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Before You Schedule

Selecting a Visit Date

In order to accommodate your request, please select three possible dates. Availability is updated weekly.

To avoid rescheduling or cancellation, please check your school’s calendar for holidays, test dates, late arrival/early dismissal, teacher in-services, and report card pick-up before requesting your field trip date.

Length of Visit

Field trips last from two to three hours, based on content, not including lunch. Lunch is an additional 20 minutes before or after your tour depending on option selected.

Group Size

There is a 10 student minimum. The maximum number of students allowed on a field trip depends on the tour option you choose.  Tour sizes range from 10 – 160 students.*

Group Size Range*
• 10 – 20
• 21 – 40
• 41 – 60
• 61 – 80
• 81 – 100
• 101 – 120
• 121 – 140
• 141 – 160

We will assign one docent for each group of 20 students.

If you exceed the maximum number of students allowed on a field trip, please fill out an additional tour request form for each field trip you would like to schedule. 

Chaperone Policy 

• Medical/behavioral aides accompanying special needs students, over and above the 1:10 ratio are also granted complimentary admission.

• Additional chaperones not serving as necessary aides are charged the group tour fee of $15/adult.

• Bus drivers and tour operators are granted complimentary admission.

• College/University field trips do not require chaperones. 

Field Trip Pricing 

Field trip pricing is applied to all scheduled visitors, including Museum members.

Age Limit

Field trips are available for students ages 8 – 22.

Lunch

Lunchroom facilities must be reserved, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to request the Student Dining Hall on your field trip request form if you would like your students to eat at the Museum. 

Groups that have confirmed Student Dining Hall reservations must bring student lunches in disposable paper or plastic bags, not hard or soft re-useable lunch bags. Lunches will be stored during your tour; refrigeration is not available.

Parking

The Museum maintains six bus parking spaces in our main lot and there is no fee to park in these spots.

Already Scheduled

Payment - Deposit

• A non-refundable $50 deposit is due within 14 business days of receiving your field trip confirmation, or immediately if your field trip date is less than 30 days away.  Your deposit will be applied to the total balance of your field trip admission.

• Online credit card payments are preferred.  Checks should be mailed to Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Attn: Field Trips, 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie, IL 60077.

Online payments can be made via PayPal.

Payment – Balance

• We encourage you to pre-pay your full field trip balance in advance of your visit.  If advanced payment is not possible, the balance of your field trip payment is due upon arrival. 
• Please organize payment in full for the entire school group in the form of credit card, check, or cash (exact change only).  We do not accept purchase orders.

Changing Field Trip Plans

In order for the Museum to properly plan for all interested student groups, a one-time change may be made to the following:

• Number of Students
• Rescheduling (Date and Time)
• Cancellation
• Addition of Lunchroom

up to 30 days in advance of the tour, based upon availability.  All changes must be requested in writing to the Education Department, faxed or emailed on official school letterhead or via official school email address.  Letters can be faxed to 847.967.4804.   Changes will not be accepted by phone. 

Number of Students

After final confirmation of your student group size, we shall not issue any refunds or make any final balance due adjustments for failure to adhere to the confirmed group size.  We reserve the right to invoice schools for any unpaid balance due.

Rescheduling (Date and Time)

Any request to reschedule within 30 days of the field trip date will be considered a cancellation, a new request and deposit must be submitted.

Cancellation

Refunds will not be given for cancelled tour.  If you group is unable to travel to the Museum due to extreme weather conditions, please call us at 847.967.4848 as soon as possible.  We will make every effort to reschedule your visit, based on availability.

During your visit

All visitors must pass through metal detectors and have their belongings scanned.  For your safety, all items brought into IHMEC are subject to inspection.

Please leave all coats, bags, and valuable personal belongings back at school or on the bus.  It is a very short walk from the bus into the Museum!

Prohibited items:

• Food and beverage (Except bagged lunches for groups with Dining Hall reservations)
• Chewing gum and candy
• Writing utensils (pencils, pens, etc.)
• Still and video cameras

Behavior

Every visitor has a right to enjoy an exciting and educational visit to the Museum.  Inappropriate behavior that detracts from others' experince with be dealt with at the discretion of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center staff or docent volunteer.  Such behavior may result in a group being asked to leave the building and could jeopardize future visits to the Museum.

Photography

No photofraphy of any kind is allowed inside Museum exhibitions.  Photography is permitted by chaperones in public, non-exhibtion spaces(i.e. lunchroom, lobby,) and outside the building.  Video cameras are prohibited.

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