Field Trip Basics
NEW- Scheduling is now done on a twelve month rolling calendar, meaning you can schedule a trip as far out as twelve months from today’s date!
- School sanctioned scheduled field trips are free of charge for both students and chaperones, including home school communities.
- Field trips are geared for 4th- 12th grades. Lower grades are encouraged to visit the park grounds, gardens, tank park, hiking trail and picnic area, but will not be permitted into the museums.
- Reservations are required and are available every day excluding Monday. The park is closed the entire month of January and opens Friday-Sunday in February.
- Field trips are scheduled to visit both the Robert R. McCormick Museum and the First Division Museum in order to keep the group sizes manageable and to enhance the student’s experience.
- Field trips are available in four time blocks per day: A 9:30- 12:00, B 10:00- 12:30, C 11:30- 2:00 or D 12:00- 2:30. These times include arrival, orientation, visits to both museums and walking time. Lunch will add approximately 45 minutes to your field trip time.
- A maximum of 90 students may be scheduled per time block. If your group exceeds 90 students, you must reserve two back-to-back time blocks or split your group into two days. One chaperone is required for every 10 students.
- Brown bag lunches must be eaten in our picnic area April - October. There is no indoor option during those months. Our restaurant space, Le Jardin, is available during November, December, February and March, if there are no scheduled special events. Indoor lunch times are assigned based upon your field trip time slot. Box lunches are available for purchase. (On the left hand menu, click Forms and Additional Resources under Documents to access the menu and order form)
- NEW- Late Arrival Policy Please be on time. Late arrivals will not be guaranteed their scheduled tour. Your start time is clearly indicated in your confirmation form. Please note this time is 30 minutes prior to your first tour time. This allows you enough time for viewing our introductory movie, group organization and walking from the Visitors Center to your first museum.
- If you are running late or must cancel, call 630 260 8207 to alert the tour guides and staff. Late arrivals will not receive a complete tour. Any group arriving at Cantigny Park more than 20 minutes past their scheduled arrival time can not be guaranteed a tour at all. Groups arriving at the museums over 15 minutes past their scheduled tour time will be accommodated only if space and time are available.
- If your tour is cancelled due to late arrival at Cantigny Park, teachers will be offered a self-guided outdoor activity to complete while waiting for their second tour time (a Tank Park tour or McCormick Museum architectural tour). We ask your cooperation so that we may accommodate as many school groups as possible.
Download our Field Trip Planning Kit for complete field trip information. (On the left hand menu, click Forms and Additional Resources under Documents)
To request a field trip date, simply follow these steps:
(Please note, this online system is for school field trips ONLY- to request a date for an Adult Group or Youth Group, please call 630 260 8162)
1. View the availability calendar below to find available dates and times. A larger view is accessible by clicking School Tour Availability under Lists on the left hand menu. Click Expand All to see all the blocks in each date square.
The time blocks you see listed are the blocks available. If you do not see a time block, it is already booked. If the date square is empty, there are no blocks available that day.
If you are interested in a weekend visit- please call 630 260 8162.
2. Based on our availability calendar, complete a Field Trip Request Form. The Field Trip Request Form can be found on the left hand menu, under Documents. Additional valuable resources can also be found under Documents.
3. Email your completed form as an attachment (preferred method) OR
Print your completed form and fax it to: 630 668 5332
or mail to: Cantigny Field Trips
1 S 151 Winfield Road
Wheaton, IL 60189
Most requests will be processed the same day, but please allow up to three business days to process your request form. You will receive confirmation materials via email. Note that your reservation is not confirmed until you receive these materials.
Unable to Schedule a Field Trip to Cantigny Due to Availability?
We encourage you to try our History Trunk Program or download resource packets for use in your classroom.
History trunks provide an opportunity for students to handle uniforms and field gear used by soldiers in a specific war. Trunks are available for the Civil War, World War I and II, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. A teacher’s guide is included in each trunk. History trunks may be checked out for two weeks and require a reservation made at least one week in advance.
To reserve a history trunk, please contact Museum Educator Melissa Tyer at 630 260 8274 or MTyer@FirstDivisionMuseum.org
Resource Packets
Resource packets may be downloaded from www.FirstDivisionMuseum.org, by clicking Education and Groups, Teachers, and then Resource Packets.
The following packets are available: Teachers’ Guide to the First Division Museum, American Revolution Unit, Ottenfeld letters from World War, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge.