Museum of Us 32.731518° N -117.15237° W

Description

Located on the unceeded ancestral homelands of the Kumeyaay Peoples, the Museum of Us is located in San Diego’s Balboa Park.The Museum of Us is a cultural anthropology museum dedicated to inspiring human connection by exploring the human experience. We are committed to being a resource where people go to reflect on our place in the world and to learn more from each other.

This is the website to request group visits, workshops, and guided tours offered by the Museum of Us Education Department.

K-12 Classes and Schools

The Field Trip section has available visit types for groups associated with a K-12 classroom, school, or district.

Non-School Groups

Professional, college, nonprofit, youth, and all other groups, please choose from the Tour Group section below - no K-12 designation. Youth and student groups not affiliated with a K-12 school should choose from the Tour Group section.

CHAPERONES & GROUP LEADERS

Each group is required to have a designated group leader.

All groups with children, youth, and students have specific chaperone requirements:

Elementary school | Grades 5 and under
- 1 adult per every 4 children

Middle school | Grades 6-8
- 1 adult per every 6 children

High school | Grades 9-12
- 1 adult per every 8 children

Groups are responsible for ensuring that chaperone requirements are met. Lack of chaperones may result in changes to entry time, adjusted group size, and/or cancellation per the discretion of Museum of Us staff.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Each group reservation is offered discounted group rate.

  • Group Visits and Field Trips: $10.95 per person
  • Workshops and Guided Exhibit Tours: $14.95 per person
  • Discounted rate applies to all ages 6 years of age and older

Admissions scholarships are available to support admissions costs. If your group needs an admission scholarship, please choose the "scholarship" pricing option.

Bus scholarships are available for K-12 school groups. Bus scholarships require a separate application, and a formal group visit request must be submitted for consideration. The bus scholarship can be found on the Museum of Us website or directly apply here.

TYPES OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Advance registration required for all options.

School Visits & Group Visits

Workshops and Exhibit Tours

Reservation Instructions

  1. Submit your visit request through Explorable Places
  2. Apply for a bus scholarship, if needed and eligible
  3. Receive a confirmation email from the Museum of Us Education Team
  4. Review confirmation information and arrival instructions
  5. Plan your visit and prepare your group!

Confirmation & Communication
You will receive official confirmation of your reservation and important details for your visit from Explorable Places and the Museum of Us. Please check spam and alternative inbox folders for confirmation emails and adjust inbox settings as needed.


Lunch Notes

Space for lunch, backpack, cooler, etc. storage is available upon request. The room will remain locked until the group departs for lunch. No refrigerators are available.

Student groups with lunchboxes and/or personal water bottles may be required to put them in storage before entering.

The Museum of Us does not have a restaurant, cafeteria, or appropriate eating space to accommodate lunch/snacks. Groups are responsible for identifying and communicating lunch plans.

Recommended lunch areas for groups within Balboa Park include:
Old Globe Plaza located behind the Museum of Us
Picnic and lawn areas across the Cabrillo Bridge
Organ Pavilion
Lily Pond

Click here for a Balboa Park map

Bathroom Notes

The Museum of Us has two exhibition buildings. Each one has bathrooms and water fountains available. Multi-stall men's and women's bathrooms are located in the main museum building, and single-stall, gender inclusive bathrooms are available in the Cannibals exhibit located across the street from the main building.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation and no-shows
All cancellations must be submitted by noon on the day before your reservation. If your group needs to cancel or reschedule, contact education@museumofus.org as soon as possible.

Late cancellations and no-shows are required to up to 75% of their total group cost; groups who receive an admissions scholarship are responsible for 75% of the pre-scholarship group cost.

Late arrivals
Groups arriving more than 20 minutes late are subject to cancellation, adjusted entry time, or standard admission prices per the discretion of the Education Team.

Info

1350 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101

(619) 239-2001

Sun
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Mon
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tues
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thur
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fri
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Teacher Tips

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Subjects
History, Social Studies, Native Americans, Immigration, Social Justice, Cultural Connections, Modern History, Government & Civics, Design Thinking
Activities
Field Trip, Tour Groups, Professional Development
Grades
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, K, Preschool, Adult, Postsecondary
Cost
Scholarships Available
Accommodations

Learning Experiences

Field Trip

K-12 School Visit

Welcome K-12 educators and organizers!

K-12 School Visits are self-guided. A Museum Educator will welcome your group upon check-in to provide information about the Museum of Us and answer questions. Advance registration required.

