Enjoy a facilitated field trip program with the ISAC Museum! Students will learn about the ancient world while participating in an interactive activity guided by a University of Chicago museum educator.
Making A Reservation
To make a reservation, please email the following to isac-education@uchicago.edu: two dates and times, program of choice, number of students, and your contact information. You will receive an email confirmation within 3 business days when your program has been booked. Registration with two weeks’ advance notice required. Requested dates and times are subject to availability.
Guided Tour (1 hour)
Take a one-hour tour through the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum guided by a docent, focusing on some of the highlights of the collection, which showcase the history, art, and archaeology of ancient West Asia and North Africa.
Recommended for 4th grade and up.
Self-Guided Visit
Groups are welcome to lead themselves through the museum. You can prepare yourself and your group for a visit to the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum by checking our Educator Guides & Resources. You also may rent a $5 audio tour (free for Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Members!) of the Museum Galleries or download the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures app, free for iOS devices and Android.
The Mummification Lesson & Tour (2 hours)
Learn all about the process of mummification! ISAC Educators will teach an inquiry-based, hands-on, and engaging one-hour lesson that shows students how mummification happens, where around the world archaeologists find the practice, and what made Egyptian mummification so different! Discover how important mummification was to the religion, economy, and daily lives of ancient people. Then, explore the galleries on a one-hour tour to learn even more about ancient Egypt and other cultures of the past.
Recommended for 7th–12th grade students
Ancient Innovators & Tour (2 hours)
Explore the concept of innovation through replicas of ancient artifacts. In this object-based program, students work in teams to investigate how Mesopotamians and Egyptians solved problems in everyday life and participate in a one-hour docent-led tour in the museum, focusing on the highlights of collection to further their cross-disciplinary inquiry.
Ancient Innovators program aligns with STEAM, Common Core, and NGSS.
Recommended for 5th-12th grades.
Artifact Analysis & Tour (2 hours)
Students engage their deductive reasoning skills in a one-hour workshop, examining artifacts to draw conclusions about the people who created and used them while gaining insight into the science and philosophy behind archaeology. This program also includes a one-hour gallery tour focusing on some of the highlights of collection which showcase the history, art, and archaeology of West Asia and North Africa.
Recommended for 5th-12th grades.
Time Travelers & Tour (2 hours)
Children enjoy an hour of learning about the ancient world through dressing up in costumes, crafts, and storytelling combined with an hour-long guided gallery tour.
Recommended for K-3rd grades.
