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Field Trip FAQ
Need help navigating a field trip to The Tech Interactive? Check out our FAQs below! If you have a question not listed below, feel free to contact Group Reservations at (408) 294-8324, option 3.
Planning and booking
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School field trip pricing and programs are available to all TK-12 school groups, including public, private, charter, and home schools. Title I pricing is only available to California TK-12 schools.
Summer field trip pricing is available to all youth-serving out of school time programs, such as camps, community programs, and summer schools. If you are unsure if your group qualifies for this pricing, please give our Group Reservations team a call at (408) 294-8324 option 3. Our staff is happy to walk you through the pricing options for your group.
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School field trips are available early September through mid-June from 9 am to 3 pm. Summer group field trips are available mid-June through mid- August from 10 am - 5 pm.
For a more detailed look at our operating schedule, please see the calendar below.
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Review our pricing below:
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Yes, The Tech Interactive requires adult chaperones over the age of 21 for all school and youth groups serving grades TK-12. See the ratio requirement table below.
Chaperone to Student ratio
Grades K-1
Maximum: 1 adult per 4 students
Minimum: 1 adult per 8 students
Grades 2-8
Maximum: 1 adult per 6 students
Minimum: 1 adult per 8 students.
Grades 9-12
Maximum: 1 adult per 8 students
Minimum: 1 adult per 12 students
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Additional chaperones beyond the maximum ratio for your grade level will be charged the student rate. Chaperones with Tech Interactive memberships are not able to use their membership for entry as part of a field trip group.
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There are many opportunities for exploration for your students at The Tech Interactive! Please see the list below for our available field trip experiences.
You can also find a floor map of The Tech Interactive on our website.
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Yes, we offer lab and IMAX add-ons for all field trips, but they must be booked in advance. Please inquire at the time of booking for lab add-on options. Additionally, we recommend checking Today at The Tech Interactive during the week of your visit to see the latest programs and events happening at The Tech Interactive.
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To request a field trip reservation, you need to submit your request a minimum of two (2) weeks in advance for general admission and three (3) weeks in advance for Science Labs and IMAX Educational Films. In order to get your desired dates and add-on programs, we recommend requesting your field trip at least 3-4 months in advance. After submitting your request, a Group Reservations specialist will contact you within five (5) business days to confirm details and accept a deposit payment.
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No refunds will be issued for your field trip admission, labs, or IMAX film if you cancel less than three (3) weeks before the reserved date. Please know that we will be flexible in the case of public health or school district directives; in this instance, we will work with you to reschedule your trip or refund your payment.
In addition, no refunds will be issued for unused field trip admission and/or IMAX tickets on the day of your visit. However unused admission and/or IMAX can be applied towards late-addition chaperones.
Preparing for your visit
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Yes! Field trip organizers can get one free entry ticket if they bring their order confirmation and photo ID to the ticketing desk on any of our open operating days.
Alternatively, you can preview a rundown of your day on our Field Trip Youtube playlist.
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You can also find a floor map of The Tech Interactive on our website.
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Yes! Check out Today at The Tech Interactive during the week of your visit to see the latest programs and events.
Your chaperones can also access this document on the day of your field trip by scanning the QR code from any Today at The Tech sign once onsite.
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We have a great playlist of videos that can help prepare your students for what they will see and do at The Tech as well as what is expected of them.
Be sure to show your students the “For Students” video the day before your visit to provide them with the appropriate behavior expectations for their day at The Tech. You may also use our Student Behavior Contract in addition to the videos.
We also have an abundance of resources available to support your field trip experience both before and after your visit.
- Hands-on Lab resources: pre- and post- visit activities to support and extend your hands-on lab experience back in the classroom.
- IMAX film resources: lessons and activities that can support the film experience. These resources are provided by the film production companies and may not be available for all films.
