ECHO welcomes schools year-round!
With our incredible location on the historic Burlington waterfront, ECHO serves as the perfect destination for your half-day or full-day adventure, no matter the season.
Build Your Field Trip | Teacher’s Choice Programs | Preparing for Your Visit | Frequently Asked Questions
How to Build an ECHO Field Trip
Step One
Start with a self-guided tour, which provides the framework for any ECHO field trip and gives your group access to more than 100 hands-on exhibits, live animals, engineering challenges, pre- and post-visit resources, and a personalized welcome by ECHO staff. You decide when and how long you’d like to visit.
Step Two
Decide on any optional experiences you’d like to add to your trip:
- Teacher’s Choice Programs ($80/program, plus admission, for up to 25 students).
Our most popular option! Designed for students grades K-12, each 50-min, educator-led program builds on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Offerings include a range of science, engineering, and cultural topics. Browse Teacher’s Choice Program offerings. - 3D Science & Nature Film ($3/person, plus admission)
Add this option to your visit and experience stunning 3D educational films. Browse our current film offerings (online schedule reflects current offerings; please contact us for future schedules). - Champ’s Legendary Creemees (Please contact us for current flavors & pricing)
Add a sweet treat for everyone in your group (open late May through mid-October).
Step Three
Reserve your trip through our brand new online registration form and get immediate confirmation!
Questions? To check availability or ask questions about school groups or programs, or for information about reduced pricing, please email groups@echovermont.org
Group Admission Pricing
| Pre-K through 12th grade student admission to ECHO | $4* |
| One adult admission to ECHO for every five youths, teachers included | Free |
| Each additional adult admission to ECHO | $4* |
| College student admission to ECHO | $10 |
| 3D Film ticket (plus admission) | $3 |
*Reduced pricing while grant funds are available.
Teacher Resources
We have resources to enhance your field trip experience! Visit our Teacher Resources Page for ECHO Treks, Social Stories, sensory resources, and more.
ECHO Educator’s Guide
Download the 2024-25 Educator’s Guide
Download the 2024-25 Classroom Poster: Scoop the Poop!
Download the Scoop the Poop! Classroom Activity Guide
Teacher’s Choice Program Options
Designed for students grades K-12, each 50-min, educator-led program builds on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Offerings include a range of science, engineering, and cultural topics. Browse program offerings below, then add your selected Teacher’s Choice Program when you book your trip with our online registration form.
$80/program, plus admission. Limit 25 students per program, 3 programs per field trip group
It’s a sponge, it’s a filter, it’s a nursery – it’s a wetland! After exploring the living and nonliving elements of this important habitat, students will use the Engineering Design Process to plan, build, and test a tool to clean polluted wetlands.
Students will learn how local animal populations are affected by human structures and how we can minimize our impact. They will then use the Engineering Design Process to plan, build, and test a structure to help animals cross roads safely.
Students will learn about the decline and recovery of peregrine falcon populations. They will then use the Engineering Design Process to plan, build, and test a container to catch falling eggs.
Students will learn about the ecology of Vermont butterflies and then use the Engineering Design Process to plan, build, and test a tool to help monarchs migrate.
Students will learn about the American eel and their amazing migration of over one thousand miles from Lake Champlain to the Sargasso Sea. They will then use the Engineering Design Process to plan, build, and test a way for eels to “fly” over dams blocking their migration.
Explore Native American artifacts to illuminate the sophistication of pre-1800s Abenaki life. Students will learn how to interpret historical objects in order to better understand traditional ways of life.
Students will receive a grade-appropriate introduction to ECHO’s Turtle Headstart program. They will use the Engineering Design Process to transport model turtles to safety as they plan, build, and evaluate solutions to ECHO’s zip line challenge.
Students will receive grade-appropriate information about the causes, effects, and possible solutions to climate change. They will then use the Engineering Design Process to plan, build, and test a wind-powered vehicle that runs the length of a MagLev track.
Preparing for Your Visit
We are delighted that you have chosen ECHO as your field trip destination. Please read through the following information to ensure a smooth and successful trip. Be sure to share important information with chaperones and students and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have.
Before Your Visit
- Decide on several possible dates for your visit. You will be able to choose from available dates during the registration process.
- Reserve your trip through our brand new online registration form and get immediate confirmation!
- Chaperones play an important role in your group’s visit. In return for their help, ECHO provides complimentary admission for one chaperone for every five students. Teachers count towards your chaperone ratio.
