Field Trips
The MAC is pleased to offer school field trip programs that complement and enhance elementary, middle school, and high school student learning. Our goal is to make history, art, and culture come alive through engaging exhibitions, guided tours and facilitated programs. We are now accepting reservations for summer school visits and for the 2025-2026 school year. Click on the "Make a Reservation" button below to reserve a field trip date and time.
SCHOOL VISITS 2026-2027
GUIDED MUSEUM PROGRAMS FOR K - 12
The museum is open for regular field trips Wednesdays through Fridays this school year from September 9 through June 11. We offer guided visits with a museum educator that will tailor content to be appropriate for your students’ grade level. Please check the museum’s current exhibitions and upcoming exhibitions as you plan your field trip, so you will know what exhibitions will be on view.
Guided Program Descriptions
MORNING SESSION: CAMPBELL HOUSE AND PROGRAM OF PREFERENCE
Morning visits begin at 10 am and end at 11:45 am. They will include a tour of the historic Campbell House facilitated by a museum educator, and a choice of the following:
Exhibitions Visit: A guided tour of our current exhibitions with facilitated discussion, activities, and occasional exclusive objects provided by educators depending on current exhibitions.
Carriage House Program: A visit to Carriage House with additional stories and activities about the historic mansion and the people who lived there. Students will look closely at archival documents and artifacts, and learn how historians piece together a historical puzzle.
AFTERNOON SESSION: EXHIBITIONS AND ART PROGRAM
Afternoon visits begin at 12 pm and end at 1:45 pm. They will include a visit to the exhibitions and an art program. Students will have a chance to use artist quality materials in our art studio. All art programs are facilitated by a museum educator, informed by the VTS methodology to ensure a student-centered experience. See below for a description of our offerings.
Painting: In this open-ended program, students will develop their own color palette using the 3 primary colors, discuss artist tools and materials, and create a painting using the palette they develop. *This program is designed for grades PreK-8.
Printmaking: Students will explore positive and negative space as well as the multi-step process of printmaking. They will go through the 3 steps of designing, carving, and printing their own relief foam print. *This program is designed for grades 3-12.
COLUMBIA PLATEAU TRIBAL CULTURES
Tuesday mornings, 10:30 am-noon. This 90-minute field trip includes an interactive program exploring tribal cultures, as well as a guided visit to the MAC's permanent exhibition, sísnce (Little Brother) and Carrying Tradition: Basketry of the Columbia Plateau.
*This program is designed for grades 3-12 and limited to 30 students at a time.
Visual Thinking Strategies Field Trip
Tuesdays, 10am and 12pm. The VTS Field Trip is an experience designed for teachers who use Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) in their classrooms. This 90-minute program includes visiting the museum galleries and having a VTS image discussion about an artwork selected by the facilitator, as well as participating in our classroom Painting Program. *Limited to 30 students at a time.
Pricing
| Minimum Registration Fee - up to 18 students | $162 |
| Additional Students - up to 12 | $9 per student |
| Teachers and Chaperones - up to 6 | Free |
| Additional Chaperones | $15 per adult |
The price for school visits is $9 per student. The minimum cost of a school visit is $162. Groups smaller than 18 are permitted with payment of the minimum registration fee.
There is a maximum of 30 students per class. If you would like to bring more than one class, please register for more than one session.
If you teach in a Title I or Tribal school or have underserved students in your class, please complete this form to apply for funding to cover the cost of student admission fees.
Field trip grants for the 2026-27 school year are made possible through the generous support of the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Premera, Hagan Foundation, foundry10, Humanities Washington, ArtsWA (the Washington State Arts Commission), and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Funding requests should be made and confirmed prior to your scheduled visit.
BUSES
Please arrive at the Museum's Group Entrance Parking Area at 2203 W. Riverside Avenue five minutes prior to the program start time. Our Group Entry has bus parking, our regular entry does not. Buses should arrive for morning visits by 9:55 am and be prepared for departure at 11:45 am. Buses for afternoon visits should arrive by 11:55 am and be ready to depart at 1:45 pm.
LUNCHTIME
Unfortunately, the museum does not have an indoor lunch space available for school visits. Students may eat on the grass outside the Admissions level on First Avenue, as weather permits.
Please take all belongings stored in our bins with you before enjoying your lunch and use the outside stairs or sidewalk to return to your bus.
Payment
We will send an invoice after your visit to the email you provide at registration, unless other payment arrangements are requested. You can pay for your visit by check or credit card. Please make checks payable to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture – we will only be able to accept one check.
Download our Guide to Reserving Field Trips with instructions for booking your visit.
Ride Spokane Transit to your field trip.
Preparing for Your Visit
- We encourage teachers to visit the museum prior to bringing your students. Check-in with your teacher ID and confirmation number for a complimentary admission.
- You can also check out our current and upcoming exhibits pages.
- Review our museum etiquette with your students.
- Download our Day of Visit Guide to know what to expect the day of your visit.
If cancellation of a school visit is necessary, please contact MACFieldTrip@northwestmuseum.org immediately. Please notify stall of a cancellation at least 48 hours before a scheduled visit.
Field trip grants for the 2025-26 school year are made possible through the generous support of
