The Walters Art Museum offers different types of free in-person field trips for grades Pre-K–12 during the school year and for camp groups during the summer. Registration for all field trips is required.
Looking for a fun and inspiring summer field trip? Bring your curious campers to the Walters, where they can explore the galleries, take part in self-guided activities, and drop by an art-making station. Discovery Visits are offered on Wednesdays and Fridays between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Planning ahead for the school year? Booking for fall 2026 field trips, including Guided Tours, Discovery Visits, and Self-Guided Visits, opens in August 2026.
Subscribers to our teacher newsletter will be alerted first when tour registration opens.
Learn more about the types of school field trips you can book below.
Make your own discoveries at the museum! During a Discovery Visit, you can explore the galleries at your own pace, interact with activities at Discovery Carts throughout the museum, and drop by an art-making station. Unlike a traditional museum tour, you decide where you want to go, which museum facilitator you’d like to learn from, and how long you want to stay in each location based on students’ interests and what they are learning in class.
At our Discovery Carts, students can…
What to know before your Discovery Visit:
If you prefer to guide your school group through the museum, you are welcome to do so.
Registration for all field trips is required.
Explore the galleries with Walters educators! During a guided tour, educators support student development of 21st-century skills through participant-driven, interactive conversations surrounding works of art.
What to know about your Guided Tour:
Fall 2026 Guided Tour offerings:
If you prefer a quieter visitor experience, we offer tour slots in the afternoon when Discovery Stations are closed and there are fewer students in the museum.
Enjoy the galleries, including our current special exhibitions, at your own pace. Please register so we are best prepared to welcome you.
Discovery Visits offer school groups the opportunity to interact with activities at Discovery Carts throughout the museum.
Walters educators facilitate interactive conversations about works of art during Guided Tours.
Self-Guided Visits allow school groups to explore the museum at their own pace.
Please read the information below to help answer your questions about school field trips. If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].
The Walters is pleased to offer a limited number of bus reimbursements to Title I schools throughout the state of Maryland. If you are interested in a bus reimbursement for your Title I school, please check the appropriate box on the registration form. This does not guarantee your reimbursement. If we are able to provide a bus reimbursement, you will receive information in a written confirmation letter via email.
Your school will be reimbursed after your visit. Schools are responsible for the scheduling and up-front cost of the bus. If you are scheduled to receive a bus reimbursement, all necessary paperwork must be received by the museum within 30 days of the field trip date. If we do not receive the paperwork within 30 days we will not be able to reimburse your school. You must have a minimum number of 25 students in your group to receive a bus reimbursement. Bus reimbursements are only available for Maryland schools. We realize that some schools receive free or reduced meal plans yet are not categorized as Title I. If this describes your school, please email [email protected] to discuss your specific situation. If we have arranged a bus reimbursement for your school and you cancel your tour with less than 48 hours’ notice, your school will be responsible for the cost of the bus.
Admission to the Walters Art Museum is always free; tickets are not required for entry. All tours are also free thanks to the generosity of our supporters. Please consider a donation of $12 per person for your tour group.
Visit our accessibility web page for more information on accessibility across the museum. Accessibility resources and accommodations are available for tours by emailing [email protected]. Please note, we ask for two weeks advance notice for ASL interpretation requests and three weeks advance notice for Spanish language interpretation requests.
Prepare for your visit by reviewing our Visitor Guidelines and familiarizing yourself with the Visitor Promise.
Please review the Group Parking and Transit Information before your visit.
Build excitement for your field trip or extend the learning experience after your field trip by using classroom resources from the Walters.
During your visit, your group may share gallery space with other tour groups and museum visitors. If you would prefer to schedule a visit outside public hours or arrange for a museum educator to visit your school, please contact [email protected].