Virtual Field Trips

Pacific Science Center field trips have gone virtual! Bring the fun and excitement of a PacSci field trip to your students while engaging them with enriching content designed to enhance your curriculum and ignite their curiosity.

PacSci’s educators join your classroom live from our Curiosity Studio, and lead students through live sessions featuring some of your favorite STEAM activities. Virtual Field Trips are for learners in grades Pre K–12, and support Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Submit A Virtual Field Trip INquiry

Loved Fatima, our instructor. She was engaging, accepting, knowledgeable, knew how to keep the pace of the program going, skilled using the technology. The program itself was educational, fun, and held a wide variety of activities by using models, taking us to the pond, investigating the pond water, and fielding questions and comments. I LOVED it and so did our students! Bellevue Children’s Academy, 4th grade teacher
I love the fact that our children have access to the type of programming the Pacific Science Center offers. We serve low-income children and families, who would not typically be able to travel to King County to visit the center. It’s a wonderful way to expose children to science concepts that relate to their daily experience. Skagit Islands Head Start

About Virtual Field Trips

Who Are these for?

  • Virtual Field Trips are designed for small groups of students, including school groups, homeschool students, micro-schools, and afterschool settings.
  • These programs are also a great fit for birthday celebrations, scout groups and other community groups!
  • Programs with a max of 50 students are designed to encourage a high level of interactivity.

How They Work

  • Each private program is 40 minutes long. We may be able to accommodate shorter or longer programs to fit your needs!
  • We can join your secure virtual platform, set up a private Zoom, or an unlisted YouTube channel that only your group will have access to.
  • PacSci educators lead each program. Participants can ask questions via the chat and/or microphone, depending on your device set up and preferences. Educators work with your group’s adult to facilitate.

Costs & Booking

  • 1-99 participants: $200
  • 100-199 participants: $300
  • 200-299 participants: $400
  • 300+ participants: $500

Financial aid may be available to groups serving Title I audiences.

Programs should be booked at least 2 weeks in advance. We book on a rolling calendar year so we can schedule as far in advance as you like!

What You Will Need

  • Individual devices OR a shared device with a large screen and speakers
  • Internet connection
  • Access to your selected virtual platform, such as Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet
  • A webcam and microphone on participant device(s)
  • An adult or volunteer must be present to help facilitate

Check out our Program Requirements and Pre-Program Checklist for more details on program logistics.

Submit a Virtual Field Trip Inquiry

Looking for a Virtual Field Trip in Another language?

We have pre-recorded programs available with subtitles in Chinese, Amharic, Somali, and American Sign Language as well as spoken in Spanish. Find out more information by emailing our Education Team.

Email Education TEam

Available Programs

View supported NGSS for specific Virtual Field Trip options.

Animal Adventure

Why do some creatures have fangs, fur, or scales? Go on an animal adventure to compare different species, and learn how animal adaptations help them survive! Geared towards your youngest learners, this Virtual Field Trip features a storybook as the basis of the adventure.

Maximum Number of Participants: 50 Best for Grades: Pre K-2nd
Submit an Inquiry

Ecosystem Investigators

Work together to create a virtual ecosystem model revealing how living and non-living parts connect and interact in an aquatic environment. Using your new knowledge about ecosystem interactions, become a wetland scientist and explore the relationship between organisms in a real pond sample. Can you help us determine if the wetland ecosystem is in balance?

Maximum Number of Participants: 50 Best for Grades: 3–8
Submit an Inquiry

Featured Creatures

Animals are adapted to the places they call home. Their shape, size, skin, and skeleton all work together to help animals survive and thrive. Take a deeper look at real animal skin, skulls, and skeletons, and learn how different animals move and live!

Maximum Number of Participants: 50 Best for Grades: 3-6
Submit an Inquiry

Forces of Energy

Discover the signs of energy present all around us. Explore ways to transfer energy to the places we need it using the push and pull of different forces. Learn how engineers use the science of energy to design technology that helps power our communities.

Maximum Number of Participants: 50 Best for Grades: 3–8
Submit an Inquiry

Global Soundscapes

Embark on an ear­-opening journey into the science of sound and the exciting new field of soundscape ecology. Hear sounds from across the globe as we investigate the properties of sound and learn about the tools that scientists use to record and analyze complex soundscapes. Discover what soundscapes can tell us about the changing health of our planet.

Maximum Number of Participants: Unlimited Best for Grades: 3-12
Submit An Inquiry

Piece of Mind

Be awe-inspired by the power of the brain as students learn how it controls memory, movement, and sight. Discover how the brain functions through live activities and fun puzzles, and see a real human brain specimen!

Maximum Number of Participants: 50 Best for Grades: 3–8
Submit an Inquiry

Radical Reactions

Observe the explosive ways chemicals unite and react in this high energy show! Discover the signs of chemical reactions through experimentation and learn how this creates the world around us.

