NSA classes at Carnegie Museum of Natural History are educational programs designed for students from Pre-K to high school. These classes incorporate current scientific knowledge and the museum’s collections to engage students with a variety of activities that promote an understanding of the earth, environmental change, evolution, and the impact of these forces on Earth’s inhabitants over centuries.

Classes are a combination of unique hands-on experiences inside our classrooms and guided time in our exhibitions. Depending upon the age level of your students and the selected topic, classes may also include projects or take-home activities.

Click here for a note on state standards.

Scheduling
Classes must be scheduled at least four weeks in advance. Please schedule early, as the demand for classes is high, especially during the spring months.

Reservations
Contact the Group Visits office at 412.622.3289 or GroupVisits@carnegiemuseums.org for more information.

Required Chaperones
Pre-K/Kindergarten: One adult per five students
Grades 1 and up: One adult per 10 students
Required chaperones admitted free; additional adults pay student cost

Fee
One-hour class: $8 per student; $100 minimum fee per class
90-minute class: $9 per student; $100 minimum fee per class
Payment is due two weeks in advance of your visit.

Refunds
– If your program numbers decrease or if you must cancel, notification is required at least two business days in advance to receive a refund.
– If your program numbers increase by more than five people, please let us know in advance. We may not be able to accommodate increases, but we will make every attempt to do so.
– We can provide up to five general admission passes for absentees, which will allow them to visit the museum at their leisure. Refunds cannot be granted for the absentees.

Culture & Anthropology | Environment & Ecology | Geology & Paleontology | Interdisciplinary

Culture & Anthropology

Archaeology Detectives
Explore the excavation techniques of archaeologists and learn about western Pennsylvania’s indigenous people! Students analyze the cultural remains of a mock Monongahela American Indian dig site while learning more about Pennsylvania’s history.

Exploring Ancient Egypt
Discover the resources and geography of this highly developed civilization as you learn more about the mummies, treasures, and daily life of ancient Egyptian society.
– Virtual Egyptian Temple Tour: For an additional $2 per student, take a guided virtual tour of the Temple of Horus in an immersive Earth Theater show. See the Groups and Tours pages for more information about add-ons.

Inuit Know-How
Find out about the Inuit people and the animals they depend on for survival in the harsh Arctic climate! Students visit a replica igloo and examine a variety of Inuit tools and toys.

What’s in a House?
Join us for an overview of American Indian cultures! Through replica tools, toys, and homes, this class highlights the lifestyles on the Tlingit, Hopi, Iroquois, and Lakota.
– Virtual Seneca Village Tour: For an additional $2 per student, take a guided virtual tour of a village that could have been found in the western Pennsylvania area 500 years ago. See the Groups and Tours pages for more information about add-ons.

Environment & Geology

Completely Batty
Immerse your students in a world of bats! Students learn more about the important role these creatures play in our world as we explore habitat protection, echo location, and species diversity.

Exploring Ecosystems
Enjoy an adventure into the web of ecosystems and biodiversity. Students learn how different creatures (including humans!) and plants fit into the food web. We also delve into the topic of threatened, endangered, and extinct animals, and learn how we can all help to protect animals today.

Going, Going … Gone!
Learn more about the threatened, endangered, and extinct animals from different time periods and places on Earth. Examine a variety of confiscated wildlife trade items and discuss how we can help to protect animals today.

Going on Safari
Take a safari through the Hall of African Wildlife exhibition! Explore a wide variety of African animals as you learn more about their different environments and special survival adaptations.

Insect Mania!
Discover the diversity of our world’s insects! Take a close-up look at insects to learn more about their physical development, unique characteristics, and behavior. Try your hand at pinning a real insect.

Geology & Paleontology

Dinosaur Dig
Follow the process of dinosaur discovery and learn more about the Mesozoic Era and the work of a paleontologist as you explore the Dinosaurs in Their Time exhibition! Take part in a hands-on fossil wrapping activity and touch real fossils.

Rock Hounds
Bring your budding geologists to the museum for some first-hand experience with rock identification! Learn how rocks form and how to identify the special properties of a variety of rocks and minerals.

Journey Through Geologic Time
New! Take your students on an educational “trip” through geologic time! Explore geologic time periods, plate tectonics, and climate change in this exciting new class.

Interdisciplinary

Discovering Pennsylvania
Investigate the biodiversity of plants, animals, geology, and early Pennsylvanians in this creative class combination.

Academic Standards and Museum Programs

Carnegie Museum of Natural History can help you address state standards.

If you teach in Ohio or West Virginia or are required to address national standards in your work, we can assist you in identifying the corresponding relevant standards for each museum program.

Connections are readily apparent between museum programs and a multitude of the academic standards for science & technology, environment & ecology, geography, and history. Less well-known are the ways in which the museum’s versatile teaching resources can enhance lessons that address standards for arts & humanities or reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Art teachers have long utilized taxidermy mounts from the museum’s loan program as drawing models, and in recent years, some English teachers have used archived news releases from the Web site for creative writing assignments. We will continue to share information about using the museum to meet standards, so if you and your colleagues develop effective lesson units that utilize the museum's materials, please let us know about them.