General Science
Astronomy
Health and Medical
Zoology (including vetinarians offering tours and animal rescue centers)
Entomology
Botany (including green houses, nurseries, orchards and pick-your-own farms)
Agricultural (including farms and ranches offering tours)
Geology (including caves offering tours)
Environmental
General ScienceSt. Louis Science Center
5050 Oakland Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-289-4444
www.slsc.org
Science museum, Omnimax theatre, planetarium, tours, programs, home school classes, private group educational programs, camps, camp-ins, teacher’s resources and room facilities.
Astronomy
Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis
205 Brotherton Lane
St. Louis, MO 63135
314-521-6205
e-mail info@clcstlouis.org
http://www.clcstlouis.org
The award-winning Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis provides space education programs for school groups, corporations, scouts, community groups and the general public, as well as summer camps and birthday parties. At the core of the Center are state-of-the-art space simulators, which include an orbiting space station, and a Mission Control center modeled after NASA's Johnson Space Center. Participants can experience one of two simulated space missions, Voyage to Mars or Rendezvous with a Comet.
Observatory Open House
University of Missouri at St. Louis
Richard D. Schwartz Observatory
8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis, MO 63121
314-516-5706
http://newton.umsl.edu/astro/astro.pdf
A public viewing/open house weather permitting and group tours by appointment 314-516-5931.
St. Louis Science Center
5050 Oakland Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-289-4444
www.slsc.org
Science museum, Omnimax theatre, planetarium, tours, programs, home school classes, private group educational programs, camps, camp-ins, teacher’s resources and room facilities.
Health and Medicine
Dental Health Theatre
727 North 1st Street, Suite 103
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
314-241-7391
http://www.communityconnection.org/resource_pages/45477.html
The Dental Health Theatre is the only one of its kind in the world, just like your smile. It is a unique combination of entertainment and dental health education, presented by a dental health educator.
DePaul Health Center
12303 DePaul Dr.
Bridgeton, MO 63044
314-513-4444.
Offers three interactive programs for children through the St. Louis Community College: Junior Doctor- ages 8-12 will view & discuss x-rays, tour operating room wearing scrubs, and visit the Labor and Delivery patient; Advanced Junior Doctor- ages 13-16 provides hands-on medical and surgical demonstrations with real surgical equipment. Junior Nurse- ages 8-12 teaches basic nursing assessments, including taking temperatures and blood pressure readings, and listening with a stethoscope. They also offer tours.
Logan Chiropractic College
1851 Schoettler Rd.
Chesterfield, MO 63017-5529
636 227-2100
http://www.logan.edu/pages/welcome_main.asp
Community educational outreach for high school students. Anatomy laboratory and Tour of the Body program. Tour of the Body is a Logan educational outreach program
that focus on the role of dissection of human cadavers in health care education. Programs are for high school students only.
St John’s Mercy Medical Center
615 S. New Ballas Road
St. Louis, MO 63141
314-251-6000
http://www.stjohnsmercy.org/sjmmc/
Tours of facility, laboratory tours, classes, seminars, workshops and community events.
St. Joseph Hospital of Kirkwood
525 Couch Avenue
Kirkwood, MO 63122
314-966-1500
Tour of hospital, various departments include, x-ray, maternity, ER, and laboratory.
St. Luke’s Hospital
232 South Woods Mill Road
Chesterfield, MO 63017
314-434-1500
http://www.stlukes-stl.com/services/institute_health_education/index.html
Tours, classes and community educational events through the Institute for Health.
Speakers Bureau - St. Luke's provides health care professionals to speak to parents, civic and professional organizations, church groups and schools free of charge.
Zoology
Annual Snake Crossing
Il Rte 345
Contact: Scott Ballad
Ill Dept of Natural Resources
618-993-7094
See annual migration of amphibians and reptiles across the highway. Call Illinois Department of Natural Resources for expected dates and any related programs.
Dog Museum
1721 S. Mason Road (in Queeny Park)
St. Louis, MO 63131
314-821-3647
Museum collection focusing on canines.
