What is the payment and cancellation policy?  

• Payments must be made no later than two weeks prior to your visit. Your field trip is subject to cancellation if payment is not received by this deadline.     

• No refunds are given for students unable to attend.    

• If school is canceled on the day of your visit, you may reschedule your visit within the same school year.    

• Arriving late to your visit may result in your add-on program being shortened or canceled. 

• Refunds will not be given to groups arriving late.  

Do TCMU memberships apply to field trips?  

• Memberships cannot be applied to student or adult admission on field trips.   

• Students of families with TCMU memberships will still need to pay the discounted field trip rate. 

How far in advance do I have to schedule a field trip? 

• We ask that you reserve your trip at least 2 weeks before.  

• Please note that there is an influx of requests during the school year and spots fill up quickly.  

• TCMU recommends reaching out 4-6 months in advance to increase chances of securing a desired date.  

Do you accommodate ADA students? 

• Yes, we do! If your class needs special accommodations, our staff will be happy to help you schedule an ADA day. Email rwills@tcmupstate.org for more information on how to book this option. 

Does TCMU provide scholarships for field trips? 

• Yes, South Carolina Title I Schools are eligible for scholarships. 

• Scholarships are available on a Pay What You Can model. If you are a qualifying school, please indicate the amount you are able to contribute per student when submitting your inquiry form.  

• Availability is based on donations that TCMU receives. Meeting the qualification criteria does not guarantee funding.  

Where should our group park?  

• Buses should pull as far forward as possible to accommodate other buses upon arrival. Once students have exited the bus, the driver is must relocate to West Elford Street across from the Greek Orthodox Church. Click here for a digital map.  

• Personal vehicles may park in the Heritage Green Parking deck located next to the Hughes Main Library. It is a city owned parking deck with a maximum fee of $5.00 per day. TCMU does not own the parking deck & cannot validate parking for chaperones.  

Is there a chaperone to student ratio?  

• One adult for every five students is required. Adults include teachers, teacher’s aides, parents, caregivers, etc.    

• For safety reasons, if the 5:1 ratio is not met, your group may be asked to leave. Your trips can be split into different days or can be rescheduled to another day.  

• Chaperones should be at least 18+ years old  

I’m an adult chaperone. What are my responsibilities?  

• Chaperones are responsible for the behavior of children assigned to their group during the field trip.     

• Chaperones should encourage children to interact with the exhibits respectfully and responsibly. TCMU reserves the right to ask disorderly groups to leave the museum without refunds.     

• Chaperones are encouraged to silence their cellphones or use them only when urgent.    

• No food, drinks, candy, or gum are permitted in the museum besides in the Café.  

What is an enrichment activity?  

• TCMU offers a variety of program and lesson plan options that can be added to your field trip for an additional fee. All enrichment activities explore STEAM concepts through hands-on and creative applications.  

Do your enrichment activities follow state standards?  

• Our lesson plans are based on the current South Carolina state standards and explore STEAM concepts through creative hands-on applications.  

Can our group eat lunch at the museum?  

• Yes! If your group would like to eat lunch during your field trip, The TCMU Café is available. Upon booking, you will be asked to confirm if you will be using Café for lunch.   

• Groups are welcome to bring their own lunches.    

• • Additionally, The TCMU Café has kiosks that offer a variety of sandwiches, salads, snacks and refreshments. Vending machines accept credit cards only.   

• TCMU staff members are not responsible for the handling or facilitation of lunches in the Café space. Please be respectful and clean up all trash and wipe down eating areas.  

Will my students be photographed? 

• It is possible! Museum staff are often on the floor taking photos and videos for marketing purposes. TCMU reserves the right to photograph or video visitors.   

• If a student cannot be photographed, the booking teacher is responsible for informing the Community Engagement Coordinator on the day of their visit.  

How do you verify chaperones during field trips? 

• All chaperones must arrive with the group or be confirmed in person by the lead teacher before joining the students.  

• Any adult who arrives separately will wait at the front desk until the teacher verifies they are approved. If they cannot be verified, they will not be permitted to join the group.