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Field trips - school year

A group of children visit the OAC on a field trip

Field trips - school year

Plan your field trip

Field trips to the Outdoor Adventure Center combine Michigan's outdoor resources and hands-on learning for all ages in a climate-controlled, historic building.

View our complete guide to planning your field trip:

Field trip guide »

Field trips include the following:

  • A 2.5-hour self-guided visit for up to 90 students.
  • Time to explore hands-on exhibits.
  • Time to visit live animals in the Habitat Lodge. 
  • Exploration guides to help guide learning.
  • Access to lunch room.
  • Time to shop in the gift shop.

Sensory/special needs dates

We have a few select dates reserved for groups with special or sensory needs, where the Outdoor Adventure Center will be closed to the public, the building capacity will be limited and our minimum group size will be reduced to 20 participants.

Please mention on your application that your group would benefit from one of our special or sensory needs dates and we will do our best to accommodate the preferred selection. Don’t forget to include any accommodations, requests, or other information that will be beneficial for our staff to know ahead of your group’s visit or classroom session.

  • 2026-2027 school year dates: Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Dec. 8, Jan. 26, Feb. 2, Mar. 16, April 13 and May 11

Pricing

Group admission rate: $3 per person (students, teachers, chaperones) 
Schools and other established organizations are eligible for the group admission rate with a confirmed group permit. Advance registration is required at least three weeks prior to preferred date.

$50 nonrefundable deposit: Upon confirmation, a nonrefundable $50 deposit is due, which will be applied to the cost of the field trip. Date changes requested less than four weeks in advance will forfeit the deposit.

$90 classroom sessions: Enhance the learning experience by booking a classroom session for up to 30 students. Up to three classroom sessions can be booked per visit.

Registration

Preregistration is required – please allow at least three weeks for processing.

Field trip registration form »

Educational programming add-on:

You may choose to add a classroom experience to your visit. All programs include background information, age-appropriate activities and hands-on learning components meeting teaching standards for Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations and Next Generation Science.

  • Preschool and kindergarten

    Animal ABCs (45 minutes)

    Practice letters and spelling with Michigan wildlife! We will learn about some of Michigan’s animal species through stories, rhymes, and hands-on exploration of their characteristics featuring one of the OAC's live animal ambassadors. 

    Maximum 30 students 

    Incredible Insects (45 minutes)

    What makes an animal an insect? These incredible creatures come in all different sizes and colors. We will use our observation and counting skills to investigate the common features of insects. Through interactive activities, we’ll explore how some of their traits change as they undergo metamorphosis. 

    Maximum 30 students 

  • Lower elementary: Grades 1-2

    Life in a Wetland (45 minutes)

    We will explore the plants and animals in a wetland habitat and how their characteristics help them meet their basic needs. We will use hands-on exploration and group activities to learn about these Michigan wetland species.  

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 1-2 

    What’s That Habitat? (45 minutes)

    All animals have the same basic survival needs – food, water, shelter, and space – the components that make up a habitat. We'll take a closer look at several Michigan wildlife species from mammals to birds to reptiles, and we'll compare and contrast some of their specific habitat needs using hands-on discovery and exploration. 

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 1-2 

  • Upper elementary: Grades 3-5

    Our Wild Neighbors (one hour)

    Wildlife is found everywhere, including in and around Detroit! We will look at some adaptable urban wildlife and the unique characteristics they have that allow them to thrive in our city. Students will engage in hands-on exploration of skulls, pelts and models to learn about some common predator and prey species and explore their roles in the food web.  

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 3-5 

    People and Resources of the Strait (one hour)

    Detroit was founded as a trading post in 1701. Through participatory activities, we will explore how the abundant natural resources of the Detroit River shaped our local history and discover the roles of Native Americans and the French during the era of the fur trade here in Michigan and the Great Lakes.  

    Maximum 30 students 
    Best for grades 3-4 

    Michigan Rocks! (one hour)

    It may seem crazy to think that Michigan's Lower Peninsula was once covered by a shallow, warm, tropical sea, with coral and other ocean creatures abounding – but it was! We'll travel back to when Michigan's environment was quite different and examine the processes that formed the layers of the Michigan Basin. Activities will include hands-on identification of rocks, minerals, and fossils specific to this unique geologic environment.  

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 4-5 

    Great Lakes Invaders (one hour)

    What does it mean to be invasive? How are invasive species in the Great Lakes different from our native species? We'll answer these questions and more while we introduce several of our Great Lakes invaders through a group discussion activity. Then we'll meet one of our most destructive invaders – the sea lamprey. 

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 4-5

  • Middle and high school: Grades 6-12

    Michigan Forest Food Webs (one hour)

    There is more to a forest than meets the eye! From soil microbes to insects to large mammals and everything in between, each member of this biodiverse ecosystem has an important role to play. Using the Michigan deciduous forest as a model, we'll meet some of the species that rely on this ecosystem, and construct a food web to show the movement of energy. We'll wrap up with a fun activity that demonstrates the importance of each trophic level in the system.  

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 6-8

    Sea Lamprey: Vampires of the Great Lakes (one hour)

    Did you know there is an invasive "vampire" living in the Great Lakes? Come hear the story of the most destructive invasive species to enter the Great Lakes and what has been done to remove them. We'll use real data and problem-solving to take a look at how agencies are currently managing sea lamprey numbers. You may even have an opportunity to meet this fascinating species up close!  

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 6-12 

    Story of the Sturgeon (one hour)

    Lake sturgeon are sometimes called a "living fossil" - they've been on the planet since the days of the dinosaurs! Hear the story of these long-lived giants of the Detroit River - what makes them unique, why their numbers declined and what is being done to bring them back. We'll use real data and habitat restoration projects happening here in the Detroit River to tell their story - you might even have an encounter with live lake sturgeon!  

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 6-12 

    Checking up on our Detroit River (two hours)  

    *Only available April, May, June and October.  
    Check up on the health of our Detroit River with us as we explore how the Detroit River is connected to our Great Lakes! We’ll conduct water chemistry tests, assess turbidity, collect a plankton sample, and do a biological survey of the flora and fauna of the wetland area at Milliken State Park – a Great Lakes wetland habitat. This program will take place outdoors along the Detroit River, and conditions may be breezy. 

    Maximum 30 students  
    Best for grades 6-12