School Field Trips
Welcome, teachers and school staff! We are now taking reservations for the 2025-2026 school year. The Science Mill will be open to field trips Wednesday-Friday when school is in session. Mondays and Tuesday may be available upon request.
Spark curiosity with a Science Mill field trip! Museum Exploration for grades K-8; all are supported by a TEKS-aligned guide to help tailor your visit to students’ learning goals and curriculum.
FAQs
Learn everything you need to know about the Science Mill Field Trip!
Educators can also refer to our updated Field Trip Guide for Educators for more details about preparing for a Science Mill field trip.
Still have questions? Contact us and we’ll get back to you soon!
Booking a Field Trip
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We are now taking reservations for the 2025-2026 school year. The Science Mill is open to field trips Wednesday-Friday when school is in session. We can sometimes accommodate groups on Mondays or Tuesdays as well. Arrival times are either 9:30, 10:00, or 10:30am. Please check with your transportation director before booking to see if there are restrictions on travel times for your school.
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The student cost is $7 per child, and all others are $15. This includes school staff and other parent/guardian chaperones as well as siblings not involved with the field trip. Each school will receive complimentary tickets for adults at a ratio of 1 free adult for every 7 students. Scholarships are available to assist with museum admission and transportation costs for Title 1 Schools.
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Please complete the reservation request form on the Reservations webpage. We will contact you within 3 business days to confirm your reservation. If you have further questions, please email programs@sciencemill.org
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Our capacity limit is 150 per group. We will work to accommodate your group size to ensure your students have a quality experience. We require at least 1 adult per 7 students. Staff and chaperones should be with students at all times and ensure that everyone practices proper museum behavior.
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Absolutely. However, we do have a few policies regarding these groups. Contact programs@sciencemill.org for more information. As another option, we have dedicated days for Homeschool Families. Please visit our Homeschool Day page for more information.
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Full payment by check or credit card is due no later than two weeks before your visit. Please call 844-263-6405 ext.1006 with any questions regarding payment. Parents and other adults may self-pay upon arrival the day of the trip or purchase tickets in advance online.
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Payment must be made 2 weeks prior to the field trip visit. Any necessary refunds will be issued through our business office and mailed 1-2 weeks after the field trip. Refunds less than $50 will not be issued but will be used as a donation to support field trips for low-income students.
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Yes! Our Field Trip Guide for Educators contains everything you need to know about preparing for your Science Mill field trip. You can download the file here.
FIELD TRIP AGENDA & ADD-ONS
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Each field trip agenda is designed to maximize your time here at the Science Mill and depends on your requested activities and the number of students. All field trips include museum exploration time. If you requested a Learning Lab, Science Show, or Cross-Curricular programming during the reservation process, that will also be scheduled for you. You will receive your unique agenda approximately 2 weeks before your field trip.
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Time varies for each group, depending on the size of the group and what activities are added to the trip. As a general rule, if you are doing a basic Museum Exploration trip with a lunch break, allow a minimum of 2.5-3 hours. If adding a Learning Lab, Science Show, or Cross-Curricular option, a minimum of 3.5-4 hours is needed.
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Learning Labs are 30 to 45-minute enrichment activities over a variety of STEM topics and careers facilitated by Science Mill staff. The Labs are offered by grade groups K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Learning Labs are an additional $6 per student and must be booked on the reservation form.
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Yes, educators have created engaging and inquiry-based programming that closely aligns with TEKS standards.
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Science Shows are a field trip add-on for all grade levels. Experience a 30-minute science demo that is sure to wow and pique students’ curiosity. Science Shows are an additional $3 per student. Available shows change seasonally.
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The Science Mill has partnered with the LBJ National Historical Park next door to offer schools a science and social studies field trip in one! Part of your time is spent exploring the Science Mill, and part is spent at the park. They offer tours that educate students about frontier life in the Texas Hill Country during the 1800’s. There is no additional charge associated with this option because the national park does not charge an admission fee!
During the Field Trip
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Picnic tables are available in the Science & Art Park for lunch. Lunches must be in labeled coolers or other containers. We cannot store individual lunches and the students will not be able to carry them in the museum.
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We understand that unforeseen circumstances happen, and the Science Mill staff will make every effort to accommodate your group. However, if the school arrives past the scheduled start time for a Learning Lab, Science Show or National Park tour, the school may have to forfeit that activity.
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Many of the Science Mill’s exhibits are indoors. Alternate lunch areas are available in case of rain or cold. In the case of serious inclement weather, the Science Mill will follow Johnson City ISD closure and delays.
