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Garfield Park Conservatory is a green wonder under glass and a great place for groups of all ages to explore. Schools, camps, youth groups, college classes, social service groups, clubs and other adult groups can all take advantage of the historic and botanic beauty of the Conservatory at no cost. That’s right - your basic self-guided field trip is still FREE!

 

GROUP VISIT HOURS

 

School, Camp & Other Youth Groups

Tuesday – Friday
9:00 am – 1:00 pm (arrival times)

 

We do not schedule school and youth group
   visits for Mondays.

Some afternoon and weekend visits available.
   Please contact us for more information.

Adult Groups

Every Day 9:00 am – 3:30 pm (arrival times)

 

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

  

Pre-Registration is required – please register early!

 

All groups of 10 or more people must pre-register for their visit to the Conservatory. If your group arrives at the Conservatory without pre-registering and we are at capacity, you may be asked to wait or even reschedule your visit.

  

We recommend contacting us at least 3 weeks ahead of time. Anything less than 1 week ahead is considered a late registration and will result in higher program and rental fees, as well as the chance that our calendar will already be full for the day you would like to visit.

 

 

 

Early Registration

 

Early Registration = field trip scheduled and payment received at least 1 week prior to visit (early rates apply).

 

Late Registration

 

Late Registration = field trip scheduled or payment received less than 1 week prior to visit (late rates apply).

 

Payment

 

Payment is Due 1 week prior to your visit! A basic self-guided visit to the Conservatory is free and no payment is necessary if that’s all your group has planned for your visit.

 

If you reserve exploration kits, scavenger hunts, a lunch room, or if you sign up for a program, payment is due 1 week prior to your visit. After that time, late rates will apply and your group will be charged more to utilize these resources.

 

PHONE or E-MAIL: We can take credit card payments over the phone or by e-mail. Please be prepared to pay when you register for your visit.

 

MAIL: We will accept checks and credit card payments by mail, but please remember that payments not received at least 1 week before your visit are subject to the late rates.

 

DAY OF VISIT: If you decide to pay on the day of your visit, we will accept cash, check or credit cards. Late rates will apply.

 

PURCHASE ORDER: We will accept a copy of your organization’s PO as a placeholder for your payment; however, to insure the early rates for your group, we must have a copy of the purchase order no later than 1 week prior to your visit.

 
     

  

PAGE & DOWNLOAD LINKS

 

Field Trip Options

Field Trip Registration

Group Visit Policies

Pre-Visit Information

Rent an Exploration Kit

Scavenger Hunt

Teacher Training & Resources

Using an Exploration Kit (PDF)

Guidelines & Rules for Your Visit (PDF)

  

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

  

Kelly Calvillo

Program Registrar

kcalvillo@garfieldpark.org
(773) 638-1766 x25
(773) 638-1777 (fax)

 

Melanie Harding

Program Manager

mharding@garfieldpark.org

(773) 638-1766 x16

 

Pre-Visit Information

  

We ask that teachers and group leaders familiarize themselves with the procedures and policies around group field trips to the Conservatory. To ensure a successful group visit, please take the time to carefully read the following documents and share relevant information with chaperones and the rest of your group.

 

Field Trip Procedures & Policies

Guidelines & Rules for Your Visit

 

eYESPY HUNT

 

Make the most of your school visit to the Garfield Park Conservatory; before your next trip to see us, download this free Conservatory Scavenger hunt PDF, and print off a sheet for each student in your class.

 

 

Download the PDF 

 
       
 

Field Trip Options

  

The Conservatory’s tropical and desert plant collections and outdoor gardens contain many possibilities for a field trip. Whether you’re studying plant science, food production, geography, art, history or just looking for a unique experience, you’re guaranteed to find something for your group.

 

Please note – at this time, we do not offer guided tours of the Conservatory for groups.

 

 

 

Option 1: Self-Guided Tour (FREE)

 

All of our field trips are self-guided. Whenever possible, our staff will meet school and youth groups upon arrival for a brief orientation and introduction to the Conservatory. If we have available staff, we can also provide orientations for adult groups upon request. After checking in with us, you will be on your own to explore the Conservatory and its treasures. Please note - we require all school, camp and youth groups to provide a minimum of 1 adult per 10 students.

 
   
 

Option 2: Pre-K Morning Glories Program - Thursdays 

 

Preschool groups who register for a visit on Thursday mornings have the option of participating in our Morning Glories Program. This program includes a storytime and hands-on activity led by our trained programming staff. Upon registration, you will be offered a menu of themes and activities from which to select. (The Morning Glories Program can accommodate groups of up to 60 students. Larger groups will need to schedule 2 field trip days.)

 

Early Registration Rate: $1 per child
Late Registration Rate:  $2 per child

 

Some scholarships available for West Side preschool groups. Please contact us to determine if your program is eligible.

 

Our Thursday Morning Glories for Groups will be ending in summer 2013. The last day available will be June 27, 2013. New programs for Pre-K through 4th grade will be coming soon!