Duren, Ralph
Call of the Wild
573-395-4498
http://www.ralphduren.com/
Performs wild animal calls, demonstrations, stories, and speaker at children’s events.
The Environmental Learning Facility (ELF)
Riverlands Way
West Alton Missouri
618-462-6979 or 877-462-6979.
This classroom, overlooking Ellis Bay, is an excellent way to conduct an activity indoors, when you cannot go outside or when classroom facilities are needed. The ELF can hold up to 75 people. It is equipped for showing videos or slide presentations The ELF also contains a touch table for exploration and several mounts and birds, waterfowl and mammals. Chairs and tables are provided. This facility maybe be reserved for group use.
Grant’s Farm
10501 Gravois Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63123
314-843-1700
http://www.grantsfarm.com/
Grant’s Farm is home to more than 1,000 animals, representing more than 100 different species from six continents. Tours, interpretive programs, petting and feeding zoos and home of the Anheuser Bush Clydesdales.
Lone Elk Park
I-44 North Outer Road west of Highway 141
Valley Park, MO 63088
636-225-4390
http://www.stlouisco.com/parks/LoneElk.html
Drive through wildlife refuge with bison, elk, deer, ducks, and wild turkeys; interpretative center, classes and various public programs offered through St. Louis County Parks.
Missouri Department of Conservation
PO Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102
http://mdc.mo.gov/
Conservation area, interpretative Centers at Jay Henges, Powder Valley, Rockwood, and Bush Wildlife providing various educational programs including classes, camps, field trips, tours, and community outreach educational programs, teacher resources, training workshops, educational consultants, Outdoor Teacher Education Center, libraries, media loans, discovery trunks, habitat packs, curriculum, books, posters, videos, and newsletters and magazines.
- additional programs
Frontiers - on-going, regular educational program, students earn points and awards
- kind of like environmental scouting and a popular home school program.
Volunteer - programs
Perre Marquette State Park See the Eagles Program
P.O. Box 158
Grafton, IL 62037
618-786-3323
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R4/Bald_Eagle_Days.html
Guided eagle watching tours and interpretive programs begin mid-November.
Purina Farms
County Road MM
Gray Summit, MO 63039
314-982-3232
http://events.purina.com/dogs/farms/
People and their pets are the focus of this facility, which offers a special complex
featuring educational displays, videos, demonstrations, live animals, a children’s play area and maze. Tours, educational programs, and canine competitions.
St Louis City Mounted Police
Forest Park Forever
5595 Grand Drive
St. Louis, MO 63112-1095
314-367-7275
Offers tours of Mounted Police Station in Forest park, built in 1919, once served as a hanger for the City's first commercial airport. Its adjoining 100 acre landing field (known as "Aviation Field") served private airplanes, as well as aircraft of the U.S. Aerial Mail Service. Forest Park has been the site for aeronautical activity since 1907, and that tradition continues today with the yearly hot air balloon races.
Wild Canid Survival (Wolf Sanctuary)
Tyson Research Center
P.O. Box 760
Eureka, MO 63025
636 938-5900
http://www.wolfsanctuary.org/
A private, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of the wolf and other endangered canids through education, research and captive breeding - offers tours, classes, and hosts annual open house.
The World Aquarium at City Museum
701 N 15th Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-231-CITY
http://www.citymuseum.org/whatsnewaquarium.htm
Individual admission or group tours of marine zoological park housed in the City Museum.
World Bird Sanctuary
Lone Elk Park
125 Bald Eagle Ridge Road
Valley Park, MO 63088
636-861-3225
http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/
Wild Bird Sanctuary, offering tours, walk through interpretive centers, indoor and outdoor, various educational programs, community events, teacher resources, and birthday parties.
Veterinarians Offering Tours
Clarkson-Valley Veterinary Clinic
32 Clarkson Wilson Ctr
Chesterfield, MO 63017
636 530-1808
Offers education group tours to students.