NEW✨STEM in the Wild Themed Field Trip
Beaks and Eats- Learning Lab
Discover how birds’ beaks are specially shaped for the foods they eat. Try out different “beaks” at our food stations to see which works best for each type of food. Along the way, explore how these adaptations help birds survive and learn how humans have borrowed these ideas through biomimicry to create new tools and technology.
Camo Chameleon- Table Activity
Test your eyes against one of nature’s best hiders! Chameleons have a secret superpower: they can disappear into their surroundings. You’ll design and color your own camouflaged chameleon, choose the perfect spot to hide it in its “habitat,” and then see if you can find the others. Will you be able to spot them all, or will some stay hidden in plain sight?
Students: $15
Adults: $15
*1 free adult with every 7 students
STEM in the Wild
Lions, tigers, and STEM, oh my! Get ready to head off the beaten path with STEM in the Wild, our newest exhibit where science meets the wild. This isn’t your average trip to the zoo, and you won’t want to miss this limited time experience. You’ll explore the world of biomimicry, where nature’s unique adaptations inspire real world solutions to human challenges. We’re highlighting some of the most interesting animal features, like the horn of a kudu and the shape of a toucan’s beak with its temperature regulating abilities. This exhibit shows how engineers have used those ideas to create new technology that solves everyday problems. Come and observe how some of the smartest problem solvers on Earth are covered in fur, feathers, or scales!
Field Trip Add-Ons:
Science Shows
Like magic shows, but better — because it’s powered by science!
Elevate your Science Mill field trip with a Science Show. Experience a 30-minute science demonstration by Science Mill Educators that is sure to wow and pique students’ curiosity.
NEW! ✨ Lessons in Chemistry
Take your seats, young scientists, and watch what happens when chemicals react! Lessons in Chemistry is an explosive demonstration of the magic of science. The show features color changing Rainbow Chemistry, a surprising Pop Rocket launch, and the disappearing act of Vanishing Water. Students will see the signs of a chemical reaction, including bubbling, fizzing, color changes, and gas production. In just 30 minutes, they’ll be amazed by chemical changes and come out changed themselves as they discover the dynamic world of STEM.
under pressure
Get ready for some seriously cool SCIENCE! Watch a soda can collapse before your eyes, see an egg use its surroundings to squeeze into a bottle, and discover just how powerful air pressure can be. Through instructor-led demonstrations like “Crush a Can,” “Egg in a Bottle,” and experiments based on Bernoulli’s Principle, students will witness how invisible forces like air pressure and airflow shape the world around us. This show is sure to blow up your curiosity!
good vibrations
Get ready to see, hear, and feel the power of sound! In this instructor-led demonstration, students will witness the weird and wonderful world of sound waves. They'll observe how sound travels through different materials in demos like the Visual Vocalizer and the Screaming Balloon, dig into the science of vibrations with our Marshmallow Sound Wave demo, and see how invisible waves can actually move and shake physical objects in the Dancing Oobleck demo. By the end, students will not only understand the properties of sound, they’ll be able to explain how it moves, changes, and interacts with the world around us. Tune in, sit back, and watch the invisible become visible!
Field Trip Add-Ons: Learning Labs
Our Learning Labs are 45 minutes long.
Learning Labs require a minimum of 10 students and will be able to accommodate a maximum of 30 students. Students in all labs will work in teams of 3-4 depending on group size.
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K-2 Coasting Comparisons - Students will work as teams of engineers and test how marbles move or “coast” along various types of tracks. They will learn about gravity & friction, and explore how hills and starting heights will affect the amount of potential and kinetic energy.
Science and Engineering Practices
K.1A, B, C, D; K.2B, D; K.3A, B, C
1.1A, B, C, D; 1.2B, D; 1.3A, B, C
2.1A, B, C, D; 2.2B, D; 2.3A, B, C
Recurring Themes:
K.5B
1.5B
2.5B
Content TEKS:
K.7
1.7A, B
2.7A, B
3-5 Marble Roller Coaster - Students will work as teams of engineers to design and test their own marble roller coasters to understand the Engineering Design Process and investigate forces such as gravity and friction, and potential and kinetic energy.
