How many students can I bring during a Field Trip?
We have a max capacity of 140 students per time slot-9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30 am.
How many adults should I bring with my group? Are they required to pay?
Thinkery requires 1 adult chaperone for every 5 students; Chaperones within the 1:5 ratio will receive complimentary admission. Additional chaperones (more than 1:5) and siblings will pay $10 each on the day of the visit for their admission.
Chaperones must be teachers, school staff with district identification, parents, guardians, or other adults over the age of 18 accompanying the group.
For example, a school bringing 120 students should also bring 24 adults. These required 24 adults (which includes teachers and parents) will receive free admission. If the group brings more than 24 adults, those adult chaperones will pay $10 each.
What happens when we arrive?
When you arrive to Thinkery, you will be greeted by our staff at Group Entry where you will check in and receive a brief orientation for students, teachers and chaperones. Groups arriving by bus should remain on the bus until they have received the orientation. The lead teacher will communicate departure time to the Thinkery staff, bus drivers, and chaperones.
During orientation the lead teacher will receive:
- stickers to place on each student
- a handy chaperone museum planner available in English and Spanish
- and complimentary badges for chaperones within the 1 adult to 5 student ratio
Remember, additional chaperones (more than the 1:5 ratio) and siblings will pay $10 each on the day of the visit for their admission
Once students are grouped with their designated chaperone and have their stickers – come on in and let the fun begin!
We recommend you and your chaperones watch our Orientation Video before your visit to familiarize yourselves with the arrival and check-in sequence.
What do we do when we are ready to leave?
Once your field trip has come to an end please make your way to Group Entry. Chaperones will return their badges there. A Thinkery staff member will lead your group outside of Group Entry upon the completion of your visit. Also, please be mindful of other schools that might be entering or leaving the museum.
Can I make changes to my date and time after I’ve scheduled a Field Trip?
Thinkery receives a high volume of requests for group visits during the school year. To ensure a fair and equitable process, changes to field trip dates and time reservations are limited. If you must make changes to your reserved date and time, first contact schoolprograms@thinkeryaustin.org to cancel your existing reservation and book a new date and time. Once availability is confirmed, a new $25 reservation fee will secure the new date and time. Only one $25 reservation fee will be applied toward the final invoice.
Can I make changes to my student numbers after I’ve scheduled my field trip?
Changes can be made to the group size 30 days before the invoice due date by contacting schoolprograms@thinkeryaustin.org. A new invoice will be sent with the updated amount due. Changes cannot be made after final payment has been received.
Groups arriving with fewer students will receive Admit One passes to Thinkery (one pass for each student that is paid for, but is not attending). Groups arriving with additional students will be charged for their tour admission.
Does the non-refundable reservation fee apply toward the tour admission total?
Yes! The reservation fee applies toward the group admission total. If a group cancels, the fee is non-refundable.
What should I do if I need to locate a missing child?
Our museum staff is available to assist you in reuniting with a missing child or adult. Please provide Thinkery staff with a detailed description of the person. In the case of a missing child, our museum protocol includes monitoring our main entrance and scanning all galleries and program spaces.
Do you allow re-entry after the field trip?
Our Field Trip groups can explore and play for to up 2.5 hours once they have checked in. We encourage groups staying for a long visit to eat lunch before or after their visit. We do not allow re-entry for large groups once groups depart the building.
Can I visit the Thinkery Store?
Yes! During your visit, stop by the store after 11 a.m. to purchase a Thinkery memory. your chaperones to explore the store during the trip to avoid long lines at the end of your visit. We ask that you visit in your groups of 1:5.
Can my group have lunch at the Thinkery?
We do not offer a space onsite for lunch. We recommend using one of the nearby parks in the Mueller Neighborhood.
- Patterson Parkoff of Airport Blvd
- Bartholomew Parkoff of 51st St.
- Mueller Lake Park, located directly across the street from Thinkery, is a neighborhood park overseen by the Mueller development. Inquiries should be sent to the Mueller Central office at contactus@muelleraustin.com
- Town Center Park, at the end of Aldrich Street (towards Kerbey Lane) with open lawn area suitable for picnics, children’s playground, sensory and rain gardens.
- Northwest Greenway, on Philomena Street near Dell Children’s, with an accessible playscape and shaded picnic area.
