Tyler Junior College | Ticketing

Field Trip Information

Greetings Teachers and Educators,

We are very excited to open The Earth & Space Science Center for field trips for the 2026-2027 school year beginning on September 8! Please take the time to familiarize yourself with these changes here prior to reserving your field trip.We have made changes to our field trip reservations, based on the size of your group. Please familiarize yourself with these changes prior to submitting your reservation.

Thank you for your interest in visiting the Earth and Space Science Center for an out-of-this-world field trip experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 903-510-2312 or email sciencecenter@tjc.edu. We look forward to seeing you and your students this school year!



Field Trip Information
Reservation Request Form:

Please make sure you are familiar with our field trip policies prior to submitting your request. When you are ready to submit your field trip reservation request, you may do so at the link below.  

Field Trip Reservation Request Form Link

    Field Trip Times:

    • Field trip reservations will be available Tuesday-Friday from 9:30am-11:30am.
    • Our doors will open at 9:30am, but in order to make sure your group is organized and ready we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes ahead of time.
    • If there will be a delay or cancellation in arrival, it is the responsibility of the field trip sponsor to contact the TJC Earth & Space Science Center as soon as possible to inform us of the change.
    • We suggest allowing at least 90 minutes for your field trip to receive the full experience. If you arrive after 9:30am we will do everything we can to accommodate your group, but all field trips will be concluded no later than 11:30am.


    Field Trip Activities:
    Field trips last approximately 90 minutes, and will include the following activities:

    • Planetarium show in our 40-foot domed planetarium theater (show length approx. 35-45 min)
    • Hands-on exhibit time with our exhibit: Velocity!
    • We also offer grade appropriate and content relevant investigation activity add-on


    Field Trip Group Size Limits:
    To allow for adequate spacing within our facility, and to ensure a safe, fun, and educational environment field there is a maximum number of visitors that are allowed with each field trip.

    • Group sizes may not exceed 100 total visitors (students, teachers, chaperones).
    • Field trip groups will be limited to students, teachers/educators, and school-approved chaperones only. Additional parents, siblings, and other relatives will not be allowed to join the field trip at this time.
    • For groups that will exceed 100 total visitors, we recommend reserving 2 or more field trip days.

    New for the 2025-2026 school year, we are offering different options and pricing for field trips based on group size. Please review the options carefully.

    Field Trip Cost

    Small Group Field Trip- $100
    For smaller groups of less than 50, we offer the option of a field trip experience that includes a planetarium show of your choice, as well as private time in the exhibit hall for a flat fee of $100. You will have the option to add on a standards-aligned classroom investigation station activity for an additional $50.

    Large Group Field Trip- $150
    For larger groups of 50-100, your field trip experience will include a planetarium show of your choice, private time in the exhibit hall, and a standards-aligned classroom investigation station activity for a flat fee of $150.

    Parking

    • Buses may drop students off at the parking lot at the intersection of Lake Street and Mahon Avenue (Lot F-5, in front of the Science Center) or at the Apache Pass in front of Wagstaff Gym.
    • After drop-off, bus parking is available at any of the TJC parking lots along Lake Street and Mahon or any parking lots along Palmer Street. (Buses may not park in Lot F-5).
    • There are a limited number of reserved spots for cars to park in front of the Science Center (Lot F-5)
    • Remember that parking can be extremely difficult to find so please factor this into your travel plans.


    Reservations

    • All reservations will need to be made through our updated website: Field Trip Reservation Request Link  
    • Please assemble the following before scheduling your field trip: school name, address, phone number, lead contact, alternate contact, phone numbers, and email addresses.
    • Attendees: grade level, number of students, teachers, bus drivers, and all other chaperones. (One chaperone for every nine students is required.) Please keep in mind that the total number of visitors allowed is 100. NO EXCEPTIONS
    • Date/Times: dates and show time, plus an alternate date and show time in case we are already booked.
    • Show and Activities: Specific programming and any special programming you would like for us to cover.
    • Special Needs: The planetarium can accommodate a limited number of persons in wheelchairs. Please advise the scheduling coordinator when making reservations.

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    Field Trip Program Options
    When you complete your field trip reservation form, you will be asked to choose which program you would like for your students. Please review the planetarium shows below.  If you have questions about which program would be right for your group, please call us at 903-510-2312 or email sciencecenter@tjc.edu 

    Planetarium Shows
    For a list of all our planetarium shows and their descriptions, visit the show information page:

    Planetarium Show Information