Below are field trip destinations around New York, most of which offer educational programs for your students. If you have a field trip destination to add to this list, please send an email to FieldTrips@nysmea.org.
Long Island:
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Atlantis Marine World blends science and nature with myth to create an informative and entertaining environment for visitors of all ages. They offer a rich variety of experiences, from fascinating marine life exhibits to Aquatic Adventures and educational programs. Atlantis Marine World is also home to the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, New York State’s only authorized marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation center.
We offer group programs year-round Monday through Friday during regular operating hours (10am - 5pm). They are by reservation only. We can tailor our programs to suit your needs. Some of our programs are suitable for in-school presentation.
The Museum is a center for research on Long Island geology and a valued resource in the study of the Island's Native American archaeology. Reference collections of original archaeological artifacts and geological phenomena are maintained. These are used in exhibits and Museum educational programs and are available for special research purposes.
Nassau County manages more than 70 parks, preserves, museums, historic properties and athletic facilities comprising 6,000 acres throughout the county. These range from the 930-acre Eisenhower Park in East Meadow to the beautifully renovated 2-acre Centennial Park in Roosevelt to the Garvies Point Museum and Preserve in Glen Cove. Great for field trips!
Marine Sciences offers year-round group field trips onboard Stony Brook University’s floating classroom, R/V Peconic, a 45 ft. pontoon vessel, reservation only please. A Marine Sciences educator will explain sampling for finfish and invertebrates, benthic organisms and sediments, planktonic organisms and the physical characteristics of sea water. Students participate in small groups in all tasks. Discussions cover biological processes in the water column and sediments, respiration, photosynthesis, decomposition, and marine food webs.
Sweetbriar Nature Center is a private not-for-profit corporation which exists to provide natural science education services for Long Island residents of all ages and to engage in native wildlife rehabilitation services. Through education and examples, Sweetbriar Nature Center encourages responsible decision making, appreciation, and respect for the unique wildlife and ecosystems found on Long Island.
One of the largest providers of environmental education in the region, the Center reaches approximately 100,000 children and adults each year. The science-based educational programs are geared to promote a better understanding of the natural world and how the quality of life is affected by what happens in nature. An appreciation for the importance of conservation and stewardship is instilled in each program to ensure a healthy planet for all.
Westchester County:
The Greenburgh Nature Center (GNC) is a 33-acre nature preserve with trails, a pond, an old orchard succession site, and gardens. The property is a significant wildlife habitat refuge, both for indigenous species and for the hundreds of species of migratory birds that use it as a resting place on their spring and fall travels. The property includes 30 acres of woodland, two significant wetland sites, and an old orchard succession site, which is used as a nesting area for Eastern box turtles. The GNC offers numerous outreach and on-site environmental education programs for children, adults, and families.
- Rye Nature Center (Rye, NY)
The Nature Center provides public environmental programs and service and functions as a passive recreation area open to the public for guests to enjoy. Programs are offered for the Rye City School District and are designed to interpret the natural environment in a manner that compliments class work. The City Naturalist works with teachers to design programs to meet their specific needs.
New York City:
APEC is a private, non-profit corporation founded to encourage environmental awareness, understanding, appreciation, and responsibility in the urban person through education. Our Education Department offers lessons at the Center in Alley Pond Park, our site, or your local park/open space in ecology and life sciences for students from Pre-Kindergarten through High school and beyond.
- Gateway: National Recreational Area (NYC and NJ)
Gateway provides abundant recreational and learning opportunities, from swimming, boating and fishing to team sports, bicycling and nature study. The living world can be explored in a wildlife refuge, holly forest, ocean dunes and coastal uplands. The nation’s oldest operating lighthouse, forts that defended America, and sites that trace aviation’s early days tell significant stories.
- Jamaica Bay Education Resource Directory (New York City)
This directory offers resource to enhance classroom lessons, field explorations, independent research, professional development and community service activities.
- The New York Aquarium (Brooklyn, NY)
The New York Aquarium’s Education Department is dedicated to teaching youngsters and adults about sea creatures and marine habitats through engaging, interactive programs. Our offerings for adults, families, children, and teens include guided tours, family workshops, and opportunities to meet aquarium experts and get an insider’s look at our animals and exhibits. All programs require advance reservations.
- American Museum of Natural History (New York City)
The Education Department creates learning opportunities for learners of all ages, from preschoolers to seniors, at the Museum, at home, in school, and in the community. Teachers and students can take advantage of the exciting programs and offerings throughout the year.
- South Street Seaport Museum (New York City)
The South Street Seaport Museum's school programs use a variety of learning methods to help students formulate a personal response to history and science. Our programs are designed to meet New York City and National Educational Standards.
Upstate NY:
- Albany Aqua Ducks and Trolleys (Albany, NY)
Albany Aqua Ducks offers affordable educational field trips that are developed by educators with an emphasis on curriculum appropriateness based on the group's age. Each field trip combines a marine component with science or social studies related themes. The land tour includes major educational and historical sights of New York's capital city --the governor's mansion, the New York state Capital, Albany City Hall, the New York State Museum and more. The Hudson River tour includes sights of the USS Slater, the former Delaware and Hudson Railroad headquarters (now home to SUNY Central). Can't leave the classroom? Not to worry. Henry Hudson re-enactors are available to come to your school. For more info, click above or call 518-462-DUCK (3825).Hudson Valley, NY:
- Hudson River Maritime Museum (Kingston, NY)
Models, artifacts, photographs, and paintings tell the tales of a by-gone era when the Hudson teemed with commercial activity and vessels. One exhibit, Destination Catskill Mountains, is a multimedia profile of a family's journey from the docks of New York city to the resorts of the Catskills via boat and railroad. An outdoor exhibit area features the 1898 steam tug Mathilda, as well as a 100-year-old shad boat, a lifeboat from the steamboat Mary Powell, and other relics of river life. A school program for all grade levels includes a guided Museum Tour plus a trip to the Rondout Light house. Click above or call 845-338-0071.Throughout NY:
- Wildlife Conservation Society (throughout NYC)
Whether you are seeking to enrich your class field trip to the Zoo or Aquarium or a lesson in your own classroom, the Education Division of the Wildlife Conservation Society offers a wide range of opportunities to enhance science curricula for grades K–12. Our time-tested, teacher-endorsed programs include Distance Learning Expeditions, Wildlife Theater shows, and workshops for teachers and students that are aligned with the National Science Education Standards.
- New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (throughout NY)
From the shores of Long Island to the mighty Niagara Falls, New York's 178 state parks offer countless opportunities to explore your natural environment, escape from the grind of the everyday and experience exciting new adventures. Beaches, boat launches, hiking trails, campsites, and golf courses all await you!
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