Guided and Self-Guided Field Trips
Bring a school group to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West for either a guided or a self-guided field trip. Read on for information and registration.
Museum Hours
| May 1 – September 15 | Open Daily | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| September 16 – October 31 | Open Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| November 1 – 30 | Open Daily | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| December 1 – February 28 | Thursday – Sunday | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| March 1 – April 30 | Open Daily | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
School Group Prices*
| Self-guided teacher-led tours | $2 per student |
| Docent/educator guided tours | $3.50 per student |
| Docent/educator guided tours with activity | $5 per student |
| Teachers | Free |
| Chaperones (1 chaperone per 4 students) | Free |
| Chaperones (more than 1 per 4 students) | $14 per chaperone |
| Outreach trunks | Cost of shipping both ways |
*For the 2016 – 2017 school year, field trips for school groups organized by Park County, Wyoming, schools (K – 12) are free!
This program is made possible by the generous support of the Stephen M. Seay Foundation, and the Bargain Box, an outreach of Christ the Episcopal Church, and two anonymous donors. The free admission for these school-sponsored groups is currently in effect for the 2016 – 2017 academic year, and includes all K – 12 classes in the county. Please note raptor programs are not included.
ATTENTION ALL TEACHERS — New MILES Scholarships!
We now offer scholarships to schools throughout the region that cover the cost of admission for school field trips to the Center. Thank you to Sinclair Oil for making these funds available. E-mail the School Services office or (307)578-4028 to learn more, or fill out the the scholarship application to apply.
General Information
- All school groups, including self-guided (teacher led) or guided, MUST register before coming to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
- Register for all visits to the museum at least three weeks in advance.
- All visits must be scheduled on weekdays during regular museum hours.
- School groups are required to have a minimum of 1 adult chaperone per 10 students. It is the responsibility of the chaperone(s) to supervise the students at all times.
- Please make sure that the group size visiting the Museum Store at any one time does not exceed 10 individuals per group. A chaperone or teacher must be with groups when they are visiting the store.
Online Registration
- Please fill out the information requested on the forms at the links below to register.
- A message confirming your submission will appear on your screen.
- Your visit is not confirmed until you receive an e-mail within 1 week with a confirmation number.
- Upon arrival, please check in at admissions with the name of your group, the number of students and chaperones, and your purchase order/payment ready.
- Please let us know if you have any problems with our online registration system by e-mailing Megan Smith or calling her at 307-578-4028.
Guided tour options and registration information are listed below. Questions? Please e-mail Megan Smith or call her at 307-578-4028.
SURVEY: After visiting the Center, we invite you to return here to evaluate it in a short survey:
Guided Tour Field Trip Evaluation
Self-guided Field Trip Evaluation
Standards Correlations
All of our guided tours meet Wyoming and Montana state standards. Please click on a link below to view your state’s standard correlation chart.
Self-Guided Field Trip Opportunities
Click here to register for self-guided/teacher-led tours
The following self-guided tour maps are available for students and teachers to print and use in the museums of the Center:
- Buffalo Bill Museum self-guided tour map
- Draper Natural History Museum self-guided tour map
- Plains Indian Museum self-guided tour map
- Cody Firearms Museum self-guided tour map
- Whitney Western Art Museum self-guided tour map
Borrow a Backpack!!
Consider checking out one of our backpacks while at the Center! This new resource will enhance your self-guided field trip experience through hands-on learning. Call 307-578-4028 today to reserve a backpack and other materials for your field trip.
Guided Tour Field Trip Opportunities
Unfortunately, we no longer have available space for guided tours this April and May! However, you can still register for a self-guided field trip to visit the Center.
Click here to register for self-guided/teacher-led tours
You may also contact Megan Smith directly at 307-578-4028 or megans@centerofthewest.org.
Click here to register for a guided tour field trip for the 2017-2018 school year.
Guided Western History Tours
Getting to Know Buffalo Bill (Grades K – 5)
William F. Cody embodied the adventurous spirit of the American West. Explore the life and times of the scout buffalo hunter, town-builder, entertainer, and family man known as Buffalo Bill.
Fact or Fiction (Grades 2 – 5)
Students will apply critical thinking skills to debunk myths of the West using artifacts, letters, photographs, and other primary resources.
Homesteading in Wyoming (Grades 3 – 8)
Discover the challenges that homesteaders faced as they settled the Big Horn Basin between the late 1800s and the mid-1900s. Tour includes an interactive “claim your land” activity.
Teacher Guide for the Homesteading in Wyoming Guided Tour
Trappers, Traders, and Trailblazers (Grades 4 – 8)
Explore the adventurous culture of the West during the time of the trappers, traders, and trailblazers. Discover the tools and techniques that mountain men used to survive in the wilderness, and see how they influenced the American West.
Teacher Guide for the Trappers, Traders, and Trailblazers Guided Tour
Guided Cultural History Tours
Journey into Art (Grades K – 3)
Discover and explore the artistic elements of line, shape, and color throughout the Whitney Western Art Museum.
The Artist’s Story (Grades 4 – 8)
Discover the world of art through the eyes of the artists. This hands-on tour explores traditional and contemporary art. Students will learn how the stories of western American artists influenced their work.
Customized Art Tours (Grades 4 – 12)
Please call 307-578-4028 for information about a customized tour for your group.
Plains Indian Tipi Activity Tours (Grades Pre-K – 2)
Tipi Activity Tour: $5 per student
Parfleche Activity: $5 per student
Explore the dwellings of some Plains Indian people. Students make miniature tipis or parfleches using their own designs. Maximum of 25 students per visit. Must register 3 weeks in advance. Available during the month of November only.
Teacher Guide for the Plains Indian Tipi Guided Tour and Activity
Plains Indian Culture: Yesterday and Today (Grades 3 – 12)
Discover how Plains Indians enrich their lifestyles today by incorporating contemporary aspects of culture while continuing to draw upon past traditions.
Teacher Guide for the Plains Indian Culture: Yesterday and Today Guided Tour
Natural History Tours
Animal Adaptations (Grades Pre-K – 8)
Discover the basic habitat needs of animals, and explore how plants and animals adapt to changing seasons and environments. “Dress-A-Beaver” activity included in Pre-K – 4 programs.
Teacher Guide for the Animal Adaptations Guided Tour
Keystone Species (Grades 8 – 12)
Investigate the keystone plants and animals of Yellowstone and the vital role they play in the region’s ecosystem. Students consider the food web in the absence of these species.
Wyoming Geology Rocks! (Grades 1 – 4)
Students study the geologic processes that have shaped this region, and explore how these processes influence the diversity of plants and animals found here.
Fire, Water, and Ice (Grades 4 – 12)
Explore how water, fire, heat, and ice have shaped the landscape around us. From pikas to prairie dogs and lodgepoles to landslides, these natural factors determine what we see and where animals live.