Tri-City Animal and Bird Clinic
15646 Manchester Rd.
Ellisville, Missouri 63011
314-227-4041
Offers educational group tours to school groups.
Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centers
Animal Protective Association of Missouri
1705 South Hanley Road (just south of Highway 40)
St. Louis, MO 63144
314-645- 4610
e-mail: info@apamo.org
Animal shelter, docent tours, outreach programs, curriculum and lesson plans, and resource library.
D-D Farms
6000 North Creasy Springs Road
Columbia, MO 65202
573-446-0648
www.ddfarm.org
Animal rescue center and sanctuary. While not open to the public, they do provide group tours and talks.
Humane Society
1201 Macklind Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-647-8800
http://www.hsmo.org/
They offer group tours, Pet Etc. Classes, and Kritter Summer Camps covering the unique care of various pets. They will also organize outreach programs for school groups.
They also offer school tours of Longmeadow Rescue Ranch which is one of the most comprehensive large-animal rehabilitation centers in the United States. On any given day, as many as 150 animals from throughout Missouri make Longmeadow their home.
Longmeadow Rescue Ranch
Union, MO
Contact: Earlene Cole, Ranch Director at Ext. 701
636-583-8759
http://www.longmeadowrescueranch.org/
Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, a division of the Missouri Humane Society is one of the most comprehensive large-animal rehabilitation centers in the United States. On any given day, as many as 150 animals from throughout Missouri make Longmeadow their home. They offer group tours to school groups.
Missouri Primate Foundation
636-931-8411
e-mail chimparty@aol.com
http://www.chimpsofamerica.com/habitat/
Chimpanzee rescue center. Group tours are available in exchange for donations.
Rainbow Ridge Ranch
PO Box 129
St Clair, Missouri 63077
636-667-6756
http://www.rainbowridgeranch.org
Providing a permanent sanctuary for abandoned, abused, neglected and unwanted horses, and horses whose owners can no longer care for them. Group tours are available in exchange for donations.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic
900 Gregory Lane
Fenton, MO 63026
636-343-6200
http://www.wild-life-rehab.com/
Wildlife rescue center offering group tours, annual open house, and volunteer opportunities.
Wildlife Rescue Center
1128 New Ballwin Road
Ballwin, MO 63021
636-394-1880
http://mowildlife.org/
Wildlife rescue center offering group tours, classes, annual open house, and volunteer opportunities.
Entomology
The Butterfly House
Faust Park
Chesterfield, MO 63017
636-530-0076
http://www.butterflyhouse.org/
A tropical conservatory housing more than a thousand tropical butterflies in free flight offering tours, classes, camps, teacher resources, and public events.
The Enn’s Entomology Museum
University of Missouri - Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211
573 882-6333
http://www.museum.insecta.missouri.edu/
Currently holds approximately 5.75 million specimens of insects, arachnids and fossils.
Insectarium
St. Louis Zoo
One Government Drive
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-468-5440
http://www.stlzoo.org/
Individual and group programs, classes, camps, Keeper for a Day Program, birthday parties, facility rentals, docent tours, outreach program, teacher resources, library, zoo cases, slide sets, curriculum, lesson plans, Zoo’s Alive teen volunteer program, public
lecture series, camp-ins and Keeper Talks.
Botany
Missouri Botanical Gardens
PO Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166
314-577-9506
http://www.mobot.org/
At the garden - classes, camps, workshops, docent tours, community outreach programs, teacher resources, library, and ECO-ACT is an environmental leadership program for juniors and seniors in high school. Pitzman Nature Study Program for children ages 4-6.
Shaw Nature Reserve - docent tours, classes and programs, and Dana Brown Overnight Education Center - overnight camps with classes and programs.
Stupp Teacher Resource Center, located within the Education Division of the Missouri Botanical Garden, circulates activity kits, models, videotapes, CD-ROMs, and slide sets to teachers to enhance their science instruction. Teachers may also use the non-circulating collection of curriculum guides, environmental science and ecology books, and science education materials for background information and lesson ideas. The Education Division also offers a variety of professional development courses and workshops in botany, biology, ecology, environmental studies, and math and science education.