 

 
 

Option 3: Exploration Kits &  Scavenger Hunts

 
 

 

All groups have the option of enhancing their visit with one of our self-guided resources. Exploration Kits (backpacks) come complete with guidebook, maps, and touchable objects to share with your group while exploring the Conservatory. Each kit is designed for use with groups of up to 15 students. Larger groups will be required to rent more kits. Click here for more information about our Exploration Kits.

 

Early Registration Rate: $25 per kit

Late Registration Rate:  $35 per kit

 

We also have a variety of themed scavenger hunts to help groups of all ages find their way around the Conservatory in a meaningful way. A few of our scavenger hunts are free, but most can be purchased in packs of 30 for a small fee. Click here for more information about our Scavenger Hunts.

 

Early Registration Rate:  $5 for 30 hunts

Late Registration Rate: $10 for 30 hunts

 
     
 

Option 4: Room Rentals

 

Many groups rent a classroom or meeting space at the Conservatory for a more private lunch space or gathering area . These spaces are limited and will be rented out on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please register extra early if you need a space.

 

Early Registration Rate: $20 per 30 students

Late Registration Rate:  $30 per 30 students

 

Please Note – these rental rates are for school and youth groups only. Adult groups will be asked to rent space through our regular Room Rental Program. Please contact us for details.

 
     

  

Field Trip REGISTRATION

  

All schools and groups of 10 or more people must pre-register for their visit. If your group arrives at the Conservatory without pre-registering and we are at capacity, we may ask your group to wait or reschedule for another day.

 

It’s easy! Please click the button below to request a visit. Complete and submit the form provided. We will get back to you within one week about the status of your request. We will also ask you to complete a Group Registration Form to finalize the details of your visit.

 

 

   

GROUP VISIT POLICIES & PROCEDURES

 

We ask that teachers and group leaders familiarize themselves with the procedures and policies around group field trips to the Conservatory. To ensure a successful group visit, please take the time to carefully read the documents below and share relevant information with chaperones and the rest of your group.

 

Field Trip Procedures & Policies

 

 

Guidelines & Rules for Your Visit

 

These documents contain information about the following aspects of scheduling and planning your field trip:

 

Registration

Chaperones

Payments

Cancellations & Refunds

Unloading & Parking Buses

Emergency Procedures

Respect for People,
   Property & Plants

Recreational Equipment

Group Gathering Places

Coat Storage

Food & Drinks

Group Behavior Issues

How to Visit the Conservatory

  

Scavenger Hunts: Turn Your Students into Sleuths!

  

We’ve discovered a good way to engage young groups in the excitement of self-guided plant pursuits – the basic scavenger hunt! Below you will find 6 themed explorations. Reserve one or several for the day of your visit. We can send you a digital PDF of these hunts before your visit, so you can talk with your students about what they will be seeing. The scavenger hunts, though appropriate for multiple ages, do require reading skills. For non-readers, we encourage chaperones to guide students using the pictures provided.

 

             
 

Scavenger Hunt

Theme

Age

Early Rate

 

Late Rate

 

Conservatory Eye Spy

General

All

FREE

 

FREE

 

Scavenger Hunt
of the Month

Varies

All

FREE

 

FREE

 

Conservatory Picture Hunt

General

PreK/K

$5 for 30

 

$10 for 30 

African Plants

Geography; culture

All

$5 for 30

$10 for 30

 

Dinosaur Dinner

Fern Room

All

$5 for 30

 

$10 for 30 

 

Candy Land

Tropical treats

All

$5 for 30

 

$10 for 30 

             

 

Let us know which scavenger hunts you would like to reserve for your visit by completing the School & Group Registration Form (see link above). The Conservatory Eye Spy is available online and can be downloaded here:  

  

Conservatory Eye Spy

  

  

Rent an Exploration Kit!

 

Students and adults alike are discovering the secrets of the Conservatory by taking an Exploration Kit along on their journey! These self-contained backpacks hold colorful pull-out resources about each space in the Conservatory; tropical sensory objects like coconuts, cinnamon sticks, and cocoa seeds; and hands-on tools like magnifiers and leaf presses. Each kit also comes with clipboards, pencils and activity sheets to help students follow along and reinforce the lessons learned. For more details about what’s in an Exploration Kit and how to use one, please download this resource:  

  

Using an Exploration Kit

  

All of our kits contain the same objects and tools, but we can customize the materials and pre- and post-visit activities according to grade level or developmental abilities. Please talk with us about the learning level of your group, so we can prepare your kits accordingly.

 

 
 

Group Size

# of Kits

Early Rate

Late Rate

 

15 or less

      1

      $25

$35

 

16 - 30

      2

      $50

$70

31 - 45

      3

      $75

$105

 

46 - 60

      4

     $100

$140

         

 

Exploration Kits are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register for your visit and reserve your kits today!

 

 
 

 
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