San Francisco K-12 bus rentals

Founded by Frank Oppenheimer (brother to J. Robert Oppenheimer), The Exploratorium opened in the fall of 1969 in what had been the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco’s Marina District. Oppenheimer was the director until 1985, shortly before his death. What makes the Exploratorium in San Francisco unique from other museums is that it operates from an understanding of art and science as complementary.  All of the activities that they offer for field trips involve a hands-on approach to deep learning about science, art, and human perception. Uniquely,  the museum employs a group of passionate high school students or “explainers” to engage visitors at select exhibits, lead science demonstrations, and run many of the museum operations.

The Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco was originally built as part of the 1894 World’s Fair, making it the oldest public Japanese Garden in the United States. The gardens open daily at 9 a.m. During the winter, they close at 4:45 p.m., while in the summer, they close at 5:45 p.m. The original site was about one acre large and has been expanded to about five acres. The gardens feature classic Japanese elements, such as pagodas, a zen garden, koi ponds, and an arched drum bridge.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a great location for a San Francisco field trip and is designed specifically for children between the ages of three and ten. The museum’s programs are all NGSS-aligned, including the STEM workshops for students and teachers that use an engineering approach of “think, make, and try.” While these workshops are rigorous, they are also designed to be fun while still encapsulating best teaching practices.

The Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is located in San Jose, a short drive from San Francisco. The park takes a parallel play approach to learning in which students get to see animals up close and then mimic their movements on the playground. The park offers several curated programs that align with NGSS and CC standards, but Happy Hollow Park and Zoo can also work with you to customize a custom lesson based on the age of your students and the topic to be covered.

The Conservatory of Flowers is a botanical garden and greenhouse located in Golden Gate Park. It’s the oldest building in the park, as it was built in 1879. If you’re teaching your students about plant life, this is the ideal spot for a field trip. The greenhouse is built in a Victorian style and is stunning. The conservatory is home to about 1,700 plant species. Bay area schools who reserve in advance qualify for free admission, however all field trips are required to have a 1:6 ratio of chaperones to students. There are options both for self-guided visits and guided tours.