Field Trips

Students look forward to field trips and so do we! Many adults who visit the park say they remember coming here as a kid with their classmates.

Today the park and museums offer an even richer learning opportunity. Our goal is to provide a fun, memorable and productive day for all students and teachers.

Download the Field Trip Planning Guide

Your school may be eligible for a bus rental reimbursement! See the PDF above or visit the Bus Reimbursements page for details and eligibility information.

Field Trip Basics

Rules

Reservations are required and are available every day excluding Monday. The park is closed the entire month of January and opens Friday-Sunday in February.

Scheduling is done on a twelve-month rolling calendar. Field Trips may be scheduled up to one year in advance. (ex. You may book a field trip 2017/2018.)

School sanctioned scheduled field trips are free of charge for both students and chaperones, including home school communities.

One chaperone is required for every 10 students.

Field trips are geared for 4th-12th grades. Lower grades are encouraged to visit the park grounds, gardens, tank park, hiking trail and picnic area, but will not be permitted into the museums.

Please arrive 30 minutes before you first scheduled tour in order to disembark, use restrooms, go through orientation, and watch the 10 minute overview film in the Visitors Center (optional).

Lunch will add approximately 45-minutes to your field trip time.

Brown bag lunches must be eaten in our picnic area April - October. There is no indoor option during those months. Box lunches are available for purchase. Lunch times MUST be requested ahead of time.

Booking Info

Thank you for your interest in booking a field trip at Cantigny Park. Please contact our Registrar at fieldtrips@cantigny.org or 630.260.8162 with the following information:

School name
Contact info for two staff members
Number of students
Date requests
Programs you would like to attend

Late Arrival Policy

Please be on time. Late arrivals will not be guaranteed their scheduled program. Your start time is clearly indicated in your confirmation form. Please note this time is 30 minutes prior to your first tour time. This allows you enough time for viewing our introductory movie, group organization and walking from the Visitors Center to your first museum.

If you are running late or must cancel, call 630.260.8207 to alert the tour guides and staff. Late arrivals will not receive a complete program. Any group arriving at Cantigny Park more than 20 minutes past their scheduled arrival time cannot be guaranteed a program at all. Groups arriving at the museums over 15 minutes past their scheduled tour time will be accommodated only if space and time are available.

If your program is cancelled due to late arrival at Cantigny Park, your group can explore the park until your next program time. We ask your cooperation so that we may accommodate as many school groups as possible. If you must cancel, please try to cancel with at least one week of advanced notice.

Most requests will be processed the same day, but please allow up to three business days to process your request form. You will receive confirmation materials via email. Note that your reservation is not confirmed until you receive these materials. Download our Field Trip Planning Kit for complete field trip information.

Availability

Unable to schedule a field trip due to availability? We welcome your group to still visit Cantigny as an outdoor recreation destination. Consider having your end of year picnic here, or plan a day of team building games- we have a great field just right for sports! Spend time in the gardens and enjoy time climbing in our Tank Park.

Please Note: Due to museum capacities, we do not allow groups to take self-guided museum tours of either museum during school tour hours (10 am-2:30 pm). If you are unable to schedule a tour you may still visit Cantigny and enjoy the park and gardens–but will not be permitted into the museums until after the last scheduled school tour.