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Self-guided Field Trips

Guidelines ::: Scheduling ::: Bus Route ::: Activities

The Huntington welcomes teachers who wish to bring their students on self-guided learning visits during regularly scheduled public hours.

Following are guidelines that will help to make your visit a fun learning experience for your students. Remember, prepared teachers and chaperones insure that your visit will be a success.

Guidelines
  • There is an admission charge.  We do not accept purchase orders.
  • Parking reservations are required for buses or vans carrying 10 or more people -- (626) 405-2127 for parking reservations.
  • The Huntington requires one adult for every ten children for visits to the gardens, library, and art galleries.  For visits to the Children's Garden and Conservatory, the Huntington requires one adult for every four children. Groups without adequate adult supervision will not be permitted to enter the grounds.
  • Students must stay with their chaperoned groups during the entire visit.  Students may not be on their own without adult supervision.
  • Please keep groups to ten or fewer. Have your groups visit different areas rather than stay in one large group.
  • This is no lecturing allowed inside the buildings. Prepare them outside before entering.
  • Please help us to protect the collections: no touching, running, food, beverages or gum.
  • The Huntington has a small picnic area on grass where students may eat lunch.  There are no tables or seating.  Lunches must be left on the bus or stored in lockers available for $0.50 at the Entrance Pavilion.  Upon request, a local Pasadena park map will be provided on the day of your visit. 
How to Schedule a Self-guided Field Trip
  • Schools wishing to self-tour The Huntington are welcome during regularly scheduled public hours, but there is an admission charge. Please check visitor information for hours and admission information. We do not accept purchase orders.
  • Schools arriving by bus need a parking reservation. Please call (626) 405-2127 to make a reservation for parking. Be prepared to leave your name and telephone number, the name of your school, the date you would like to come, the time of your arrival, the number of students, and the number of chaperones.
  • One adult chaperone is required for every ten students. One adult is required for every four children to enter the Children's Garden and Conservatory for Botanical Science.
  • Students must stay in their chaperoned groups during the entire visit.

 

Bus Route

There is only one legal bus route to and from The Huntington from the north.  Police may ticket you if you do not follow this route.

 

How to make the most of your self-guided visit

Introduce the function of museums to your students. Questions to ask:

  • What are museums for?
  • What do they do?
  • If you could build a museum, what would your museum look like?
  • What would you put in your museum? Why?
  • What kinds of things do you collect?
  • How do you add to, sort, and care for your collection?

Plan your visit. The museum should be an enjoyable extension of the classroom.

  • Remember quality is more important than quantity. It's better enjoy what you visit than to see everything.
  • Imagine yourself as one of your students: Would you enjoy the trip you are planning?
  • Select a theme for your field trip. Relate the trip to subjects you are discussing in the classroom.
  • Go over the rules: no touching, running, food, beverages, or chewing gum.
  • Bring enough chaperones and prepare them ahead of time.
  • Make sure they understand their responsibilities.
  • Have written information for them including the day's goals, maps, etc.
  • Know what time to return to the bus.

Back at school, reinforce the museum experience with your students.

  • Have them sketch their favorite thing.
  • Write a short story or poem about their visit.
  • Ask them what they liked and what they did not, and why.
  • Have the students make their own museum at school. Have them design the building, choose objects for display, make exhibits, and interpret their items.
  • Relate what they saw to their daily lives, including how objects around them are similar to things they saw at the museum.

 

Self-guided Activity Sheets

These self-guided activity sheets are designed for specific grade levels and topics.

Art
Grades
Look and Learn: Exploring art at The Huntington
K-3
Finding Art in History
4-8
Investigating Art History
9-12
Object Analysis Worksheet
4-12

 

 

 

 

Library
Grades
Document Analysis Worksheet
4-12
Map Analysis Worksheet
4-12
Photo Analysis Worksheet
4-12
Object Analysis Worksheet
4-12

 

 

 

 

Garden
Grades
Object Analysis Worksheet
4-12

 

 


© 2008, Huntington Library.  All rights reserved.
Last revised: 9 May 2008

The Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
Comments to: webmaster@huntingtoneducation.org