Tours
Group Visits to Anniston Museum of Natural History
Discounted group rates are available for pre-scheduled tours, for groups of 10 or more.
To receive a group rate, pre-book your tour at least two weeks in advance for a self-guided and three weeks in advance for a guided tour.
Payment will be made upon arrival and must be paid in one payment. Cash, check (with ID), VISA and MasterCard are accepted. Please note: Any adults and children accompanying the group, but who pay individually at the front desk, (anyone whose payment is not included already in the group leader's single payment, made at time of check-in) will be asked to pay regular full price admission. There are no exceptions.
To schedule your tour, e-mail gmorey@annistonmuseum.org or call the Tour Coordinator at 256-237-6766 ext 114 Tuesday – Friday 8:30-1:00pm.
A Pre-Visit Guide will be mailed to you providing detailed information on your visit. This guide includes fees, Museum exhibits and location map. To ensure the best possible Museum experience for you and your group, please carefully read this guide.
Guidelines For Touring
MS Word Adobe PDF
Click headings below for information on specific tour options:
General Group Tours
School Group Tours
Live Animal Presentations
Girl Scouts, Badge-in-a-Box
Tips for Touring
Tour Fax Sheet
Schedule a Tour
General Group Tours
Adult, Church Groups, Senior Citizens, Tour Operators
Self-guided tours allow your group to move at their own pace and focus on areas of interest. Self-guided tours are available Tuesday-Sunday (see general information for operation hours). Click here for an Exhibit Hall map and details about each exhibit area. Self-Guided: 1 hour $4.00/person
Guided Tours. Groups of 10 or more may book a guided tour. Guided tours are designed according to grade level and student number. Advance reservations of three-weeks or more is required. Teachers are free. Home school groups receive one free adult per 10 students. Guided tours are lead by experienced docents (educational guides) and Museum staff. Allow approximately 2 hours for a guided tour and an additional hour to visit other Museum attractions such as the Museum Store, Bird of Prey Trail and Tropical Conservatory as well as the Berman Museum of World History. Guided: 1 ½ -2 hours $5:00/person
Discovery Tour: Available: Thursdays only for groups of 60 or less. Groups of 20 or less/30 minutes in Collections. Time: determined by group size- up to 11/2 hours. Group rate: $5:00/person; includes Museum admission.
Visitors will discover a rarely seen area of the Museum in this ‘behind the scenes’ tour with the Collections Department. Visitors will learn about the care and curation of exhibits in a Natural History Museum. Afterwards visitors can explore the seven permanent exhibit halls at their leisure.
School Group Tours
Available for public, private and home school groups.
Teacher-led: 1 hour $4.00/student/chaperone. Groups of 10 or more. Teachers are free. Design your own tour to fit curriculum and support current classroom focus.
Guided: 1 ½ -2 hours $5.00/student/chaperone (unless otherwise stated)
Two-week advance reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. Teachers are free.
Specialty Guided Tour options:
Touch Trek Tour: (PK-2nd Grade and Special Needs groups) Available: September- May on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Large groups are divided into 35 students or less and rotate every 30 minutes into the discovery room.
Students can explore their world in the children’s discovery room and through hands-on activities provided in an educational kit for a teacher-led tour of other major exhibits. Nature Space, the hands-on discovery room, encourages exploration and appreciation of natural history through interactive stations including microscopes, an earthquake machine, and a cave. An Educational Specialist will provide a thirty minute program that reinforces curriculum connections for each grade level. The Touch Trek Kit enables students to continue learning on a teacher-led visit through the Museum. The kit includes hands-on objects and instructions to help students connect exhibits and concepts to everyday life. Curriculum Connections: Kindergarten: Senses; First Grade: Habitats in Your Backyard; Second Grade: Design for Life.
Safari Tour: (3-7th Grade) Available: September –May; Wednesday & Friday mornings. 100 students or less. Time: 2 hours
This tour will take students from the beaches of Alabama to the Savannah of Africa. The tour focuses on conservation and respect for the environment. Students will organize into small groups to complete this tour of adventure and discovery with the guidance of tour guides.
Wild Walks: (3-12th Grade) Available: Tuesdays only for groups of 35 students or less. This tour can be adapted for adults. Time: 45 minutes for Wild Walk, 1 hour for Teacher-led tour of Museum.
Take a walk on the wild side during this outdoor exploration tour. This tour will focus on the understanding of plant ecology. This grade specific tour is designed to teach plant identification as well as the ecology of this diverse area. Each season holds a different adventure. The Alabama Forestry Commission has designated this area of the Museum grounds a Treasured Forest. Students will have an opportunity to see Alabama’s second largest loblolly pine as well as view live birds of prey. Enjoy a teacher-led tour of the Museum after the Walk.
