School Year Field Trips
Currently, the museum's field trip program is paused while we redevelop the offerings. If you are interested in a self-guided scavenger hunt, please contact Anita Fernandez at [email protected] or 505-768-6097
Field Trips during the school year are conducted on Thursdays and Fridays. Programs typically take place from 9:30 to 11:30 AM and include a guided tour of the museum and a ballooning learning activity. Beyond this window, your group is welcome to stay and explore the museum independently. Field trip visits must conclude by 1:00 PM. The museum can provide self-guided tour materials and activity handouts for all groups.
Field trips to the Balloon Museum help students discover the exciting world of ballooning and other innovative forms of flight through tours and learning activities. We strive to offer a rewarding and meaningful experience to teachers, chaperones, and students.
Please Note: The Balloon Museum does not accept field trips during the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Balloon Museum Field Trips Offer:
- Learning activities that utilize our exhibitions, which include artifacts, personal stories, and interactive technology
- Independent or guided museum exploration that allows students to view items of special interest and to make connections between history, science, society, and the natural world
- Unique perspectives on what it means to innovate and achieve
- Activities for students that add to their knowledge, abilities, and confidence in order to apply what they learn to the world around them
Planning Your Field Trip
Learning Activities and Guided Tours are subject to availability and spots fill quickly during September, October, April, and May.
Types of Field Trips
Refer to the attendance breakdown below to see what kind of field trip program your group qualifies for. All group visits (20 students or more) are subject to a 1:10 adult chaperone ratio.
Standard Field Trip
- Learning Activity and Guided Tour: Minimum of 15 students and maximum of 60 students (groups larger than 60 may opt to visit on separate days or see below for Large Group options)
Large Group Programs
- First Friday: Minimum of 60 students and maximum of 100 students
- Science in the Sky: Minimum of 100 students and maximum of 250 students
- Self-guided Tour: No size restrictions as long as the chaperone requirement is met
Admission Fees
- Adults: $6 ($5 for New Mexico residents)
- Seniors: $4 (65+)
- Children (ages 6 - 17): $3
- Children (5 and under): Free
- Free admission for all on the first Friday of every month and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Space
The museum offers a large patio and outdoor grounds for lunch. Indoor space is only available as space allows and if there is inclement weather. If you plan to eat at the museum, please bring your lunches. There is no cafeteria or snack bar to purchase food on site.
The Flying Bus
The Flying Bus Scholarship Program provides free transportation and admission for Title I Schools in the Albuquerque Metro Area.
The scholarship can be used for any of the field trip opportunities provided by the Balloon Museum, including special programs such as Science in the Sky, Darth and Yoda: Choose Your Side, and First Friday Fun Days. The program is sponsored by the Museum's Foundation.
Flying Bus Eligibility and Requirements:
- Must be a Title 1 eligible school
- Must fill at least 50 seats in a school bus for field trip
- Must submit something to the museum after your visit to share your experience (such as pictures drawn by your students, thank you card, photographs, etc.)
- Must complete a post-visit feedback form
If your group meets the requirements for a Flying Bus Scholarship and you would like to apply, please complete the Field Trip Reservation Form with your preferred dates and topics. The application for the Flying Bus Scholarship is at the end of the form.