NOTE: Each section below has its own printable version for handouts.
Teacher Guide: Day of Your Trip
Before leaving school:
- Hand out name tags to each of your chaperones and students.
- Assign students to groups led by a chaperone.
- Take a head count of students, chaperones and teachers. You will need exact numbers when you check in.
- Plan to arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled class reservation time.
- Give the drivers/bus drivers directions to the museum, parking information, and departure time.
Arrival at the museum:
Buses may pull in at the loading zone in front of the museum. (See "Directions" below)
The lead teacher checks in at the Admissions Desk inside the Main Entrance with...
- An accurate count of students, teachers and chaperones.
- A copy of the confirmation letter (this is your group admission ticket to the museum)
The teacher needs to inform staff if children will be planning to visit the museum store.
All other attendees must stay on the bus until a museum staff person guides students into the museum through a special field trip entrance.
Storage is limited - Please leave belongings on the bus.
An invoice will be prepared prior to departure.
- The invoice must be given to the school bookkeeper and needs to be paid within 2 weeks of your visit.
- We also accept payment via cash, check or credit card. Please note, we cannot offer refunds or balance due adjustments for absent students.
Orientation to Explore More:
Arrival: Your group will all meet together for
- museum welcome
- review of museum manners
- schedule of events
- review of chaperone responsibilities
Departure: Gather in the field trip classroom at your designated time to
- receive your invoice to bring back to your bookkeeper.
- take a head count to make sure all group members are present
- collect belongings
- load onto the bus
Teacher's Guide in PDF format : full_teachers_guide.pdf
Chaperone Guide
Manners: Encourage students to observe museum manners.
- Walk in the museum.
- Use inside voices.
- Clean up area before exploring another area.
- Be gentle with exhibits.
- Take turns.
- Respect the museum and other visitors.
Guide students through museum
Encourage exploration and discovery in all exhibit areas.
Please keep the following in mind:
- Students may explore all exhibit areas except for "Over in the Meadow", our infant/toddler area.
- Bathrooms and drinking fountains are located in the back of the museum.
- Only three people are permitted in the ambulance cab at a time.
- One person at a time should be using the slide. Please remind students to go up through the climbing structure and down through the slide.
- Face paint should be used only on the face.
- Keep all your assigned students within your sight.
Chaperone Name : ___________________________________________
Students in your group:
1._______________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________
4._______________________________________________________
5._______________________________________________________
Chaperone's Guide in PDF format : chaperones.pdf
Driving Directions
Coming from I-81 N...
- Take exit 247 B and merge onto US-33, W. Market St. toward Harrisonburg
- Stay on W. Market St. for about 1.5 miles
- Make a left onto S. Mason St.
- Drive four blocks and make a right onto Franklin Street.
- Drive one block and make a right onto Main Street.
- Drive past the light, pull into the loading zone on the right in front of Explore More Discovery Museum.
Coming from I-81 S...
- Take exit 245, at the light take a left on to Port Republic Rd.
- Continue on Port Republic for .6 miles
- At the light take a right onto S. Main St.
- Continue 1 mile on S. Main and we will be on the right.
- Pull into the loading zone on the right in front of Explore More Discovery Museum.
Coming from 42 N
- Take 42 South (High Street)
- Turn left onto Bruce Street, two blocks past W. Market Street (Rt. 33)
- Drive 2 blocks and turn left onto Main Street.
- Immediately pull into the loading zone on the right in front of Explore More Discovery Museum.
Coming from 42 S
- Take 42 North (High Street)
- Turn right onto Bruce Street.
- Drive 2 blocks and turn left onto Main Street.
- Immediately pull into the loading zone on the right in front of Explore More Discovery Museum
Parking
For Cars/Vans:
There is free parking in the Water Street Garage, located between Bruce and Water Streets.
From the museum:
- proceed north on Main Street,
- Turn left on Water Street, the parking garage will be on the left.
For Buses:
There is free parking in the municipal lot located on Main Street.
- proceed north on Main Street,
- Turn left on Water Street
- Drive 1 block turn left onto Main Street
- Drive 1.5 blocks, turn left into Municipal lot just past Bruce Street.
Driving & Parking directions in PDF format : drive_n_park.pdf
Maps of Downtown Harrisonburg:
Downtown Harrisonburg view online Harrisonburg.jpg scroll to center
Downtown Harrisonburg download the Acrobat PDF : Harrisonburg.pdf
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