned students/children.
  • Staying with assigned students/children at all times and making sure they stay with you.
  • Actively supervising students/children in ALL parts of the museum (program rooms, lunchroom, exhibits, etc.)
  • Being responsible for knowing your group schedule and getting the group to program(s) and/or their lunch period on time.

It is the main contact’s obligation to make sure all adult chaperones are aware of their responsibilities while at Discovery World.

Pre-booking is required. Lunch periods are pre-assigned and may be shared with other booked groups. Lunch periods are 25-minutes long and scheduled on the half-hour. Groups may be split into multiple lunch periods, if needed.

Groups must bring their own packed lunches. No catering, microwave use, or refrigeration is available.

An inherent risk of exposure to allergens exists in any public place where people are present, including our shared lunchroom.

It is a courtesy for us to store lunches and provide a free lunch space for groups. To remain so, we require assistance from each group by doing the following:

  • Lunches must be packed and grouped in larger containers labeled with your group name.
    • Suitable containers include boxes, coolers, baskets, storage totes, etc. No containers will be provided by Discovery World.
    • We suggest dividing lunches up by each assigned lunch period, if applicable.
  • All groups must clean their lunch areas before the end of their scheduled lunch period.

Groups that fail to comply with either of the above requirements will be invoiced a $50 service fee.

  • 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.

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.

We ask that groups please use stairs to move between exhibit floors as much as possible. If elevator usage is needed, please remind group members to not jump in them as they may become jammed for an extended period. Any group that causes the elevator to be jammed will be (a) invoiced for any service/maintenance fees that result from our elevator contractor to have it fixed and (b) will not be compensated for any missed programs that result.

The Gift Shop offers merchandise for purchase. As through the rest of the building, adult chaperones must stay with their assigned students/children and be actively involved in their supervision. Unattended minors will be asked to leave. If the Gift Shop is at capacity, groups may be asked to wait. Groups will be held responsible for any missing or damaged items.

To maintain order, safety, and cleanliness, we ask that an adult chaperone be posted outside restrooms while in use by their group. We strongly discourage unsupervised visits to the restroom by unattended minors.

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 more 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.

Reservation Instructions

Have you read through all the information above and are ready to make a reservation? Great!

When you are ready, you can make a Group Visit reservation either by phone or online.

  • By Phone: Call the Reservations Department at 414-765-8625 (M-F, 8am-4pm)
  • Online: Click the button below to get to the online form.
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