Booking a Field Trip with the U.S. Botanic Garden
- Select your field trip type in the dropdown sections below
- Click through the calendars to see field trip availability; select your field trip date & time by clicking on the timeslot shown on the calendar.
- For self-guided field trips, click the REGISTER button and select your date & time during registration.
- You can register for one field trip at a time.
- If you do not see an opening, we are fully booked or field trips are unavailable for that date and time.
- A new webpage will open, click the REGISTER HERE button on the lower right.
- Complete the registration to make selections for your field trip and provide information about your class and school.
- You will receive a confirmation email for each field trip you book.
If you have questions about field trips, please reach out to us directly at usbgfieldtrips@aoc.gov. Thank you!
Instructor-Led field trips are available September - May during the following days and times:
WEDNESDAYS
- Morning, 10 - 11:30 AM
THURSDAYS
- Morning, 10 - 11:30 AM
- Afternoon, 12:30 - 2 PM
FRIDAYS
- Morning, 10 - 11:30 AM
- Instructor-Led field trips take place on-site at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory
- Available for grades Pre-K through 12
- Minimum of 15 students, maximum of 55 students.
- Have less than 15 or more than 55 students? Explore Self-Guided field trips below.
- Groups over 55 students can also book multiple Instructor-Led field trips. We ask that schools limit bookings to 4 Instructor-Led Field Trips per school.
- We allot 90-minutes for Instructor-Led field trips
- Includes a 30-45 minute classroom lesson and time for self-guided exploration of the Garden led by teachers and chaperones.
- If you do not see an opening, we are fully booked or field trips are unavailable for that date and time. You can join the waitlist for our Instructor-Led field trips if you do not see your preferred dates.
Please note: all students participating in an Instructor-Led lesson must be of a similar grade level, age range, and/or developmental level. For example, a single lesson cannot be facilitated for both highschoolers and third graders. Please find Family Programs on our programs calendar for programs designed for children of all ages.
TO REGISTER: Click through the months of the calendar (September - May) below to see field trip availability. Click a green field trip timeslot on the calendar to register.
Virtual field trips are available September - May during the following days and times:
WEDNESDAYS
- Morning, 45-min lesson between 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM EST
- Afternoon, 45-min lesson between 12:15 - 1:30 PM EST
- Virtual field trips take place online using your school's preferred video conferencing platform
- Available to grades 3 through 5
- Minimum of 15 students and a maximum of 55 students
- Lessons are 45 minutes, live, and instructor-led
- You will choose the start time for your 45-min virtual field trip when you book
TO REGISTER: Click through the months of the calendar (September - May) below to see field trip availability. Click a purple field trip timeslot on the calendar to register.
Self-Guided field trips are available during our Conservatory's open hours.
- Self-Guided field trips are teacher/chaperone-led and do not involve Garden employees.
- Our On-Site Activity Resources can provide support your exploration. Printed resource availability is limited, please download and print resources in advance to guarantee one for each student.
- Students, regardless of age, must be accompanied by an adult at all times. We recommend that you break into small groups with 1 adult chaperone per every 6-8 students.
- You will select your date and entry time during registration
- Due to limited space inside the Conservatory, we strongly recommend groups over 75 students book multiple trips at staggered times to ensure a richer, less crowded experience.
- We encourage large groups to split their time between exploring our fantastic outdoor gardens and our Conservatory to avoid crowding. We have multiple educational resources for our outdoor gardens.
- Maximum 150 students per field trip.
- We encourage groups with more than 150 students to book field trips across multiple dates.
Please review our Field Trip Logistics to understand our policies and guidance on chaperones, transportation, food, and more.