School Field Trip FAQ

Is The Discovery an official Washoe County School District (WCSD) educational partner?

A: Yes, we are an oficial educational partner with WCSD. A ﬁeld trip to The Discovery is considered an enriching educational experience by the Washoe County School District.
Are your exhibitions and labs aligned to standards?

A: Although our exhibitions are not specifically aligned with standards you will find many places throughout the museum that will connect with both Common Core and Nevada Academic Content Standards for Science. For more information about the alignment of our Discovery Labs and Guided Exhibit Explorations please visit our website at nvdm.org. If you have further questions about exhibition alignment please email mschiedel@nvdm.org.
What does a ﬁeld trip cost?

A: We offer three ﬁeld trip package options:
Package One is available to Washoe County School District schools with 50% or higher free and reduced lunch status, and includes bus transportation, museum admission and Discovery Lab. The cost is $5 per student with no charge for required chaperones.
Package Two is available to all other Washoe County School District schools, and includes bus transportation, museum admission and Discovery Lab. The cost is $9 per student with no charge for required chaperones.
Package Three is available to all other schools and groups and includes museum admission. Discovery Lab is optional and charged separately. The cost is $8 per student/youth with no charge for required chaperones. Discovery Lab can be added for $3 per student/youth.
How do we schedule a ﬁeld trip?

A: The best way to schedule your field trip with us is to fill out the field trip request form online here. Once completed, our Programs Coordinator will email you back with the avalibility of the dates you selected. Once you select a date you will receive a short field trip agreement. After The Discovery receives this agreement you will receive confirmation that your field trip date is reserved. At this stage, if you are a WCSD school, you will then need to follow the required procedure to book your transportation to the museum. WCSD transportation department will invoice The Discovery.
When does the museum offer ﬁeld trips?

A: Field trips are available Tuesday through Sunday. Field trips are available on Mondays when the museum is closed to the general public for an additional fee. Please let our Programs Coordinator know you are interested in this option when you schedule your field trip.
Are charter schools considered part of WCSD?

A: Charter schools may sign up for package 1 or 2 if they are allowed to use WCSD transportation.
Are there transportation scholarships available?

A: We currently do not offer transportation scholarships. Bus cost is included in Package 1 and 2 for schools within the Washoe County School District. Teachers signing up for these packages will still need to make the bus reservation through the WCSD transportation department, but the Discovery will be billed for this cost.
Do private schools, charter school or schools outside of WCSD qualify for transportation scholarships?

A: Unfortunately, we do not have funding to cover transportation for private or schools outside of Washoe County School District. There are assistance programs available through the Nevada Mining Association and Target.