Litzinger Road Ecology Center - Field studies and labs, classes, summer camp programs, professional development programs, Ecological Restoration Corps (four-week service-learning program for high school students focusing on restoration of watershed and prairie habitats).
University of Missouri Columbia Campus
http://gradschool.missouri.edu/catalog/museums.html
Museums on anthropology, entomology, paleontology, archaeology, herbarium and experimental farms open to the public - some by appointment,
Agricultural - Farms and Ranches
Champ Goodwood Dairy Farm
257 Goodwood Farm Dr
Elsberry, MO 63343-3703
(573) 898-2997
Fully operational dairy farm providing tours to school groups.
Henry White Experimental Farm
State of Illinois Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 19281, State Fairgrounds
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
(217) 782-2172
Educational opportunities including guided tours are available for school groups and other organizations. For reservations call (618) 476-9229 or (618)233-5583 at least two weeks in advance. Individual visitors are also advised to call ahead to ensure guides are available. The farm's annual field day occurs each year on the first Saturday after Labor Day. Specialists are available to explain how the farm benefits agriculture and wildlife.
Peru Hollow Farms Alpacas
5679 St. Rte. 3
Waterloo, IL 62298
Owners: Tim and Nancy Yates
618-939-5810
http://alpacanation.com/farmsandbreeders/03_viewfarm.asp?name=12352
This alpaca farm is owned by a homeschool family. Call to arrange a tour or join them for Shearing Days in May.
“R” Pizza Farm
Junction of Illinois routes 3 and 109
Dow Illinois
618-466-5950
Pizza pie shaped farm. Each section is related to a product that is a component of the pizza - goat, dairy; wheat-crust, tomatoes-sauce…etc.. Demonstrates organic farming.
SayersBrook Bison Ranch
11820 Sayersbrook Rd.
Potosi, Missouri 63664
888-854-4449
http://www.sayersbrook.com/
Provides group tours of bison ranch.
Wier World Llamas and Alpaca’s Farm
Fairview Heights, IL
618-397-6364
Call to set up a visit. Spring is shearing time.
Orchards and Pick Your Own Farms
Centennial Farms
199 Jackson St.
Augusta, MO 63332
636-228-4338
www.centennialfarms.biz
School tours offered in September and October, covering the orchard business and bee keeping, apple picking, and various fruits and vegetables for sale.
Eckert’s Farms
618-233-0513
http://www.eckerts.com/
Family-owned and operated since 1837 by seven generations of Eckerts, is the largest pick-your-own orchard operation in the United States, offering a variety of school tours, programs and community events.
Belleville Farm
951 Green Mount Road
Belleville, IL 62220
Millstadt Farm
2719 Eckert Orchard Lane
Millstadt, IL 62260
Grafton Farm
20995 Eckert Orchard Road
Grafton, IL 62037
Huckleberry Hollow Blueberry Farm
1712 Sycamore Lane
St. Clair, MO 63077
636-629-0668
http://www.h-hollow.com/
You pick it, blueberry farm, offering four types of blueberries.
Lakeview Farms
8265 Mexico Rd, St Peters, MO
636-978-8830
http://www.lakeview-farms.com/
Lakeview farms is a family oriented pick your own ( PYO) raspberry, pumpkin, and strawberry farm located in St. Charles County Missouri near O'Fallon and St. Peters. Offers tours and activities to school groups.
Rombach Farms and Pumpkin Patch
636-532-7265
18639 Olive Street Rd
Chesterfield, MO 63005
Pick-your-own farm Tour and school group programs, as well as, community events offered. Pumpkin Patch and play area open during Halloween season.
Stuckmeyer’s Farm Market
249 Schneider Dr
Fenton, MO
636-349-1225
249 Schneider Dr, Fenton, MO
http://www.stuckmeyers.com/
Pick-your-own farm and orchard. Tour and school group programs.
