The Morton Arboretum Get tickets
Educators

Field Trips and School Programs

Pique your students’ curiosity about science, nature, and art with one of our school programs available to school groups at The Morton Arboretum.

Spring registration is now open!

The Morton Arboretum offers tailored programs for all ages.

Guided Programs

Available for pre-K through 12th grade during spring and fall school seasons

Guided Labs

Immersive labs can supplement a guided field program during spring and fall school seasons.

Self-Guided Visits

Explore the Arboretum where teachers lead their own activities. Available for pre-K through 12th grade all year long.

Winter Classroom Programs

Have an Arboretum master educator lead scientific inquiry and hands-on learning activities in your school classroom December through March.

Discover hands-on learning at the Arboretum

Spark your students’ curiosity about science, nature, and art with programs designed for school groups and classrooms at The Morton Arboretum. Choose from guided programs led by Arboretum staff or self-guided experiences that teacher lead independently.

The Arboretum offers field
trips tailored to you

Discover all you can do during your field trip

Slide Controls

Slider

1

Nature-Based Learning in Your Classroom

Winter
Classroom
Visits

Explore

Guided Programs

Trek through the Arboretum with your students and a master guide to learn firsthand about environmental science. Arboretum guides use expert teaching techniques and scientific knowledge to make nature-based learning fun and engaging. Available for pre-K through 12th grade during the spring and fall school seasons.

Plan a guided field trip

Self-Guided Visits

Conduct your own lesson plans among the Arboretum’s woodlands, marshes, lakes, and prairie. After you register, the registrar’s office will send you suggested itineraries, learning tools, and optional excursions. Teachers are responsible for leading all activities, as Arboretum staff is not provided. Available year-round for pre-K through 12th grade.

Plan a self-guided field trip

Guided Lab

Investigate nature up close with your students, using microscopes or other scientific instruments. Labs are designed to extend scientific inquiry and make connections with outdoor discoveries. Available when paired with select programs for third- through eighth-grade spring and fall school seasons. To explore these offerings, browse field trip pages by grade level.

Field Trip Frequently
Asked Questions

Have a specific question? Feel free to reach out to the Arboretum team on the contact page or chat with us.

Contact us

  • The Arboretum offers a Youth Science Education Outreach Grant to schools serving 40% or more low-income families, according to the Illinois Report Card. Grant applications open in late May or early June and are first come, first served. For inquiries, please email mkuhl-horbin@mortonarb.org or call 630-725-2118.

  • Due to the volume of students and visitors on any given day, it is recommended that you arrive at your scheduled arrival time so we can best accommodate your group.

  • We recommend that groups bring brown-bag lunches for their field trip. Box lunch options are only available through the Arboretum’s exclusive caterer, Signature Events at The Morton Arboretum. Ordering boxed lunches through Ginkgo Catering is separate from field trip registration procedures and limited availability may apply.

More for Educators

Slider

1

Opportunities in Science

The Morton Arboretum works to inspire and equip future tree scientists at every stage in their careers.

Learn more