Science and Engineering Practices
3.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G
3.2A, B, C, D
3.3A, B, C
3.4A
4.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G
4.2A, B, C, D
4.3A, B, C
4.4A
5.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G
5.2A, B, C, D
5.3A, B, C
5.4A
Recurring Themes
3.5A, B, D, F
4.5A, B, D, F
5.5A, B, D, F
Content TEKS
3.8A, B
4.8A, B, C
5.6A, B, C
6-8 Roller Coaster Tycoon - Students will work as teams of engineers to design and test their own marble roller coasters to understand the Engineering Design Process and investigate how gravity, friction, potential and kinetic energy, and Newton’s Laws affect their designs.
Science and Engineering Practices
6.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 6.2A, B, C, D; 6.3A, B, C; 6.4A
7.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 7.2A, B, C, D; 7.3A, B, C; 7.4A
8.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 8.2A, B, C, D; 8.3A, B, C; 8.4A
Recurring Themes
6.5A, B, C, D, F
7.5A, B, C, D, F
8.5A, B, C, D, F
Content TEKS
6.7A, B, C
7.7A, B, C
8.6A, B, C
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K-2 Zippity Doo Dah - Students will work as teams of engineers, using the Engineering Design Process to design, test, and improve their own Lego Zipline Cars. Students will be able to use engineering practices to design solutions to problems, and identify strengths and weaknesses of their models.
Science and Engineering Practices
K.1A, B, D, E; K.2A, B, D; K.3A; K.4A
1.1A, B, D, E; 1.2A, B, D; 1.3A; 1.4A
2.1A, B, D, E; 2.2A, B, D; 2.3A; 2.4A
Recurring Themes
K.5A, B, D, F
1.5A, B, D, F
2.5A, B, D, F
Content TEKS
K.7A
1.7A, B
2.7A, B
3-5 Zip Away - Students will work as teams of engineers, using the Engineering Design Process to design, test, and improve their own zipline cars. Students will also investigate how gravity, friction, potential energy, and kinetic energy affect their designs. Students will be able to use engineering practices to design solutions to problems, and identify strengths and weaknesses of their models.
Science and Engineering Practices
3.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 3.2A, B, C, D; 3.3A, B, C; 3.4A
4.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 4.2A, B, C, D; 4.3A, B, C; 4.4A
5.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 5.2A, B, C, D; 5.3A, B, C; 5.4A
Recurring themes
3.5A, B, D, F
4.5A, B, D, F
5.5A, B, D, F
Content TEKS
3.7A, B; 3.8A, B
4.7A, B, C; 4.8A, C
5.7A, B, C; 5.6A, B, C
6-8 Zip It - Students will work as teams of engineers, using the Engineering Design Process to design, test, and improve their own zipline cars. Students will also investigate how gravity, friction, potential energy, kinetic energy, and Newton’s Laws affect their designs. Students will be able to use engineering practices to design solutions to problems, and identify strengths and weaknesses of their models.
Science and Engineering Practices
6.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 6.2A, B, C, D; 6.3A, B, C; 6.4A
7.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 7.2A, B, C, D; 7.3A, B, C; 7.4A
8.1A, B, C, D, E, F, G; 8.2A, B, C, D; 8.3A, B, C; 8.4A
Recurring Themes
6.5A, B, C, D, F
7.5A, B, C, D, F
8.5A, B, C, D, F
Content TEKS
6.7A, B, C
7.7A, B, C
8.6A, B, C
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K-2 Shake It Up -Students will investigate earthquakes and the ways they impact buildings and communities. They will learn about the forces involved and explore how engineers design structures to withstand them. Using this knowledge, students will build and test a two-story model building that can survive simulated shaking and high winds.
Science and Engineering Practices
K.1A, B, G; K.2A, D; K.3A; K.4C
1.1A, B, G; 1.2A, D; 1.3A; 1.4C
2.1A, B, G; 2.2A, D; 2.3A; 2.4C
Recurring Themes
K.5B, C
1.5 B, C
2.5B, C
Content TEKS
K.7A
1.7A, B
2.7A, B
3-5 Disaster Designers - Students will investigate how natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes impact buildings and communities. They will learn about the forces involved and explore how engineers design structures to withstand them. Using this knowledge, students will build and test a two-story model building that can survive simulated shaking and high winds.
Science and Engineering Practices
3.1A, B, G; 3.2 A, D; 3.3A; 3.4C
4.1A, B, G; 4.2 A, D; 4.3A; 4.4C
5.1A, B, G; 5.2 A, D; 5.3A; 5.4C
Recurring Themes
3.5B, C
4.5B, C
5.5B, C
Content TEKS
3.10C
6-8 It’s Nature’s Fury - Students will investigate how natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes impact buildings and communities. They will learn about the forces involved and explore how engineers design structures to withstand them. Using this knowledge, students will build and test a two-story model building that can survive simulated shaking and high winds.
