To schedule your classroom visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, please email FieldTrip@nara.gov
•Schedule your visit at least two weeks in advance.
•All guided tours must be scheduled a
minimum of two weeks in advance.
Download Application to schedule a visit: Schedule Class Visit
Students, kindergarten through 12th grade, visiting as part of an organized classroom visit are admitted free of charge. We require one adult chaperone for every ten students. Those required adults are also admitted free of charge.
$7.00 for adults, $6.00 for senior citizens and military service members, $5.00 for college students with ID, $3.00 for youth ages 6-18, and free for children under the age of 5.
Open daily from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. (Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.)
Because the most successful museum visits are those where students and adults are well prepared, we offer you the following guidelines for your Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum class trip.
·If at all possible, visit the Museum before bringing your students. Teachers preparing for classroom visits are admitted free of charge.
· Prepare your students for the exhibits they will see through pre-visit activities and discussions. There are a variety of gallery activities included in this packet, or you may develop you own.
· Divide your students into small groups and plan to have one chaperone with each group. By doing this you will be free to move from group to group, checking on progress, answering questions, and assisting with behavioral issues, if necessary.
· Make a copy of the Chaperone Guidelines for each of your chaperones. In addition, it is helpful if you provide them with information on your specific assignments and instructions, and a name tag prior to your visit.
As you know, museums have a variety of rules designed both for the safe-keeping of artifacts and documents on display, and to ensure a safe, enjoyable visit for all guests. We appreciate your help in seeing that your students follow these basic rules during your visit. Our goal is to do everything possible to see that your students, and our other guests, enjoy their Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum experience.
· Please have your students remain with their chaperones at all times while at the Museum.
· Please make sure your students do not bring food or beverages into the Museum. This includes all candy and gum.
· Please remind students that they need to use care and not touch or lean on the displays. In this way, they can help us take good care of everything on display.
· While we love to see enthusiastic students at the Museum, please remind your students that they must use indoor voices and refrain from running. Students are representing their teachers and schools while using community resources.
· Please take as many photographs as you would like - - without using a flash. There may be restrictions on photography in our special changing exhibits. Check with Museum staff for details.
We require one adult chaperone for every ten students. Each student must be assigned to a small group and be accompanied by a chaperone. Chaperones must remain with their group at all times while at the Museum and on the Museum grounds.
Chaperones are responsible for working with you, the teacher, to keep students organized and focused on their visit. Please give each chaperone specific information about your students’ Museum assignments and goals prior to arriving at the Museum.
We also ask that chaperones help students abide by the Museum’s rules, outlined above. Museum staff expects teachers and chaperones to maintain control and discipline of their groups at all times. Museum staff and security are available for assistance, if necessary.
From the North: US 131 south to Pearl Street exit. East on Pearl to Museum entrance.
From the South: US 131 north to Pearl Street exit. East on Pearl to Museum entrance.
From the East: I-196 west to Ottawa Avenue exit. South on Ottawa to Pearl Street. West on Pearl to Museum entrance.
From the West: I-196 east to US 131 south / Pearl Street exit. East on Pearl to Museum entrance. (Bear to the right as you exit I-196 and the Pearl Street exit. You won’t actually merge onto US 131.)
Free bus parking is available on Scribner Street, directly to the west of the Museum, and in the Museum’s south parking lot.
When you arrive at the Museum, one person should come in to our Admissions Desk to handle check-in. Please be prepared to give an exact count of students and adults – both teachers and chaperones. At this time you will be asked to pay our $7.00 per person admission fee for any adults over the required number of one per ten students. We accept cash, checks, and major credit cards. Please let our admissions staff know if you need a receipt.
The Museum has a gift shop on site. Many items in the Museum Store are priced for children. We ask that only one group of ten students be allowed in the store at a time.
Restrooms, drinking fountains, and the coat room are all conveniently located near the Museum Store. There are additional restrooms on the second floor, across from the Cabinet Room.
A limited number of clipboards are available for students to use. They are located at the top of the main staircase. Please return them to the boxes before leaving the Museum.