- Print out the Chaperone Information Sheet, fill it out, and make a copy for each chaperone.
- Print out copies of the Bus & Chaperone Parking Map and share with dus drivers and any parents who will be driving to ECHO.
- Make sure the chaperones are aware of their responsibilities, the schedule, and your expectations for student behavior while at ECHO.
- Please review expectations for behavior while at ECHO with your students.
- Name tags with first names and the name of your school are helpful for our staff.
- Groups must be paid for in ONE payment (students and chaperones together). Individuals paying separately will be charged our regular admission rate and will not be counted as part of your group.
- Payment can be made upon arrival or invoiced after. If you have an outstanding balance following your visit, we will email a final copy of your invoice to your trip leader or another contact if that information is provided.
- ECHO accepts all major credit/debit cards, cash, and checks made out to “ECHO”.
- The admission desk will ask for a final head count at the time of your visit.
- Sorry, no other discounts apply for individuals counted as part of your group admission.
- Please note we do not have a dedicated lunch space.
- Weather permitting, most groups bring their own lunch and picnic on ECHO’s Dealer.com Terrace or in Waterfront Park. We will provide a place for you to store your lunches.
- When the weather is inclement, ECHO may be able to arrange indoor space for lunch. We will do our best to accommodate your group depending on our daily event schedule.
Please email us for hours and pricing.
- If your group is interested in visiting Champ’s Legendary Creemee stand, please visit us in groups of 10 people or fewer.
- We can accept payment after all orders have been taken and distributed. Group payments must be made at the time of visiting the creemee stand. We cannot invoice you for your ice cream.
- Our flavors are vanilla, chocolate, maple, and one changing flavor. Dairy free options are available but vary.
- Students must be accompanied by an adult chaperone while in the museum gift shop.
- Please do not wait until the end of your visit to have your group visit the store at once. Instead, have small chaperoned groups of students rotate through the store throughout your visit.
- If you do not want your students visiting the Museum Store, be sure to make this clear to the students and the chaperones before your visit.
- If you have questions or need to make changes to your reservation please contact our registrar at ticketing@echovermont.org or (802) 864-1848 ext. 124. If you have questions or need to change visit details within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival, please contact ECHO’s front desk at (802) 864-1848 ext. 100.
- Trips may be canceled and rescheduled due to weather conditions without penalty. If you are concerned about weather, please call the day before your trip. For non-weather related cancellations, schools must contact us at least 24 hours in advance of their scheduled arrival time to re-schedule, or pay a $100 no-show fee.
We have resources to enhance your field trip experience! Visit our Teacher Resources Page for ECHO Treks, Social Stories, sensory resources, and more.
These resources can be used before, during, and after field trips.
During Your Visit
- Busses CANNOT drive into the circle in front of ECHO. The City of Burlington restricts traffic in the circle to city buses only. Your buses will instead unload in front of the Waterfront Information Booth in the city parking lot near ECHO. A map will be sent with your field trip confirmation.
- Please review the Bus & Chaperone Parking Map with your bus driver.
- Buses can park for free on Pearl Street and Leddy Park. Paid parking is available at Perkins Pier.
- If no parking is available at the locations marked on the Bus & Chaperone Parking Map, buses may park at 266 College Street.
- Chaperones coming in private cars or schools traveling by private car pay $5.00 per car to park. To park in our lot, head toward the Lake on College Street, cross the railroad track, take a left onto our driveway, and park in our lot behind ECHO. Pay the $5 fee at ECHO’s front desk.
- If you arrive by bus, an ECHO Educator or Guest Services Representative will meet you at the Waterfront Information Booth. If you arrive by car, you will be met at the front doors.
- One teacher should go to ECHO’s admission desk to check in. The admission desk will ask for a final head count and can accept ONE payment for all students and chaperones in your group. Your organization can also be invoiced later if that is preferred. ECHO accepts all major credit/debit cards, cash, and checks made out to “ECHO.”
- An ECHO Educator or Guest Services Representative will greet your group on arrival. If you arrive by bus, please keep students on the bus until ECHO staff arrive.
- If your visit includes a Teacher’s Choice Program, your entire group will be led into ECHO’s classroom for a brief orientation before programming begins. If you are signed up for multiple programs, students will split their time between the classroom and the museum, according to a schedule which ECHO’s educators will create and share with you.
- If your group is going on a self-guided tour of the exhibits, you will receive an ECHO orientation before you are sent out to explore.