Thies Farm and Greenhouse
Two locations:
3160 Creve Coeur Mill Road and 4215 North Hanley Road
314-428-9878
http://www.thiesfarm.com/
Pick-your-own farm and orchard. Tour and school group programs. Pumpkinland consists of half-acre play area with obstacle courses, swings, cable gliders, 30- foot slide, straw bale maze, living corn maze and wagon rides - during October.
Greenhouses and Nurseries
Gilberg’s Perennial Farms
2906 Ossenfort
Wildwood, Mo 63025
636-458-2033
Tours and educational programs through the Federated Garden Club and St. Louis County Parks and recreation.
Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center
2651 Barrett Station Rd
Town and Country, MO 63131
314-966-0028
www.sherwood-forests.com
Tours and educational programs through the Federated Garden Club and St. Louis County Parks and recreation.
Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri
Fox 2 Children's Garden Club
The Children's Garden Club, a local division of the National Garden Club, is designed to educate, as well as bring delight in gardening and horticulture with projects they start themselves and take home to continue to grow and enjoy. Club sponsors competitions and awards scholarships.
Geology
Bussen Quarries
Jefferson Barracks Plant
5000 Bussen road
St. Louis, MO 63129Contact: Mark Bussen
314 894-8777
http://www.bussenquarries.com/contact.shtml
Quarry tours offered to school groups.
Klondike Park
St. Charles' County Park
4600 Hwy 94 South
Augusta, MO 63332
636-949-7535
www.stccparks.org
County park hiliting an abandon silica quarry, with lake, shelters, cabins, trails and conference center. Unique sandstone terrain is the hilite of the park.
University of Missouri Columbia Campus
http://gradschool.missouri.edu/catalog/museums.html
Museums on anthropology, geology, entomology, paleontology, archaeology, herbarium and experimental farms open to the public - some by appointment,
Caves
Bonne Terre Mines
651 E Oak
Bonne Terre, MO 63628
573-358-2148 or 314-731-5003 or 888-843-3483.
Walking and boat tour in closed, flooded lead mine.
Cliff Cave County Park
806 Cliff Cave Rd
St. Louis, MO 63129
http://www.co.st-louis.mo.us/parks/CliffCave.html
Guided tours.
Fantastic Caverns
Science Research Program
4872 North Farm Road 125
Springfield, Missouri 65803 - U.S.A.
417 833-2010
http://www.fantasticcaverns.com/
Fantastic Caverns Science Research Program offers special tours and educational materials to homeschoolers during their Home School Week at Fantastic Caverns. They offer our school group rates for the educational cave tour to area home school groups regardless of the number attending. These rates are $5.75 for children age 12 and under (discounted from $11) and $13.50 for age 13 and above (discounted from $19).
The all riding tour addresses geology, history, cave life, karst and groundwater. The trip through the cave takes about 55 minutes and is available from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily. While we do not require a > deposit, we do anticipate high demand for the tour. Calling for reservations would certainly be appreciated.
Meramec Caverns
Stanton Missouri
800-676-6105
http://www.americascave.com/
Guided tours.
Onondaga Cave
7556 Hwy. H
Leasburg, MO 65535
(573) 245-6576
http://www.mostateparks.com/onondaga.htm
Guided walking tours.
Rockwood Cave
Rockwood Conservation area
Glencoe Road
St. Louis, MO 63069
636-458-2236
http://mdc.mo.gov/
Guided group tours by reservation.
Environmental
Albericci Construction Company
Green Building Tour
2150 Kienlen Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63121
314-733-2007
Alberici has been awarded the platinum award from the U.S. Green Building Council LEED® for its eco-friendly systems and is considered one of the top buildings in the world for energy efficiency and reuse. They use some wind power and solar for hot water. Monthly open houses are on the first Wednesday (excluding holidays) of each month from 2-3 pm. It's a great field trip. You do need to register in advance for the tour. They also will provide private groups tours. For more information contact their concierge at 314.733.2001.