School Group Tours

Thank you for your interest in the Kenosha Public Museum.  Please note the Museums have suspended all group visits until October 1.  Please see below for new virtual experiences, or details for in-person visits after October 1.

Virtual Curator Conversations

These live educational discussions led by museum professionals are 30 to 45 minutes long and can be modified to fit the age range and background knowledge of your group. These programs are held with your students via Zoom, Google Meet, or potentially another platform that you use. For more information or to book a Curator Conversation, please contact the group tour coordinator at cmanwaring@kenosha.org.

Science

Fossils – What fossils are, how they are formed, where they are found, what they can tell us
Dinosaurs – What dinosaurs are, major groups of dinosaurs, what happened to them
Animals – Any number of animals, or ecosystems in general
Insects – What insects are, impact of insects on our planet, diversity of insects
Mammoths – The discovery, archaeology, and study of the Schaeffer Mammoth
Basic Evolution & Adaptations – Basic concepts, evidence of evolution, adaptations in animals

Art

The Color Wheel – The many uses of the color wheel and how it helps artists
Artists & Nature – How artists are inspired by the natural world around them, includes famous examples
Frida Kahlo for Beginners – The life and artistic style of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo

Anthropology

Wisconsin American Indian Nations – The history and relationships of local nations of Wisconsin
Anishinaabe Nations – Traditional life ways of the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa nations
Fur Trade Era – The characters, history and significance of the Fur Trade Era in Wisconsin

Civil War and History

Reading Artifacts – Methods used by historians to interpret material sources – for older students
Equipment & Gear of the Union Soldier – Clothing and various tools of Civil War Union soldiers
Women of the Civil War – The remarkable lives of famous local women of the Civil War
The Underground Railroad – The dramatic stories and common misconceptions of the Underground Railroad

In-Person Group Visits

The Dinosaur Discovery Museum features the nation’s largest display of meat-eating theropod dinosaurs and focuses on the evolution of theropods into modern birds.

The Museum is also home to the Carthage Institute of Paleontology located on the lower level of the building. The Institute collects and studies dinosaur specimens which are stored at the Museum and displayed for visitors.

The Dinosaur Discovery Museum offers the following school group programs and tours:

Identifying Dinosaurs | Audience: Pre-K-2nd Grade | Duration: 60 minutes | More Details

Traveling back to the Mesozoic Period, there’s a lot of interesting and exciting animals to see and talk about—but not all of them are dinosaurs! Explore with your class what dinosaurs actually are and compare them with other prehistoric reptiles. This Learning Lab includes time in the Little Clint exhibit dig site.

Life of a Paleontologist | Audience: 2nd-5th Grades | Duration: 60 minutes | More Details

Sure, you may have heard the word before, but what is a paleontologist and what exactly do they do? Discover more about this field of science, the tools that are used by them, and where they work. Students will learn through hands-on activities with actual fossil specimens and paleontology tools. This Learning Lab includes time in the Little Clint exhibit dig site, but does not include a guided tour through the main gallery of the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. Additional time in the main gallery may be scheduled at the time of booking.

Dinosaur Discovery Museum Highlight Tour | Audience: All Grade Levels | Duration: 60 minutes

Museum staff and volunteers escort your group on a guided tour through the Dinosaur Discovery Museum’s exhibit galleries. The tour also includes a discussion of the Carthage Institute of Paleontology on the lower level of the Museum. Students of all ages will find out what dinosaurs were, when they lived, and how paleontologists know they existed. Learn about the fascinating meat-eating dinosaurs, the theropods, and how they evolved over time to become avian dinosaurs, otherwise known as birds. The tour is adapted to the group’s age level and includes an age-appropriate activity.

Testimonials

“They kept the girls engaged with questions and suppositions and surprised us all sometimes with actual facts. Even the adults learned something.”

“We got to touch dino poop! Ewww!”

Online Reservation Request Worksheet

School Group Frequently Asked Questions

Map of the Dinosaur Discovery Museum

Field Trip Grants and Subsidy Options

If you have questions, please contact the education services coordinator at 262-653-4424 or email cmanwaring@kenosha.org.