Maximum Number of Participants: Unlimited Best for Grades: Pre K–12
Submit an Inquiry

Robot on Mars!

How do teams of scientists and engineers use robots to help them answer big science questions about places too difficult for humans to visit? Discover unique design features of remote sensing missions to the planet Mars, and practice interpreting the data these robots collect. Can you use what you’ve learned to solve a remote sensing mystery of our very own?

Maximum Number of Participants: 50 Best for Grades: 3–8
Submit an Inquiry

Additional Resources

FAQ

Have PacSci’s educators join your students live from our Curiosity Studio, and lead students in live workshops and demonstrations featuring some of PacSci’s favorite STEM activities. Each session is private to your group of students, ensuring lots of interactivity! 

Program Content

What is a Virtual Field Trip? 

PacSci’s Virtual Field Trips are live, interactive educational programs that engage learners in STEM concepts. Participants join a link from either individual devices or a shared device to meet with a PacSci educator in real time. Using live demonstrations, specimen close-ups on camera, and interactive software and videos, the PacSci educator will guide your learners through observations and activities that spark curiosity and support science standards. Watch this 1-minute preview video for a snap shot of some of our virtual program offerings.

Who can participate in a Virtual Field Trip? 

Anyone! This includes schools, after-school programs, scout groups, birthday celebrations, and more. If you have curious minds, we have exciting programs!

How do I select a program? 

Check out the program descriptions above to find a program that best fits the age range, group size, and interests of your group. If you have multiple groups or are interested in multiple programs, you’re welcome to book more than one field trip session. Email the Education Team for more specifics on any program.

Can you adjust your program content or length to better fit my curriculum? 

We may be able to adjust the content based on topic requests and lead time. Substantial changes may incur additional costs. Include any special requests in your inquiry form, or email the Education Team. 

Can participants ask questions during the program? 

Participants can ask questions via the chat and/or microphone depending on your device set up and preferences. PacSci educators will work with your group’s supporting adult to help facilitate interactive portions in a way that works best for your learners.

How long is each session? 

Virtual Field Trips are 40 minutes long. We may be able to accommodate shorter or longer programs to fit your needs. Please include your request in your inquiry form.

Program Logistics 

How far ahead should we book a program? 

Programs should be booked at least 2 weeks in advance. We book on a rolling calendar year so you can schedule as far in advance as you’d like!

Do Virtual Field Trips work best for in-person, remote, or hybrid groups? 

Programs are designed to be engaging and easily facilitated for any of these audience types. If all in-person, your learners can join from a large shared screen and speaker (recommended), or from their own devices.

What delivery platform do you use? 

We can join your secure virtual platform of choice, or set up a private Zoom that only your group will have access to. We are flexible to adapt to the delivery platform that works best for you!

What do I need on my end to join a session? What are the requirements? 

Review the full Program Requirements, or see the abbreviated list below.

  • Individual devices OR a shared device with a large screen and speakers
  • Internet connection
  • Access to your selected virtual delivery platform, such as Zoom, Teams or Google Meet
  • A webcam and microphone on participant device(s)
  • An adult or volunteer must be present to help facilitate

How do I prepare for our Virtual Field Trip session? 

The Pre-Program Checklist has everything you need to know and a copy of the checklist will be emailed to you upon booking.

How many people can join one program? 

Most Virtual Field Trip programs are best with no more than 50 students. This helps to ensure a high level of interactivity. For large groups, we suggest the Radical Reactions or planetarium shows as they have a smaller amount of interactivity (and a high amount of “oohs and ahhs!”) that work well with big groups.

How do I protect my students’ privacy in these online programs? 

Each program is private to the booking group. We can join the virtual learning platform of your choice, or we can set up a private Zoom meeting, webinar, or unlisted YouTube video for you and your students to join. Let us know your privacy needs, and we can meet you there.

Pricing Questions

How much do Virtual Field Trips cost? 

Pricing starts at $200 for a 40-minute program for up to 50 participants and increases for larger audiences.

Are there scholarships for low-income groups? 

Groups serving Title I or other low-income students may be eligible for scholarships covering up to 100% of program cost. Let us know if you serve low-income learners when you submit your inquiry.

Are there any other discounts for Virtual Field Trips? 

Discounts may be available for booking multiple programs.

Contact Us

To learn more about these programs and schedule a Virtual Field Trip for your students, please fill out the Virtual Field Trip Inquiry Form or email Education.

Generous support provided by:

Virtual Field Trips are generously supported by NASA under award No. NNX16AB86A. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Additional support comes from more than 1,500 individuals, companies and foundations that donate to Pacific Science Center each year, as well as more than 20,000 member households from every corner of Washington State and around the country. Learn more about ways you can support Virtual Field Trips and Pacific Science Center.