Discovery Tour: (8-12th Grade) Available: Thursdays only for groups of 60 students or less. Groups of 20 or less/30 minutes in Collections. Time: determined by group size- up to 11/2 hours.
Students will discover a rarely seen area of the Museum in this ‘behind the scenes’ tour with the Collections Department. Students will learn about the care and curation of exhibits in a Natural History Museum. Afterwards students can explore the seven permanent exhibit halls with teacher guidance and instruction.
To schedule a tour call the tour coordinator at 256-237-6766 ext 114, e-mail gmorey@annistonmuseum.org or print and fax Tour Fax Form for scheduling.
Add to your visit:
Scavenger Hunts
Enhance your group or family visit to the museum with a grade specific scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts are designed to support the Alabama Course of Study for grades 2-12 and are a great way to get more out of your visit to the museum. An Animal Bingo is available for K-1st grade.
Click here to go to the Scavenger Hunt page, where you can download grade level scavenger hunts for your group.
Live Animal Presentations
Add a 45 minute live animal presentation for your group. $75 per group, per presentation. Limit 180 people per presentation. Choose from these exciting topics!
Awesome Animals – a live animal program featuring unique animals from all over the world!
Alabama Animals – learn about the awesome diversity of animals that are native to our wonderful state!
Reptiles – call them slimy, scales, or cold blooded, but these unique animals have been here for millions of years and still have a few tricks up their sleeves!
Survival 101- you are either predator or prey! Learn what unique adaptations these animals posses that allow them to eat…or to keep from being eaten!
Birds of Prey - discover these fascinating animals and what separates these majestic creatures from other birds.
To schedule a Live Animal Presentation, call the tour coordinator at 256-237-6766 ext 114, e-mail gmorey@annistonmuseum.org
Girl Scouts, Badge-in-a-Box
Badge In A Box- for Brownie Troops
This on-site badge project allows Brownies to earn a certificate for 5 badges upon successful completion. Participants will visit the Anniston Museum of Natural History and Berman Museum of World History during one day and complete a series of activities with their troop leader.
The project includes the following:
• Pre-visit activity
• On-site, hands-on material in a kit to complete 5 “Try-its”
• Certificate for each participant (Badges are purchased at the Girl Scout council Store)
Brownies will complete the following Try-its:
• Let’s Pretend
• Manners
• Travel Rights
• Working It Out
• Animals
Availability: Saturdays during September through November and March through May
Cost: $7.50/ Participant; troop leader is free (1 per troop)
Chaperones, parents, grandparents, or additional visitors will be charged regular Museum admission: $5.00/adult; $4.00/child; Museum members are free. Adults/children may purchase a Passport that gives admission to both Museums for $10.00/adult and $9.00/child upon arrival at the Berman Museum.
Brownies who are members of the Museum are still subject to the $7.50/participant fee for this project.
Minimum number of this activity: 8 Brownies
Pre-book your tour at least two weeks in advance. Payment will be made upon arrival and must be paid in one payment. Cash, check (with ID), VISA and MasterCard are accepted.
To schedule your tour, e-mail gmorey@annistonmuseum.org or call the Tour Coordinator at 256-237-6766 ext 114 Tuesday – Friday 8:30-1:00pm.
Tips for Touring:
Unloading/Parking: Parking space is very limited: travel in as few vehicles as possible. Buses may unload students at the Museum entrance, then park across the street. Buses must maneuver a shape turn when exiting the Museum. Bus drivers are admitted free.
Picnic areas: Picnic area is first-come first-serve basis. There are 13 picnic tables on the Museum grounds. There are also covered picnic sites in Lagarde park, just beyond the Museum. To reserve Lagarde Park picnic facilities and picnic-area restrooms, you may call Anniston Parks and Recreation Department at 256-236-8221. On-site food facilities are not available, however many restaurants are in close proximity to the Museum; some cater to school groups.
Food, beverages (including baby bottles), chewing gum, and tobacco are not allowed in the exhibit halls. These encourage insects which can cause extensive damage to animal mounts.
Accessibility: Museum exhibit halls and Museum Store are fully handicap accessible. Two wheel chairs are available for our guests. Seating is provided throughout the exhibits.
Museum Store: No visit is complete without a visit to the Museum Store. Ready-made souvenir gift bags are available upon request. Request more information when scheduling your visit.
Outdoor Exploration: Get the most from your visit with some outdoor exploration! Enjoy the Museum’s Gardens & Nature Trails.
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