Only schools recognized by their state’s Department of Education qualify for Science Central’s basic field trip pricing.

• In Indiana, schools must be listed as accredited on the Indiana Department of Education’s Compass website (view here).
• In Michigan, schools must be listed on the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information website (view here).
• In Ohio, schools must be listed on the Ohio Department of Education’s website (view here).

Organizations receiving federal or state funding to provide Pre-K education and institutions of higher education also qualify for the school rate. Field trip rates are only available during the standard school curriculum year (August through mid-June).

Nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive our Nonprofit Rate, all other groups can arrange for discounted trips under our group pricing plan.

Field trip admission is free for Science Central members. Check with your chaperones to determine if any are active members and therefore eligible to receive free admission.

No other admission discounts may be applied to field trips.

You must schedule at least two weeks prior to the date of your visit.

The minimum number of students for a field trip is 15. Chaperones and teachers do not count toward the total. All demonstrations and labs follows a minimum number of 15 students as well. If you arrive with less than 15 students, there are two options.

1. Pay the cost for the missing students in both admission and program charges.
2. Move to the next qualifying rate, be it nonprofit with proof, or standard group rate.

The maximum number for any one group is 200 people. This number includes all students, chaperones, and teachers.

Please check your confirmation email carefully. Science Central will make every reasonable attempt to confirm that a school’s pre-scheduled visit goes as we have planned. Unfortunately, due to the availability of educational staff and scheduling needs, Science Central will not be able to provide programming such as demos to schools on the day of a visit if it was not listed on the confirmation email.

Due to the availability of education staff, Science Central will not be able to provide programming, such as demos or labs, to schools on the day of a visit if that programming was not listed in the confirmation email.

To make your field trip more enjoyable, Science Central invoices all groups post visit.

On the day of your visit, confirm the actual number of students and chaperones at admissions. Any chaperones not arriving with the group and paying separately the day of will be counted as general visitors and not as part of your group. Therefore, chaperones paying separately are charged the regular general admission rate.

When your group arrives, remain in your transportation and send one representative to check in at our admissions desk. Our staff will then do an orientation for students and chaperones.

Arriving late may jeopardize our ability to provide any scheduled demonstrations or labs. No refunds will be issued.

If your group has tickets that go unused, we do not offer refunds.

If you need to cancel a scheduled field trip, you must call or email with your confirmation number two weeks prior to the date of your visit. Cancelation two weeks or less from the date of your visit will incur a cancelation fee. This fee will be 50% of the total visit cost at time of booking.

Weather-related cancelations are an exception and will be rescheduled at no additional charge.

Science Central reserves the right to cancel any scheduled field trips or programs without notice due to any circumstances that arise.

If your group does not come to Science Central for your scheduled field trip, no refund will be issued.

If you need to cancel your field trip, see Cancelation Policy.

Pre-K requires a 1:5 adult-to-child ratio. All other grades require a 1:8 ratio.

Science Central and the media frequently take photos/videos of visitors which may be used for future Science Central promotions or publicity. These photos may be used without your consent and without compensation. If you do not want your image used, please avoid photographers and inform them of your desire. As a visitor, you are welcome to take photos for non-commercial use at Science Central.

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By visiting Science Central, you acknowledge the contagious nature of the virus and assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.