School Field Trips
Connect your students to art and history in new ways. Go on a virtual exploration of Santa Cruz County art and history.
About our Field Trips
Creativity, culture, and the rich history of Santa Cruz County come together at the MAH. Our School Programs engage over 2,000 students from across Santa Cruz County every year and support the Common Core State Standards of encouraging critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration.
Additional Information
- Need some help signing up for field trip? Watch a video.
- One class per field trip.
- Bilingual (Spanish/English) guides available upon request.
- Field trips must be scheduled three weeks in advance.
- Financial assistance is available through this form.
More Educational Resources
There's more to discover over on our Educational Resources page. Check out our free, downloadable history lesson plans, virtual tours of the space, and interactive projects.
Get to know the important contributions, impact, and history of the LGBTQ+ community in Santa Cruz County in Queer Santa Cruz.
Our Field Trip Options
1. Community Building through Art & History
Through an interactive scavenger hunt, students will explore the entire museum as they uncover what community means. They will learn about different people and groups from history and engage in a hands-on art activity. In this field trip, students will take what they learned and imagine a more connected Santa Cruz County.
- Price: $75
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Grade Level: 3rd - 5th Grade
2. Indigenous Peoples of Santa Cruz County
When learning about local history it is essential to include the lives and experiences of the Indigenous peoples of these lands. In this field trip, students will learn stories of the aboriginal Tribal groups located across the San Juan Valley, as well as, the present Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. Starting with a conversation about what a land acknowledgment is and ending with an interactive project, students will learn about the life, culture, beliefs, and rituals of these active communities.
- Price: $75
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Grade Level: 3rd - 5th Grade
3. Tombstone Tales at Evergreen Cemetery
Explore Evergreen Cemetery and learn the stories behind Santa Cruz’s earliest residents. In this outdoor experience, participants will explore the cemetery uncovering historical stories, getting hands-on with gravestone rubbings, and learning about how a cemetery can be a place of research. The people of Evergreen inspire curiosity with their unbelievable journeys and this field trip connects the past to the present in an interactive and creative experience.
- Price: $75
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Grade Level: 3rd - 5th Grade
4. Careers in the Arts
Are your students thinking about exploring an art career in museums after graduating? This field trip introduces students to different careers at museums along with personal stories about how our staff members got to the MAH. Get behind-the-scenes stories and learn what it takes to work at a museum.
- Price: $75
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Grade Level: 9th - 12th Grade
5. Queer Santa Cruz
Celebrate the launch of our newest history pod in the MAH’s History Gallery by traveling back to the beginning of it all. Since the 1970s’, the LGBTQ+ communities have contributed to Santa Cruz County in different ways. Learn about these impacts and participate in a zine-making activity afterward.
- Price: $75
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Grade Level: 6th - 12th Grade
6. Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley
Explore the MAH’s new exhibition Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley. In an interactive *tour featuring family heirlooms, oral history interviews, and works of art, students will learn about Filipino labor and migration to the Pajaro Valley from the 1930s to the present. Through discussion questions and an in-gallery activity, students will reflect on the importance of preserving and sharing local family stories.
*This tour is available only on Thursdays and Fridays from April 12th to August 1st.
- Price: Free
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Grade Level: 6th-College
Create a Custom Visit
Not in 3rd through 5th grade? Build your own custom group visit here.