Science and Engineering Practices
6.1A, B, G; 6.2 A, D; 6.3A; 6.4C
7.1A, B, G; 7.2 A, D; 7.3A; 7.4C
8.1A, B, G; 8.2 A, D; 8.3A; 8.4C
Recurring Themes
6.5B, C
7.5B, C
8.5B, C
Content TEKS
6.10B
7.10A
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K-2 Unwelcome Guests - Students will learn about how invasive species impact ecosystems and will use the engineering design process to design a humane trap for the invasive species: The Cane Toad.
Science and Engineering Practices
K.1A,
Recurring Themes
K.5B, G
1.5 B, G
2.5B, G
Content TEKS
K.12A, B
1.12A, B, C
2.12A, B, C
3-5 Invaders - Students will learn about how invasive species impact ecosystems and will use the engineering design process to design a humane trap for the invasive species: The Cane Toad.
Science and Engineering Practices
3.1A, B, G; 3.2 A, D; 3.3A; 3.4C
4.1A, B, G; 4.2 A, D; 4.3A; 4.4C
5.1A, B, G; 5.2 A, D; 5.3A; 5.4C
Recurring Themes
3.5B, G
4.5 B, G
5.5B, G
Content TEKS
5.12C
5.13A
6-8 Invasion - Students will learn about how invasive species impact ecosystems and will use the engineering design process to design a humane trap for the invasive species: The Cane Toad.
Science and Engineering Practices
6.1A, B, G; 6.2 A, D; 6.3A; 7.4C
7.1A, B, G; 7.2 A, D; 7.3A; 7.4C
8.1A, B, G; 8.2 A, D; 8.3A; 8.4C
Recurring Themes
6.5B, G
7.5B, G
8.5B, G
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K-2 Amazing Algorithms - Students will learn that robots move as a result of programming and that programming can be broken down into step by step directions called algorithms. Students will practice writing algorithms and will be introduced to the concept of using loops in programming.
Science and Engineering
S.K.1.A, F
S.1.1.A, F
S.2.1.A, F
Recurring TEKS
S.K.5.A
S.1.5.A
S.2.5.A
Technology Applications
TA.K.1.A, B, C
TA.1.1.A, B, C
TA.2.1.A, B, C
3-5 Just a Little Bit! - Students will explore the relationship between inputs, outputs, hardware, and software by interacting with a pocket-sized computer called the micro:Bit. Using Microsoft MakeCode, they will learn foundational programming concepts and create custom programs to control the Micro:Bit’s features.
Science and Engineering Practices
3.1A, B, D, E, G
4.1A, B, D, E, G
5.1A, B, D, E, G
Recurring Themes
3.5 A, B, D
4.5 A, B, D
5.5 A, B, D
Technology Applications
3.2A, 3.2B, 3.3B, 3.7A, 3.8C
4.2A, 4.2B, 4.3B, 4.7A, 4.8C
5.2A, 5.2B, 5.3B, 5.7A, 5.8C
6-8 Micro:bit Mayhem - Students learn about the different parts of the BBC micro:bit including the LED’s, buttons, sensors, and input/output pins. Using the MakeCode editor, students will develop programming skills, including writing, testing, and debugging basic programs that incorporate concepts like variables, loops, and conditionals.
Science and Engineering Practices
6.1A, D; 6.2D; 6.4C
7.1A, D; 7.2D; 7.4C
8.1A, D; 8.2D; 8.4C
Recurring Themes
6.5A, B, D
7.5A, B, D
8.5A, B, D
Technology Applications
6.1C, E; 6.2A,B
7.1C, E; 7.2A
8.1C, E; 8.2A
Cross-Curricular Trip
Explore history and science on your field trip this school year!
In partnership with the LBJ National Historic Park, we also offer Cross-Curricular Field Trips where you can explore the Science Mill and take the Frontier Life Tour next door! Register for the cross-curricular field trips using our field trip reservation link below.
About the Frontier Life in the Texas Hill Country Tour
(September-May) Wednesday-Friday
Step back in time and learn about the frontier experience in the Texas Hill Country during the 1800’s. Using the historic Johnson Settlement as an outdoor classroom, students will have the opportunity to reflect on how frontier settlement impacted the land and how it affected the many communities that called this area home.