Explore nature and science with us
We offer Discovery Tours and Mobile Museum outreach programs for schools, early childhood centers, and community organizations.
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Discovery Tours
Educators and group leaders: looking for a wild experience for your classes or groups? The newly-renovated Delaware Museum of Nature and Science has something for everyone! Additional programs are available to meet your curriculum needs or can be designed and implemented for you and your organization
| Program Title | Grades | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dino Descendants (Birds) | PreK-K | Fly (or don’t) to the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science to investigate the birds that rule our skies today. We investigate key features that make these amazing animals unique. Meet an animal and figure out how they are related to prehistoric creatures. Come find out how birds have survived on our planet for millions of years! NGSS: K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-3 |
| Home Sweet Habitat | PreK-K |
What do living things need to survive AND thrive? All over the world and even in our state there are some amazing relationships plants and animals have with their environment! Using hands on activities and our brand-new exhibits, take a glimpse into a moment in time for these amazing creatures. Participants may even learn a rhyme to help them identify these key components. GS: 24, 25 / NGSS: K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1 |
| SENSE-ational Animals | PreK – 1st | Animals have the same five senses as humans. Compare and contrast our senses to those of animals around the world with special adaptations. |
| Environments & Survival | K-4 | Explore survival through the lens of Grove Snails! Come visit for hands-on experiences to enhance understanding and appreciation of topics such as varied populations, biomimicry, camouflage, and the function of teeth/mouths. Includes meeting one of our live animal ambassadors. NGSS: 3-LS4-1, 3-LS4-2, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 3-5-ETS1-1, 3-5-ETS1-2 |
| Exploring Extinction | Grades 1-2 | Travel back in time at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. Students will explore dinosaurs, fossils, and especially extinction through hands-on activities as well as inquiry-based learning. One of our stations even includes meeting some live dinosaurs! NGSS: 1-LS3-1, 2PS1-1, 2-ESS1-1, 2-LS4-1 |
| Cycle of Life | Grades 1-3 | Do you look like your parents? Do you eat the same things they do? Why is that?! Come explore how diverse organisms change as they grow and develop, and which ones are just like their parents. Food webs are good for more than just who eats who, find out how all life works together! (Previously Habitats & Their Inhabitants) NGSS: 1-LS3-1, 2-LS4-1 |
| Stones & Bones (2 hour program!) | Grades 4-8 | RAIN OR SHINE! Our education staff takes you on a geologic tour of the museum featuring hands-on activities with rock specimens, fossils, and science demonstrations. Students learn about the rock cycle, the geologic history of Delaware, how fossils form, and how to identify some common minerals. This is a slightly longer program and takes TWO HOURS to complete. NGSS: MS-ESS1-4, MS-ESS2-1, MS-ESS2-3 |
| Delaware & Beyond | For all ages | We’ll take you on a guided tour of the museum’s new galleries, featuring a variety of ecosystems near and far. Experience hands-on science, interactive exhibits, up-close encounters with live animals, and a visit to our PaleoZone featuring Cretaceous creatures, including dinosaurs. |
| Self-Guided | For all ages | Explore the museum without a tour-guide, and check out our exhibits at your own pace. |
$10 per participant/student
Adults are covered at a 10:1 participant to adult ratio
$13 per additional adult not covered under this ratio
1-1.5 hours (unless otherwise stated)
Minimum 15 paid participants per Discovery Tour or $150.
Participants will be split into groups of approximately 25 for the various activities during the tour.
Your group is welcome to explore the museum’s galleries and outdoor areas before or after your tour (depending on the tour start time). Allow for at least an hour for free exploration. Museum hours are 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The outdoor areas and back patio are open for all museum guests to use for snack and lunch on a first-come, first-served basis.
To schedule a Discovery Tour, please fill out a registration form.
Programs must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance. We will do our best to accommodate any requests within that time period based on availability. You will hear back from the DelMNS Education Team within two weeks of completing and submitting your registration form.
Any questions? Please contact the Registration Coordinator at education@delmns.org or 302-658-9111, ext. 331.
Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled program. If you cancel less than 48 hours prior to your program start time, you will not receive a refund for your program.
Due to COVID-19, the following health and safety measures will be in effect until further notice for all Discovery Tour programming:
All participants over the age of 2 years old are required to maintain adequate social distancing. Masks are optional but recommended for all participants.
Programs and activities are engaging and educational while following best practice guidelines from the State of DE and the CDC regarding social distancing procedures and hands-on activities.
All scheduled programs are subject to change at the behest of DelMNS staff based on new or increased concerns over Covid-19.
If you have any questions regarding protocols, please contact us.
