Book a Field Trip to NBG!
Schedule your class, grade level, school, or summer camp to complete a self-guided or guided learning experience during your next visit to Norfolk Botanical Garden! All of our activities are Virginia SOL-aligned and are a great way to introduce students in grades Pre-K – 12 to concepts relating to nature, botany, ecology, and environmental science!
For field trip inquires, email the following information to youthed@nbgs.org:
- Your name and the name of your organization/school.
- Your organization/school information – address, phone number, email.
- Reservation date and time preferences.
- The name of the program you would like to complete (see programs below).
- The number of students, teachers, and chaperones planning to attend (see pricing below).
- Will you group arrive by bus or personal vehicle?
All field trips must be scheduled at least three weeks before the intended visit date. Pre-registration is required. It is the responsibility of the booking teacher/contact to ensure all information relating to field trips is shared with the attending teachers and chaperones.
Guided Field Trip Pricing:
- $15/Student.
- School/Organization staff and teachers are free with a booked field trip.
- A minimum of five (5) students must attend to complete a guided field trip.
- Contact us for additional information on our Title I Student pricing and scholarship opportunities.
Self-Guided Field Trip Pricing:
- $13/Student. This is a reduced group rate from regular Garden admission.
- School/Organization staff and teachers are free with a booked field trip.
Specialized Field Trip Pricing:
Interested in hosting a more “specialized” program with the Garden as your classroom? With topic approval, NBG Youth Educators will design a 1-hour guided tour to cover content outside of the regularly offered field trip topics.
- $18/Student.
- School/Organization staff and teachers are free with a booked field trip.
- A minimum of ten (10) students must attend to complete a specialized guided field trip.
- Specialized tour must be booked at least 30 days (four weeks) before their intended completion date.
- Specialized Programs require a non-refundable $50 deposit at the time of booking.
Parent/Guardian Chaperones:
- $18/Adult Chaperone. This is a reduced rate from regular Garden admission.
- NBG Members may use their Garden membership to chaperone field trip programs. NBG Memberships cannot cover student fees for field trips.
- Chaperones who drive separately from the students (arrive in a personal vehicle) are required to either pay the chaperone fee or show their NBG Membership upon arrival at the Tollbooth. If riding on the bus(es) with the students, chaperone fees are required to be included in the school payment. Chaperones with NBG Memberships can show their cards to NBG staff when checking-in for the field trip.
- All field trip groups are limited to five (5) chaperones per class.
- Sibling tag-alongs are not permitted to attend NBG guided or self-guided field trips. If siblings attend, we will require they be charged as students and the school include the additional children in the school’s invoice and payment.
Private Tram Rides:
- Additional $2/Student.
- A minimum of 25 students is required to book a private tram. Groups with less than 25 students are required to pay a $50 flat rate for a private tram.
- Private school trams pick students up from the WOW Children’s Garden after their guided tour and drop them off at the Picnic Shelter. The tram does not include a full tour of the campus.
Guided Field Trip Program Descriptions
WOW ABCs
Take a sensory tour of the WOW Children’s Garden, practice your map skills, and then plant sunflower seeds to take home. Recommended for Grades Pre-K-1.
Flowers & Friends
Review the lifecycles of frogs, flowers, and butterflies! Recommended for Grades 1-2.
Nature in Action
Review plant and animal adaptations, the anatomy of a flower, photosynthesis, and then play our interactive food web game. Recommended for Grades 3-4.
Botany 101
Review plant adaptations, the anatomy of a flower, photosynthesis, pollination, and then practice using a dichotomous key. Great review for the 5th grade science SOL!
WETLANDS & WATERSHEDS
Students will review the water cycle and learn about the importance of watersheds and coastal areas by using an Enviroscape. Alternative activities are offered in place of the Enviroscape for groups with more than two classes. Recommended for Grades 3-12. Program includes content relating to climate change and human impact on the environment for Grades 6-12.
NEW! SUSTAINABLE GARDENING
Students will utilize garden beds to explore plant, water, and soil science, and review the role of plants in filtering air, regulating the water cycle, and supporting food webs in ecosystems. Recommended for Grades 6-8.
ADDITIONAL BOOKING INFORMATION
- PAYMENT: Participants are asked to pay by check, credit card, or cash upon arrival at the Garden. Checks should be made payable to Norfolk Botanical Garden. If paying with cash, please have exact change. Schools are required to indicate to staff if credit card information is to be given over the phone, or if a check is planned to be mailed to the Garden. Refunds are not available in the event a school overpays for the actual number of attending students.
- PARKING: All school program parking will take place at our Picnic Shelter parking lot. Upon arrival, a staff member will greet you in at the Tollbooth and assist the bus drivers with parking at this location.
- LUNCH: Groups are encouraged to utilize the Picnic Shelter pavilion for lunch.
- All activities are outdoors. Please remember to wear appropriate clothing for walking and weather conditions. In extreme weather conditions, outdoor programs can be rescheduled.
- All visits must be pre-scheduled before visiting the Garden. Please provide the Garden with 24-hour notice of cancellations.
- Teachers and/or adult chaperones are responsible for students’ behavior, any disciplinary actions, and/or first aid required during their visit.
