Customs and Traditions

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is an arts and cultural center dedicated to the experiences of people of Chinese descent in the United States. Located in Manhattan's Chinatown, its art and interactive exhibits help all students develop an understanding of Chinese American history and culture.

*Please see our availabilities below as we offer programs outside of our regular hours for the public. Programs can be scheduled on Tuesdays.*

MOCA is excited to offer both in-person and virtual, educator-led programs for school groups from grades K-12, as well as college, adult, and older adult groups.

In-Person Group Reservation Policies

• Reservations for in-person group tours must be made at least 4 weeks in advance.
• For guided gallery programs, there is a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 28 students per time slot.
• For guided neighborhood walking tours, there is minimum of 8 and a maximum of 15 students per time slot.
• If your group is larger than 28 for gallery programs or 15 for walking tours, we ask that you make arrangements to divide your group and schedule two or more separate time slots.
• Programs are 75 minutes long. Programs can be modified for groups of all needs and abilities, and program time can be adjusted under special request. Please contact the Education Department at education@mocanyc.org for special arrangements.
• Groups are responsible for arriving at the Museum at their scheduled tour time. Unfortunately, we cannot extend guided tours past their scheduled end time. Groups arriving late may have their programs shortened. Any group arriving more than 15 minutes late cannot be guaranteed its scheduled guided tour, but will still have access to the museum.

In-Person Group Tour Fees (per group):
$100/ DOE Title 1 School*
$150/NYC Public School/CUNY/SUNY
$200/Independent and Out of State Schools (K-12)
$250/College and University Students, Adults
$150/Seniors
*Title 1 schools in Chinatown, Two Bridges, and the Lower East Side may qualify for reduced rates or waivers. Please ask for details when you make a reservation.

MOCA is pleased to be able to offer a limited number of free, in-person field trips for K-12 NYC public schools during the 2024-2025 school year, courtesy of an anonymous donor. Guided tours will be available during: October, November, December, March, April, and June. Priority will be given to Title I and neighborhood schools.

Eligibility:

• Your school must be a public or Title I school in New York City.
• Each group of students must be no more than 25 for a gallery tour, and no more than 15 for a neighborhood walking tour.
• A $30 deposit per group/tour is required to hold your booking. This deposit will be refunded in full upon completion of your field trip.
• All bookings are final and cannot be rescheduled for any reason. The museum agrees to cancel or reschedule tours with no penalty if the NYC Department of Education issues a cancellation of field trips and/or school due to outside circumstances or inclement weather.
• Each group leader is required to complete a 5-minute impact survey following their visit.

To apply for a free, in-person field trip for your class, please book a program through Explorable Places and include “Applying for grant-funded field trip” as part of the answer to “What kind of group are you bringing?”

Please email education@mocanyc.org with any questions.

Virtual Programs
Virtual programs engage students with primary sources from the museum’s collection through close looking exercises, guided discussions, and interactive activities.

• All virtual school programs require at least 1 teacher or chaperone present online for the duration of the program.
• Reservations for virtual school programs must be made at least two weeks in advance.
• All virtual school programs are offered live online and take place through the digital platform Zoom.
• All virtual school programs are 60 minutes unless otherwise specified.
• Virtual school programs are designed for one class at a time, allowing us to tailor the program to the teacher and students. If your group is larger than 30 participants, we ask that you make arrangements to divide your group and schedule two or more virtual visits.
• We welcome groups with special needs. Please contact the Education Department at education@mocanyc.org for information regarding programs and accommodations.
• Please arrive ON TIME to the virtual school program. Groups arriving late will miss all or part of their program in order to respect our museum scheduling.

Virtual Program Fees (per group):
$75/ DOE Title 1 School*
$100/NYC Public School/CUNY/SUNY
$125/Independent and Out of State Schools (K-12)
$150/College and University Students, Adults
$100/Seniors
*Title 1 schools in Chinatown, Two Bridges, and the Lower East Side may qualify for reduced rates or waivers. Please ask for details when you make a reservation.

Payment

• We require a deposit of $30 per tour at least 2 weeks in advance to hold your reservation.
• Your deposit is non-refundable, but will be applied to the total cost of your tour(s). If you need to cancel your visit and cancellation is not made in accordance with museum cancellation guidelines, your deposit will not be refunded
• Payments can be made by credit card, check, or NYC DOE Purchase Order.
• Please make checks payable to: Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre St, NY, NY 10013.
• MOCA is a NYC DOE Vendor. Our vendor number is: 11-2517055.
• Payments must be made in full before the start of your tour.