The best way to learn is to do.
That’s a truth educators have long been aware of. But whether students are interested in science and technology, history, or the arts, they will be pleasantly surprised by educational attractions around the country that bring learning to life. Travel planners can make a big impact on their student and youth groups by selecting destinations that offer interactive workshops, immersive programming and hands-on activities.
Here are seven experiential learning attractions with programs that go above and beyond typical galleries and exhibits.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Huntsville, Alabama
Home to some impressive spacecraft and memorabilia, including the Saturn V moon rocket, the Apollo 16 command module and an Apollo 12 moon rock, Huntsville, Alabama’s U.S. Space & Rocket center has an abundance of programming for young visitors that has earned it international recognition. It’s home to Space Camp, a summer camp that lets campers train like astronauts, as well as several other esteemed STEM programs, but the center even makes everyday field trips seem out of this world.
Student groups of 15 or more can choose between three tiers of field trip offerings: the daily group, which includes general admission to the park’s exhibits and space-themed amusement rides, like the G-Force accelerator and Moon Shot; the Daily Space Adventure package, featuring general admission, park rides and an Intuitive Planetarium show; or the Ultimate Field Trip package, which includes general admission, a tour guide, a planetarium show and a one-hour lab for some hands-on learning.
Musical Instrument Museum
Phoenix
The Musical Instrument Museum, nicknamed MIM, is home to more than 7,500 instruments originating in over 200 countries and territories. It’s effectively a catalogue for every musical instrument in the world and has become one of Phoenix’s top attractions. Its many galleries and exhibits make it well-suited for student groups. The museum includes seven geographic galleries; the experience gallery, which encourages visitors to try their hand at playing; and a STEM gallery that investigates the connection between music and science, engineering and mathematics.
Each MIM field trip includes an orientation video, a museum tour and music-making in a hands-on gallery. Group leaders can choose between different field trip types, including guided or self-guided tours. Downloadable resources for teachers, from lesson plans to playlists, are also available.
International Spy Museum
Washington, D.C.
Of all the museums in Washington, D.C., perhaps none of them captures the imagination like the International Spy Museum, a nonprofit museum dedicated to exploring the world of espionage. Exhibits detail espionage’s influence on history, explore the art of code cracking and expose some famous covert missions. Some of its artifacts include the Aston Martin used in the James Bond “Goldfinger” film; a diplomat’s shoe outfitted with a hidden microphone; and the lipstick pistol once used by Russian KGB agents during the Cold War.
On-site student workshops add another layer of learning to field trips. Options include workshops and simulations on forensics, code cracking, propaganda and the Cuban missile crisis. These interactive programs each last an hour or less. The museum offers additional educator resources, including detailed, age-appropriate exhibit guides.
The Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago
Home to famous works like “Water Lilies” by Claude Monet, “American Gothic” by Grant Wood and “The Old Guitarist” by Pablo Picasso, The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the country’s largest and most prestigious art museums. And, when visiting the Windy City, it’s a must-see for students. The downtown museum has over 1 million square feet and 300,000 permanent works, so groups can spend anywhere from just one hour (the museum has a convenient guide for one-hour trips with all the highlights) to a whole day.
Student groups can opt for either guided or self-guided experiences in the museum. Tours can focus on themes like art across cultures, art’s relationship to activism, or art and literacy. The museum even offers a special experience on a limited basis, the Art Studio Experience, which lets students create art in the museum studio and take their works home.
Indianapolis Zoo
Indianapolis
Home to dozens of species of majestic animals, like Aldabra tortoises, chimpanzees, orangutans, tigers, brown bears and many more, the Indianapolis Zoo is one of the thriving city’s top kid-friendly attractions. It’s among many attractions in the city’s White River State Park, and the zoo is also included on the Indy Attraction Pass, a pass that gives visitors access to many of the city’s top-rated attractions. With 64 acres of indoor and outdoor animal habitats, as well as 3 acres of beautiful outdoor gardens, Indy’s zoo is guaranteed to enthrall students of all ages.
Field trips elevate a traditional zoo visit with several optional add-ons designed for children of all ages. Younger children will learn through play-based activities, while older kids might enjoy a “learning safari,” which is a 45-minute guided tour of the zoo. Another option is the animal care learning safari, which takes students to the animal medical center where students will learn about how the zoo provides veterinary care for animals. STEM Investigations allow student groups of up to 30 at a time participate in hands-on learning for a range of topics, from “zoo math” to biodiversity.
Atlanta History Center
Atlanta
Atlanta is jam-packed with engaging museums fit for student groups, and the Atlanta History Center, celebrating its centennial in 2026, is no exception. The museum got its start as the Atlanta Historical Society, and, after decades of collecting a vast archive of the city’s history, the organization became a brick-and-mortar museum complex in 1990, complete with 33 acres of gardens, four historic homes and many rotating exhibits inside the museum. Exhibits cover topics ranging from railroad history in the U.S. to women’s often understated roles in wartime. Off the main campus, the Margaret Mitchell House also belongs to the museum; there, visitors can tour the historic home where the famed author wrote the classic novel “Gone With the Wind.”
Field trips to the Atlanta History Center come with a self-guided tour option. The museum also offers more interactive tours with five themes, including Cherokee history and culture; farm life; the Civil War; the Civil Rights Movement; and the Olympics. Tours last about two hours, and students can visit the rest of the museum following their guided tour.
Museum of Science
Boston
Located directly over the Charles River, which separates Boston and Cambridge, the Museum of Science was originally founded in 1830 as the Boston Society of Natural History. Today, the museum has a focus on STEM and natural sciences, and it delights visitors of all ages with three floors of exhibit halls. It also features a planetarium, an IMAX theater and fascinating exhibits like the 65-million-year-old nearly complete fossil of a Triceratops.
Field trips through the museum’s hundreds of exhibits and thousands of artifacts are fascinating on their own, but student groups can also take advantage of live presentations and drop-in activities to add something special to their visit. With topics ranging from robotics demonstrations to presentations featuring live animals, student groups can see science up close and meet real scientists. Drop-in activities offer hands-on displays of engineering, technology and science for top-notch experiential learning, whether students are building and testing their own prototypes or learning about human biology.