GROUPS LARGER THAN 120 STUDENTS

Groups with more than 120 students are required to split into separate groups and make a separate reservation for each.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

Bus scholarships require a separate application. Information and application are in the Bus Scholarship Application link.

VISIT DURATION

The duration of 90 minutes is based on average group visit time. There is no time limit or specified departure time for K-12 School Visits.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, social studies, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Capacity
120 stu., Max 30 chap., Min 1 chap.
Activity

field trip

Duration
90 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

K-12 Workshop: Equity vs. Equality

Welcome K-12 educators and organizers!

Workshops are fully facilitated by Museum of Us Educators. General admission included after the workshop has finished.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

This workshop is designed to add context to RACE: Are We So Different? exhibit and ongoing realities of racial injustice today. Participants will play a popular board game to demonstrate the differences between equity and equality. The workshop includes facilitated discussion to highlight connections between the game and reality, as well as spark new ideas of how to center equity, access, and inclusion in our everyday lives.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

Bus scholarships require a separate application. Information and application are in the Bus Scholarship Application link.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, modern history, social studies, government & civics, social justice

Grades
10, 11, 12
Capacity
35 stu., Max 8 chap., Min 1 chap., 1 chap. per 8 stu.
Activity

field trip

Duration
60 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

K-12 Workshop: Hostile Terrain 94 Toe Tag Completion

Welcome K-12 educators and organizers!

Workshops are fully facilitated by Museum of Us Educators. General admission included after the workshop has finished.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

The Hostile Terrain 94 exhibit features a participatory map of the lives lost crossing the Sonoran Desert region of the US-Mexico border. Each person is represented by a toe tag and placed on the location where their body was found. Workshop participants will write toe tags to later be installed on the exhibit wall map. Background information about the exhibit and time for discussion are other key components to the workshop.

This workshop directly connects with loss of life and violent realities of migration along US border regions. The experience and content can be very powerful and personal. Please use your discretion to decide if this is an appropriate fit for your group. There are no graphic images but content does include references to death and violence.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

Bus scholarships require a separate application. Information and application are in the Bus Scholarship Application link.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, immigration, social studies, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Capacity
10 stu., Max 3 chap., Min 1 chap., 1 chap. per 2 stu.
Activity

field trip

Duration
60 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

K-12 Highlights Tour

This guided tour is designed to provide a deeper look at exhibits that interest your group most by providing a mini tour of some of our most popular exhibits. Each stop is lightly facilitated with an exhibit overview, Q&A, and time in the exhibit. Group organizers will select exhibit preferences when submitting a reservation request. The exact number of exhibits, exhibit order, and time at each exhibit will be at the discretion of Museum staff.

Exhibit options: Hostile Terrain 94, Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth, Race: Are We So Different?, Kumeyaay: Native Californians/Iipai-Tipai, Ancient Egypt.

Exhibit preferences are taken in the next steps of the reservation process.

Subjects Covered

history, social studies, native americans, immigration, social justice, cultural connections

Grades
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, k, preschool
Capacity
28 stu., Max 7 chap., Min 1 chap.
Activity

field trip

Duration
30 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Highlights Tour

This guided tour is designed to provide a deeper look at exhibits that interest your group most by providing a mini tour of some of our most popular exhibits. Each stop is lightly facilitated with an exhibit overview, Q&A, and time in the exhibit. Group organizers will select exhibit preferences when submitting a reservation request. The exact number of exhibits, exhibit order, and time at each exhibit will be at the discretion of Museum staff.

Exhibit options: Hostile Terrain 94, Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth, Race: Are We So Different?, Kumeyaay: Native Californians/Iipai-Tipai, Ancient Egypt

Exhibit preferences are taken during the reservation process.

Subjects Covered

history, immigration, native americans, social studies, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, adult, k, postsecondary, preschool
Capacity
15 stu., Max 4 chap., Min 0 chap.
Activity

field trip

Duration
30 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Tour Groups

Group Visit (self-guided)

Welcome group leaders! If you are booking a field trip for a K-12 school, please choose one of the K-12 options.

Group Visits are self-guided. They're a great fit for community outings for any organization type. As part of group check-in, a Museum Educator will welcome your group to provide information about the Museum of Us and answer questions. Advance registration required.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

GROUPS LARGER THAN 120 PEOPLE

Groups larger than 120 people will need to make a second reservation and visit as two groups, each with a specific arrival time.