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Since 2017, The Tech has been home to a permanent Body Worlds exhibition called “Body Worlds Decoded.” Entrance to this exhibition area is included in your general field trip admission ticket and available to any student group with valid field trip admission.
Please see our Body Worlds Decoded Fact Sheet for more information that you can share with your students’ guardians.
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Yes! To see what an average visit to The Tech Interactive might look like, check out our Social Story. From there, you can use our Sensory Guide to find sensory-friendly spaces or determine the levels of light, sounds, smell, and thought throughout The Interactive.
Day of your visit
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The Tech Interactive opens to school groups at 9 am.
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If your group will be arriving significantly late on the date of your trip, please call Group Reservations at 1-408-294-8324, option 3. If no one is available at that number, call Group Check-In at 1-408-795-6137.
We understand that groups may arrive late due to circumstances out of their control. We will do our best to accommodate late arrivals; however, it may not always be possible for lab experiences or IMAX films.
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This video provides an overview of the check-in process and what to expect for teachers. Expect the check-in process to take approximately 10-15 minutes depending on crowd levels for the day.
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Each group will be assigned a scheduled lunch time at the time of booking to ensure the lunch area is not overcrowded. Please adhere to your scheduled lunch time.
We have a few options for lunch locations at The Tech Interactive:
- Weather and school policies permitting, we suggest taking your lunches to Cesar Chavez Park across the street. There is plenty of room for students to spread out and burn off extra energy.
- Within the Interactive, you can take your lunch in New Venture Hall, a large open space on the ground level. Please note that there is no seating available at this time so groups will have to sit on the floor.
- If you have an IMAX film, your students can eat their lunch in the theater. Staff will ensure your lunch bins are brought to the IMAX entrance prior to your scheduled film time.
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Yes! You can exit The Tech and re-enter during your field trip as many times as you need. All you need to do is show your ticket at the entrance. Students must be with their chaperone both to exit and re-enter The Tech.
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Students or chaperones who have been separated from their group should immediately find a Tech staff member. The staff at The Tech Interactive are trained in the Code Adam child safety program and will begin the protocol for locating and reuniting a lost child.
If you or a member of your group are in need of first aid or medical assistance, please alert a staff member right away. The staff member will alert our first aid certified security team to the location of the incident.
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Yes, both the cafe and concessions are open to field trip groups, if you allow it for your group.
The concession stand opens at 11 am. If you are allowing your students to get concessions prior to their IMAX film, please encourage them to get in line at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the film.
The Tech Cafe presented by Lunch with Tony opens at 10:30 am. If your entire student group is planning on ordering lunch from the cafe, we suggest ordering in advance to ensure a timely lunch delivery. To order or for more information, contact info@tonycaterstoyou.com or call 408-263-4366 option 1. Minimum of 20 to order.
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Completely up to you! Students are allowed in the gift shop, but must be accompanied by their chaperone. We do have a strict capacity limit due to the small size of our gift shop. On busy days, students may have to wait in line for entry to the gift shop.
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If needed, we have two wheelchairs available for checkout. A valid photo ID will be required for checkout.
We have a family bathroom available on the ground level near the multi-stall restrooms. The code to the family bathroom can be found on the door.
We also have a nursing pod available, located on the lower level near the restrooms. This is not a place for students to play or hide.
For any lost and found items, please see the Visitors Services staff or volunteers on the ground level.
After your visit
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Our Group Reservations team will email you a form via DocuSign for you to complete. You will need a copy of the invoice from your transportation company (dated after the field trip date), your order number from The Tech Interactive, and how you would like to receive your reimbursement (check or direct deposit). You have 30 days to complete the form for your reimbursement to be processed.
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We encourage you to debrief with your students and have them share their favorite parts of the field trip. If your class participated in a Hands-on Lab or an IMAX, you can access related activities on our website to further extend the learning experience.
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Certainly! We have a range of educator resources available on our website to help bring the spirit of The Tech Interactive into your own classroom. These resources can support and enhance your teaching curriculum.