As Schools Eliminate Field Trips, Some Museums Offer "Traveling Programs

The New York Times (4/22, Lewin) reports that "over the last few years, many schools have eliminated or cut back on museum trips, partly because of tight budgets that make it hard to pay for a bus and museum admission, and partly because of the growing emphasis on 'seat time' to cover all the material on state tests." In an effort "to make up for the decline in visits, many museums are taking their lessons to the classroom, through traveling programs, videoconferencing, or computer-based lessons that use their collections as a teaching tool." At Massachusetts' Museum of Science, for instance, "school visits have dropped about 30 percent since 2007." However, the demand has increased for the museum's "14 school travel programs," which range in price form $280 to just under $500.