VISIT DURATION

The duration of 90 minutes is based on average group visit time. There is no time requirement for group visits. The duration of your group visit is up to you.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, social studies, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, adult, postsecondary
Capacity
120 stu., Max 30 chap., Min 0 chap., 1 chap. per 0 stu.
Activity

tour groups

Duration
90 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Workshop: Hostile Terrain 94 Toe Tag Completion

Welcome group leaders and community organizers!

Workshops are fully facilitated by Museum of Us Educators. General admission included after the workshop has finished.

WORKHSOP DESCRIPTION

The Hostile Terrain 94 exhibit features a participatory map of the lives lost crossing the Sonoran Desert region of the US-Mexico border. Each person is represented by a toe tag and placed on the location where their body was found. Workshop participants will write toe tags to later be installed on the exhibit wall map. Background information about the exhibit and time for discussion are other key components to the workshop.

This workshop directly connects with loss of life and violent realities of migration along US border regions. The experience and content can be very powerful and personal. Please use your discretion to decide if this is an appropriate fit for your group. There are no graphic images but content does include references to death and violence.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, immigration, social studies, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, adult, postsecondary
Capacity
35 stu., Max 8 chap., Min 0 chap., 1 chap. per 5 stu.
Activity

tour groups

Duration
60 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Workshop: Equity vs. Equality

Welcome group leaders and community organizers!

Workshops are fully facilitated by Museum of Us Educators. General admission included after the workshop has finished.

WORKHSOP DESCRIPTION

This workshop is designed to add context to RACE: Are We So Different? exhibit and ongoing realities of racial injustice today. Participants will play a popular board game to demonstrate the differences between equity and equality. The workshop includes facilitated discussion to highlight connections between the game and reality, as well as spark new ideas of how to center equity, access, and inclusion in our everyday lives.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, modern history, social studies, government & civics, social justice

Grades
10, 11, 12, adult, postsecondary
Capacity
35 stu., Max 8 chap., Min 0 chap., 1 chap. per 5 stu.
Activity

tour groups

Duration
60 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Exhibit Tour: Hostile Terrain 94

Guided Tours are designed for small groups and exhibit-specific. General admission included after the guided exhibit tour has finished.

TOUR DESCRIPTION

While Hostile Terrain 94 covers a small amount of space in the Museum, the stories in the exhibit span for miles and millennia. This tour emphasizes the value of human life and discusses how government policies influence the way people think about land, life, and loss. The tour provides deeper understanding of the exhibit features and highlights our inherent relationship with the US-Mexico border -- and beyond.

The Hostile Terrain 94 exhibit directly discusses loss of life and violent realities of migration along US border regions. The experience and content can be very powerful and personal. Please use your discretion to decide if this is an appropriate fit for your group.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing option that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

immigration, social studies, government & civics, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, adult, postsecondary
Capacity
15 stu., Max 4 chap., Min 0 chap.
Activity

tour groups

Duration
40 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Exhibit Tour: Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth

Guided Tours are designed for small groups and exhibit-specific. General admission included after the guided exhibit tour has finished.

TOUR DESCRIPTION

This tour leads participants through the newly updated Maya Peoples exhibit. The tour celebrates the past, present, and future of Maya Peoples worldwide and highlights the diversity of the Maya community. Maya voices are at the heart of the tour, and tour groups will have opportunities for discussion and questions.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please choose the pricing category that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, social studies, cultural connections, design thinking, social justice

Grades
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, adult, postsecondary
Capacity
15 stu., Max 4 chap., Min 0 chap., 1 chap. per 8 stu.
Activity

tour groups

Duration
40 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist

Exhibit Tour: Race: Are We So Different?

Guided Tours are designed for small groups and exhibit-specific. General admission included after the guided exhibit tour has finished.

TOUR DESCRIPTION

What is race? What is racism? What is the importance of race in today’s world? This participatory tour takes a closer look at the development and maintenance of racism in the United States. Exhibit Tour groups will engage in facilitated discussion about key aspects of the exhibit, as well as build connections between the exhibit and societal issues of today.

PRICING & SCHOLARSHIP

Please choose the pricing option that best matches your group.

If your group needs an admissions scholarship, choose "Scholarship". You will receive an email with full details after your reservation request has been processed.

CONFIRMATION

You will receive email confirmation and important information about your visit via email from the Museum of Us and Explorable Places. Be sure to check junk mail and alternate inboxes and adjust inbox settings as needed.

Subjects Covered

history, modern history, social studies, cultural connections, social justice

Grades
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, adult, postsecondary
Capacity
15 stu., Max 4 chap., Min 0 chap.
Activity

tour groups

Duration
40 min.
Book Now Join Waitlist