Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

Schools, scouts, and other groups can enhance their visit to Powdermill Nature Reserve with rich, hands-on learning experiences guided by our knowledgeable educators. We welcome the opportunity to create unique programs that complement your school curriculum or scouting adventure, and we are happy to adapt the programs below to the interests of your group.

Field Trip Cost

Chaperones and teachers are admitted free for field trips. Costs listed below are applicable for groups of 10 students or more. Smaller groups pay the 10-person minimum.

60-Minute Activity - $6 per student
90-Minute Guided Program - $8 per student
2-3 Hour Advanced Guided Program - $12 per student.
Additional 60-Minute activities can be added for $3 per student.

Groups are welcome to schedule unguided visits at no cost.

Tour Powdermill Avian Research Center

See wild birds up close, and learn about their biology from Powdermill scientists. Learn about avian research projects to prevent bird-glass collisions during migration, bird banding, and high-tech tracking with nanotags. Please note that tours of the bird banding station may be cancelled in rain or hot weather to protect the health of birds.

A 60-minute tour of Powdermill Avian Research Center (PARC) can be added to your field trip for an additional $5 per student. If you are interested in only touring PARC, and not visiting the nature center as well, please call the PARC office at 724.593.7521.

How to book

Please contact us for all group visits (guided or unguided) so that we may schedule your bus parking or large group around other visitors. Parking for buses is available on a limited basis.

Call 724.593.6105 or email HornerL@carnegiemnh.org to schedule your group visit.

Please have this information handy when you register:

  • Several potential dates for your visit
  • Arrival and departure times
  • Number of children and adults
  • Activities or guided programs you would like to schedule
  • Requests (lunch tables, accessibility needs, or curriculum focuses)

Activities

Structure your field trip with activities guided by a Powdermill educator. Visit the bird banding station in the autumn, spring, or summer. The program timing and content may vary, depending on environmental and seasonal conditions. Availability is limited.

GENERAL NATURE HIKE

Hike the mile-long Sugar Camp Trail, and observe the changing landscape as the elevation changes. Compare the plants and animals of the Sugar Camp Trail with the Black Birch Trail, and determine the cause of the differences.

Program format: 60-Minute Activity

POWDERMILL GARDENS

Visit each of Powdermill’s four distinct gardens, and find specific herbs, wildflowers, barrens, and pollinators. Determine the plant adaptations needed for each garden.

Program format: 60-Minute Activity

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

Tour Powdermill’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified green building. Learn about the materials and methods used to create the sustainable facilities at Powdermill Nature Reserve.

Program format: 60-Minute Activity

NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT

Search for various elements in nature to find your next clue. At each station, learn about habitats, plants, animals, and survival skills.

Program format: 60-Minute Activity

CREATIVE WRITING IN NATURE

Bring your notebooks and pencils to four different habitats at Powdermill Nature Reserve. Respond to writing prompts to describe the forest, stream, pond, and vernal pools.

Program format: 60-Minute Activity

GEOCACHING

Use a geocaching app on your smart phone to find geocaches along the trails. Coordinates and instructions are provided. Guided geocaching is for ages 10 and up, and Powdermill staff will provide scientific GPS units.

Program format: 60-Minute Activity

FOREST ANIMALS

Hike the Black Birch Trail, and learn how animals survive in the forest habitat. Find and collect small forest critters, and present your findings to the group.

Program format: 90-Minute Guided Program

SEASONS OF THE FOREST

Visit the Powdermill forest in spring, summer, autumn, or winter to observe seasonal phenomena, including lifecycles, migration, and hibernation. Explore animal adaptations with hands-on examination of nests, skulls, and fur specimens.

Program format: 90-Minute Guided Program

POWDERMILL PLANTS

Pennsylvania has a staggering diversity of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Learn skills for easy identification as you hike through the forest and visit Powdermill’s four distinct gardens.

Program format: 90-Minute Guided Program

ADVANCED POWDERMILL PLANTS

Pennsylvania has a staggering diversity of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Learn skills for easy identification as you hike through the forest and visit Powdermill’s four distinct gardens. Taste edible herbs from Powdermill’s herb garden, determine the age of trees in the forest, and observe tree damage caused by forest organisms.

Program format: 2-3 Hour Advanced Guided Program

STREAM STUDY

Learn about the physical and biological elements of the stream habitat with a visit to Powdermill Run. Use tools to catch and identify aquatic organisms while learning about their lifecycles and adaptations.

Program format: 90-Minute Guided Program

ADVANCED STREAM STUDY

Learn about the physical and biological elements of the stream habitat with a visit to Powdermill Run. Use tools to catch and identify aquatic organisms while learning about their lifecycles and adaptations. Test and compare water samples from Powdermill Run, a frog pond, and tap water. Use the video microscope to observe and identify live macroinvertebrates.

Program format: 2-3 Hour Advanced Guided Program