Museum Field Trips

Tour information and resources

 We encourage teachers wishing to schedule a visit to the museum or schoolhouse to review the following information:

Please schedule at least two (2) weeks in advance to reserve a time slot to avoid conflicting visits. We are able to accommodate two classes in one day. If your school has more than two classes per grade, we can schedule additional days. The average visit to the CMU Museum lasts about 90 minutes (approx. 60 minutes for a formal program and 30 for free explore time of our exhibit spaces). Contact us by email or call 989-774-2380.

Suggested donations
Tours: $0.50 per student and $1 per adult

Thanks to a generous donation from the John R. & Constance M. Harkins Community Fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation and the Gary and Barbara Russell Free Busing Endowment, we can reimburse transportation costs!

Current programs

Students will be given time to explore the main galleries before or after the programs listed below.

    Learn about the birds of Michigan and the adaptations that help them to survive in a variety of environments through hands-on activities including touching various bones and feathers, learning to identify birds during a birding activity, and more.

    Backyard Birding registration form

    Engage with authentic historical artifacts while you learn what life was like for both Indigenous peoples and French voyageurs during the height of the Fur Trade in Michigan. Program features a reproduction of a trade cabin that is opened up for exploration during scheduled programming. Ideal for students in 3rd-5th grade, but topics can be adjusted to suit younger/older grades.

    Fur Trade Registration Form

    Between 1860 & 1900, the Great Lakes region experienced a lumber boom that led to industrial growth throughout the nation. Though economically positive, largescale deforestation and erosion led to the industries decline in Michigan. Explore what daily life was like in a lumber camp and examine the environmental impacts that led to calls for conservation and sustainable forestry practices. 

    Great Lakes Lumber Boom Registration Form

    Learn about the four components of habitat and see various Michigan animals up close (taxidermy specimens, some of which can be touched by students). Identify animals and the adaptations that help them survive. Students will test their knowledge in our habitat-matching challenge, compete for resources in a game of survival, and create an insect of their own.

    Habitats registration form

    Our reconstructed, historic one-room schoolhouse, located on CMU's campus, is a great opportunity for students to experience a schoolhouse in the early 1900s, including completing lessons from the time period, playing vintage games, and learning about animals they would have seen walking to school.

    Please note: Schoolhouse can accommodate up to 30 students at a time. Great for all ages!

    One-Room School Program registration form

    Want to introduce your students to the idea of college? Book a middle school campus tour with the CMU Museum to learn about different colleges within the university and career options! Tours are led by current CMU students and museum staff who help answer questions about daily life on campus. This is a outdoor/walking tour.

    Middle School Campus Tour Registration Form