Guided Tours

Note: Garden Classes and Guided Tours are completely booked for the Spring of 2012.  
However, self-guided tours are still available for these months.

Field trip registration for the 2012–2013 school year opens July 1, 2012.

All Guided Tours for school groups are aligned with state and national standards. Selected Guided Tours are correlated to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Grade-level Expectations (view or download Field Trip GLE correlations).

Guided Tours are led by trained Garden Docents and cover a variety of topics. Tours can be adapted for groups based on grade, curriculum focus, and for those with special needs. Please let us know of your requests when scheduling.

Guided Tours can start on the hour or half hour between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon and must conclude by 1 p.m. Group minimum is ten students; maximum varies. Guided Tours must be scheduled at least six weeks in advance. Request a Guided Tour

For more information please email schoolprograms@mobot.org or call (314) 577-5140.

Tour group with DocentRequired chaperones:
Grades PK–3: 1 adult per 5 students
Grades 4–12: 1 adult per 8 students

Fees for Guided Tours:

Schools within the ZMD:
Students and their required chaperones: free
Extra chaperones: regular admission

Schools outside of the ZMD:
Grades PK–8: $2 per student
Grades 9–12: $6 per student
Required chaperones: free
Extra chaperones: regular admission

Ready to register? Learn about preparing for your visit or go to the online registration form.

 

What is the ZMD?

The Garden receives support from property taxes levied through the Zoo-Museum Tax District (ZMD) and can therefore provide free admission and reduced program fees to schools within St. Louis County and St. Louis City. For schools outside the ZMD, additional fees apply. To find out if your school is within the ZMD, call (314) 577-5140.

 

Available Tours
Discover the Missouri Botanical Garden
Grades K–12
September–December & February–May
(tour runs 1 hour)

Schedule a tour!
Bee on flowerThe Garden is always beautiful, no matter the season. Discover the diversity of plants, get a glimpse of St. Louis history and explore gardens that reflect a variety of cultures, styles and traditions.
Tropical Rain Forest
Grades K–12
September–December & February–May
(tour runs 1 hour)

Download GLEs.
Schedule a tour!
Climatron interior
A tour of the Climatron® transports students to a lush lowland rain forest complete with waterfalls, tropical birds and some 1,500 plants. Students will see first-hand the structure of the rain forest, plant adaptation and the diversity of tropical plants.
Sensational Seed Hunt
Grades K–4
September–December
(tour runs 1 hour)

Download GLEs.
Schedule a tour!
Almonds on treeWhat is inside a seed? What do seeds need to grow? How are seeds dispersed? Join us as we find out the answers to these questions while going on a seed hunt throughout the Missouri Botanical Garden!
Plants from Top to Bottom
Grades K–4
February–May
(tour runs 1 hour)

Download GLEs.
Schedule a tour!
Lettuce in Kemper gardensCome and enjoy a tour through the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening that spreads out over 8.5 acres and includes 23 demonstration gardens! During the tour, students will learn about the six major parts of a plant and how each part plays a vital role in the plant’s survival.
Fabulous Food Chains
Grades 3–5
September–December & February–May
(tour runs 1 hour)

Download GLEs.
Schedule a tour!
WormsWhat is a producer? What is a consumer? What is a decomposer? Come explore the garden with us to find actual food chains in action right before your eyes!
Sustainability at Missouri Botanical Garden
Grade 3–Adult
September–December & February–May
(tour runs 1½ hour)

Schedule a tour!
Compost pile at the GardenSustainability-themed visits to the Garden integrate an interpretive tour of the site with hands-on investigations of sustainability concepts. Participants explore topics such as energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, recycling, composting, air quality, water conservation and the basics of green building while learning what the Garden is doing along these lines. Students discover how they can carry these practices over into their own lives.
Asian Gardens Tour
Grades 6–12
September–December & February–May
(tour runs 1½ hour)

Download GLEs.
Schedule a tour!
Zigzag bridge in Japanese GardenCome explore the culture, art and science of our Asian gardens! Students will explore the Margaret Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden (Chinese Garden) and learn how Chinese philosophies influenced the garden’s arrangement and plants. From there they will enter Seiwa-en, our 14-acre Japanese ‘wet strolling garden’, to discover how Japanese traditions are reflected in that garden’s design.

 

Climatron® is a registered servicemark of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Other Climatron Educational Services include:

  • Self-guided tropical rainforest tour
  • Plant studies
  • Educational materials regarding the rainforest (See Educational Resources)
  • Docent-led tours for people of all ages
  • Teacher-training workshops focusing on the rainforest and comparative ecosystem studies
  • Exhibits focusing on the rainforest and related issues
Quick Links
Visit the Children's Garden

Bring your class to the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden (open April–October)! School Groups that have pre-registered receive discounted admission to the Children’s Garden!

Schedule a class visit!

 

Learn at Our Other Sites!

Check out field trip opportunities at the Shaw Nature Reserve and the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House!

Or if you’re looking for an opportunity for in-depth field study with your students, consider Litzsinger Road Ecology Center, managed by the Missouri Botanical Garden.

 

Scholarships Available

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Education Department offers need-based scholarships so that every student has the opportunity to experience, explore, discover and learn at the Garden, the Shaw Nature Reserve and the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House. Both schools/organizations and individual students may apply.

Learn more