Field Trips
Celebrate Art and Storytelling with
a Field Trip to The Carle!
Engage students in hands-on, inquiry-based learning through our immersive field trip programs. Each 90-minute guided visit includes time to explore the galleries and create art in the Art Studio. Guided tours are available on Tuesdays , Wednesdays and Thursdays Programs and can be customized for all age groups.
Enjoy your field trip to The Carle with a guided or self-guided visit. Please complete an Inquiry Form at least two weeks before your visit.
Class visits to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art align closely with the Massachusetts Visual Arts Curriculum Framework by offering students immersive, hands-on experiences that support key artistic practices in the areas of creating, responding, presenting, and connecting. Through guided tours of exhibitions and participatory studio art workshops, students experiment with a range of materials and techniques, reflect on their own work and that of others, and gain exposure to the elements and principles of design. The Museum’s focus on picture book art provides rich opportunities for students to connect visual storytelling with language arts and social studies, deepening their understanding of art’s cultural and historical contexts.
These visits also align with the Massachusetts English Language Arts Standards by encouraging close observation, inference, narrative comprehension, and oral and written expression. Students analyze visual texts, make connections between images and words, and engage in discussions that build vocabulary and support interpretation—skills central to reading comprehension and effective communication. In writing or sharing responses to artwork, they practice organizing ideas, supporting opinions with evidence, and using descriptive language.
Furthermore, The Carle’s programs support goals outlined in the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts, both of which emphasize interdisciplinary learning, literacy across content areas, and the development of 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and creativity. By integrating visual and verbal storytelling, class visits to The Carle foster deep, standards-based learning that supports student growth across multiple disciplines.
Guided Field Trips
Led by Carle educators, guided field trips are 90 minutes and include time in the Art Studio and Galleries.
Program Availability
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and select Tuesdays in spring, availability-willing
9:30 am and 11:30 am
September through June
For summer dates, please inquire.
Group Size
Groups must be 10-50 participants.
Groups of 25 or more will be divided into two groups.
Program Focus
Nature Narratives
Through storytelling and art-making, explore the connection between art and the natural world.
Sharing Stories
Investigate how artists tell stories through pictures and create your own stories to share.
The Art of Eric Carle
Take a closer look at the creative process of Eric Carle and use that knowledge to inspire your own artmaking.
Explore, Imagine, Play
Encourage creativity, gross motor skills, and language development through an interactive storytime and imaginative play with art materials. (Recommended for Preschool and Kindergarten)
Fees
$8 Admission for Students/Youths. Students/Youth Admission to increase to $10 after July 7, 2025.
For Guided Programs a $25 Guide Fee is applied to each group of 25 Students/Youths.
Museum Memberships and passes do not apply to field trips. The Museum does not accept purchase orders.
Chaperones
The Museum suggests 1 chaperone for every 6 students. Chaperones are admitted free of charge.
Additional adults above the chaperone ratio will be charged adult admission ($15) and may be asked to tour the Museum separately from the group. One-on-one aides are admitted free of charge and are not included in the chaperone ratio.
Self-Guided Groups
Self-guided visits allow you to come as a group, receive an introduction and quick check-in, then enjoy the museum at your own pace.
Program Availability
Self-Guided Groups are welcome to reserve for any day and time.
Group Size
Groups must be 10-50 participants.
Groups of 25 or more will be divided into two groups.
Fees
$8 Admission for Students/Youths. Students/Youth Admission to increase to $10 after July 7, 2025.
Museum Memberships and passes do not apply to field trips. The Museum does not accept purchase orders.
Chaperones
$15 Admission for Chaperones
One-on-one aides are admitted free of charge.
Lunch at the Museum
As space allows, groups can bring their own lunches to eat in the Café. The outdoor courtyard is also available, weather permitting.
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships are available for field trips and are awarded at random through The Carle Community Fund. To be eligible to apply, schools must be a Title 1 school (all grades, all states). Please make note of eligibility status when completing a field trip inquiry form.