- Education Staff, museum volunteers, and interns will be on hand during your visit. They will be facilitating activities, presenting scheduled programs, and will be available to talk to your students. Please encourage your students to ask questions.
- There are several ECHO Treks available on our website to introduce students to ECHO’s exhibits before your visit and support their exploration while at ECHO. They are linked on the Teacher Resources page.
- You may choose to include a Teacher’s Choice Program as part of your ECHO Field Trip. Programs last 50 minutes and cost $80 per session for up to 25 students. We can teach up to three programs per field trip group, accommodating up to 75 students.
- Large groups will split into smaller groups and rotate through the program and a self-guided tour of ECHO exhibits. If you would like to discuss the schedule prior to your visit, please feel free to email School Programs Coordinator Eli Phillips or call at (802) 864-1848 ext 151.
- Have fun and ask questions!
- Treat the exhibits and the other visitors with respect.
- Walk in and around building.
- Please no food in the exhibit spaces.
- You are visiting the home of over 70 different kinds of live animals. Be respectful by using indoor voices and not tapping on the glass of their enclosures.
ECHO staff may take photos of your group interacting with exhibits or participating in a program. These pictures are sometimes used for our website, social media, or other promotional materials. If you do not want your group to be photographed, please inform a member of our staff.
School Group FAQs
Typically groups will stay for about 2 and 1/2 hours. During this time they can explore ECHO’s exhibits and attend activities and demonstrations taking place throughout the day.
We recommend one adult chaperone for every five children (not necessary for middle and high school students).
We require ONE payment for all students and adults and will only charge for the number of people who are present on the day of your visit. Therefore, we prefer payment upon arrival, or invoiced after, to avoid the need to issue refunds. We accept all major credit/debit cards, cash, and checks made out to “ECHO”. If your organization requires a purchase order or prepayment, please email us.
No, groups are not part of general admission to ECHO and require more resources from our Staff. Memberships may not be combined with group admission and are not considered part of any group reservation.
If you plan to eat lunch during your visit, you must let us know ahead of time, as ECHO does not have a dedicated lunch space. This can be done easily when you register online for your trip, but you can also email or call to update us if plans change.
Weather permitting, groups often picnic on ECHO’s Dealer.com Terrace or in Waterfront Park. A place will be provided for you to store your lunches, but we ask that you leave all other personal items behind (no backpacks, please). When the weather is inclement we will do our best to accommodate your group indoors, depending on our daily event schedule, so we do need advance notice. Indoor lunches will also be picnic-style; please let us know if any students or adults need tables and chairs as an accommodation.
Free bus parking is located on Pearl Street and at Leddy Park. Paid parking is available at Perkins Pier (see map).
If no parking is available at the locations marked on the map, buses may also park at 266 College Street.
Chaperones may park in ECHO’s lot (behind the building) for $5 per car per day. Pay this fee at ECHO’s front desk.
Groups must cancel at least 24 hours in advance of their scheduled arrival time. If you do not call us to cancel and receive confirmation of cancellation from ECHO we will charge a $100 no-show fee.
Teacher’s Choice programs are led by ECHO’s Education staff and run approximately 50 minutes each.
Groups of up to 25 students select one 50-minute program. Larger groups will split into smaller groups and rotate through the program and a self guided tour of ECHO exhibits. We can teach up to three programs per field trip group, accommodating up to 75 students.
The maximum is 25 students per program; however, we can schedule up to three programs per field trip group, accommodating up to 75 students.
If your group has signed up for Teacher’s Choice programming, our team will create a schedule for your visit, generally with the programming happening at the beginning of your visit. If you would like to discuss schedules before your visit, please feel free to email School Programs Coordinator Eli Phillips or call at (802) 864-1848 ext 151.
For self guided visits, there is no need to create a schedule for chaperone groups. We find that small groups move at their own pace depending on their interests. Their experience is best if adult leaders follow the interests of their group as they move through the museum.
Yes. Animal Care demonstrations are offered at 11 am and 2 pm daily unless otherwise noted.
Yes. There are several ECHO Treks available on our website to introduce students to ECHO’s exhibits before your visit and support their exploration while at ECHO.
Yes. ECHO is part of the Leahy Center Campus that includes our top floor partner, the Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room — a staffed library, computer research lab, video archive, and artifact exploration space with maps, charts, photographs and posters. The Resource Room also boasts a unique library of children’s fiction and non-fiction books related to the Lake’s ecology, culture, history, and “stewardship action” partners in the region.