Mobile Museum Outreach Programs
Outreach Programs bring the fun of a field trip to you! We offer exciting, hands-on programs for camps, schools, daycares, community organizations, libraries, and more. Through engaging discussion, live animal presentations, relevant specimens, and props, our programs complement what you are teaching in the classroom. Additional programs are available to meet your curriculum needs or can be designed and implemented for you and your organization
| Program Title | Grades | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dinos, Dinos, Dinos | PreK-K, 1-2, 3-5 | Dinosaurs come in all shapes and sizes. Explore real fossils, see different tools, and learn what makes a dinosaur. |
| Amazing Animal Adaptations |
PreK-K | Venom, claws, and stripes…Oh my! Explore these incredible animal adaptations with our live animals and amazing specimens from around the world. NGSS: K-LS1-1 |
| Buggin’ Out | PreK-K | There are many different insects in the world, and even right here in Delaware! GS: 24, 25 |
| Looking Out My Backdoor | PreK-K | Ever wonder what’s in your backyard? Unique and fascinating animals can be there. Find out what’s outside your door and learn how important all creatures are. GS: 24,25 |
| Earth’s Place in Space | K-2 | Hop and dance your way through the solar system, ending on Earth. Explore how what’s up in the sky affects what’s living on the Earth. |
| How it’s Made | 1-2 | Examine how wood is grown (trees), how we use some natural resources, and how we combine many resources to use things that we use every day. GS: 24,26,27 / NGSS: K-PS3-1, K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS3-1, 2-PS1-1, 2-LS2-1 |
| Trait-astic! | 1-3 | Have you ever wondered why you look the way you do? What about why some plants are big while others are small? Or even why birds have all different colors of feathers? We will come to you with some hands-on activities/games to explore these possibilities. NGSS: 1-LS3-1, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4 |
| Most Extreme Animals | 5-6 | Travel around the world to see the amazing ways animals survive in different habitats. |
Mobile Museum Outreach Program
In the children’s book, The Secret Garden, based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the characters discover a secret all their own.
As part of the Longwood Gardens Community Read Program, the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science comes to you. This program is great for organizations such as libraries, daycares, after-school groups, and classrooms.
Who doesn’t love a secret? The Secret Garden will come to you with one of our educators. Learn to love the outdoors through this interactive hour including an interactive book reading, a scene-setting 10×10 tent, and plenty of touchable specimens. Be prepared to get dirty hands!
$150 per program, maximum 40 participants.
Fees and General Information
$150 for one program; $140 for two programs; $125 for three or more programs.
For destinations more than 25 miles away from the Museum one-way, an additional cost will be incurred (see below).
Each program consists of a 45-60 minute in-person program.
Outreach Programs are currently limited to 25 participants maximum. For larger groups, multiple programs can be scheduled in a day (provided timeslots are available).
Several Outreach Programs include live animals. Please have a reliable staff member available to help with loading and unloading of the live animals, if needed.
Destinations more than 25 miles from the museum one-way will be charged a travel fee.
0-25 miles: included in program fee
26-35 miles: $15
36-45 miles: $30
46-55 miles: $45
56-65 miles: $60
66-75 miles: $75
76-85 miles: $90
86-95 miles: $105
96-105 miles: $120
To schedule a Mobile Museum, please fill out a registration form.
Programs must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance. We will do our best to accommodate any requests within that time period based on availability. You will hear back from the DelMNS Education Team within two weeks of completing your registration form.
Any questions? Please contact the Registration Coordinator at education@delmns.org or 302-658-9111, ext. 331.
Due to COVID-19, the following health and safety measures will be in effect until further notice for ALL Mobile Museum programming:
All outreach program locations must be held in an indoor area that allows for social distancing or outdoors.
All participants over the age of 2 years old are required to maintain adequate social distancing. DelMNS will follow the host organization’s policies regarding masking.
Programs and activities are engaging and educational while following best practice guidelines from the State of DE and the CDC regarding social distancing procedures and hands-on activities.
All scheduled programs are subject to change at the behest of museum staff based on new or increased concerns over Covid-19.
If you have any questions regarding protocols, please contact us.
Design your own
Can’t find exactly what you are looking for? Design your own Discovery Tour or Mobile Museum program with themes such as behind the scenes, museum careers, live animal care, specialized biology subjects and many more.
Financial Aid
Grant funding is limited and based on financial need. Proof of qualification of free/reduced lunch recipients may be requested. Decisions about disbursements are made based upon the following:
| Indicator of Financial Need | % of funding for Discovery Tours | Busing | % of funding for Mobile Museums |
| 60 to 100% of students eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch | Up to 100% | Up to 100% IF funding available | Up to 100% |
| 50% of students eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch | Up to 50% | Up to 50% IF funding available | Up to 50% |
| 40% of students eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch | Up to 40% | Up to 40% IF funding available | Up to 40% |
| 30% of students eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch | Up to 30% | Not available | Up to 30% |
| 20% of students eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch | Up to 20% | Not available | Up to 20% |
| Below 20% of students eligible for Free & Reduced Lunch | Not eligible for scholarship funds | Not available | Not available |