Onsite Programs

onsite science and animal education
Onsite Dino program in the Ranger Station.
The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine serves as an indispensable resource for educators. In addition to inspiring discovery and imagination through exploration and play, we offer a variety of educator-led school programs. All programs are linked to the Maine Learning Results and can be adapted to suit the needs of your students. Self-Guided Visits allow your students to explore the Museum at their own pace. Guided Programs teach your students about science with hands-on, artifact-rich learning experiences. Our educators are eager to make your job easier - please let us know how we can best serve your needs and the needs of your students!

Booking a Museum & Theatre Visit

Reservations
Group reservations must be made with a Museum & Theatre staff person at least 24 hours in advance. Please begin by clicking the appropriate link below to submit your group reservation request. A staff member will contact you to confirm your visit and process payment.

Click here to fill out our online Guided Group Visit form.
Click here to fill out our online Self Guided Group Visit form.
∗FMI call 207-828-1234 x232 or email shana@kitetails.org

Tour Schedule
Schedule a two-hour visit on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday (9am-5pm) or Thursday (Noon-5pm).

Group Size and Rates
With a 24 hour advanced reservation, groups of 10 or more are eligible for our group admission rates:

Self-Guided Visit
Cost: $6.00 per person for a two-hour self-guided visit Explore the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine at your own pace! Drive the fire truck, shop in the market, camp in the woods and much more!

Guided Visit
Cost: $7.00 per person for a guided visit

During our guided programs, our educators share a variety of scientific and cultural resources with your group, encouraging hands-on learning, discovery and engagement. A maximum of two 30-minute guided programs are available to groups of 50 people or less. A maximum of one 30-minute program is available to groups of more than 50 people. Stay and play at the Museum & Theatre after your program(s) to complete your two hour visit.

Please note:

Guided Programs available at the
Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine:

Adaptations and Communications
Learn how a variety of mammals, birds, and amphibians communicate in and adapt to the forest.
∗MLR: Adaptation, Classification, Maine Organisms, Body Parts, Senses

Animal Signs
Explore the tracks, scat, and fur of Maine's wildlife and learn how to spot evidence of these creatures in the great outdoors.
∗MLR: Adaptation, Classification

Be a Tree
Explore the many parts of a tree and discover what a tree needs for survival.
∗MLR: Living & Non-Living Things, Trees & Forest, Plant Structure & Function

Beaver Adaptations
Explore beaver artifacts and play games while learning how beavers adapt to pond life.
∗MLR: Adaptation, Aquatic Environments, Body Parts, Senses

Birds in Flight
Learn bird songs, explore bird beaks and discover the challenges of migrations and flight.
∗MLR: Senses, Sound, Adaptation

Camera Obscura
View our natural and periscopic camera obscuras and see an amazing panoramic view of Portland. Learn about light, optics and the human eye.
∗MLR: Senses, Art & Technology, Human Body Systems

Celebrate Asia
Explore the cultural traditions and daily life of families with ties to Japan, Cambodia and China! Based on our We Are Maine exhibit videos, this kit introduces students to a young member of each family featured in the video stories. Learn how they celebrate various cultural holidays through food, crafts, games, language, music and dance.
∗MLR: Cultural Customs & Beliefs, Historical Knowledge, Concepts and Patterns

Dinosaurs
Journey through the Mesozoic Era and learn about dinosaur characteristics, adaptations, and fossils.
∗MLR: Prehistoric Life, Fossils & Past Life, Classification, Adaptations

The Story of Istar
Meet Istar, a humpback whale who visits the coast of Maine. Get face to face with a 45-foot life-size replica of Istar. Explore artifacts to learn amazing facts about this ocean mammal. The program is 45 minutes in length and is suitable for groups of up to 65 students. Groups of 30 or fewer can go inside Istar.
∗MLR: Classification, Adaptation, Maine Marine Organisms, Food Chain, Endangered Species

Kids in Japan
Learn what life is like as a child in Japan. Explore popular games, customs and other daily activities.
∗MLR: Cultural Customs & Beliefs, Human Interaction with the Environment

Layers of the Forest
Learn about the forest and its structure with artifacts from the Maine woods. Discover the animals that live in the canopy, understory and the forest floor.
∗MLR: Local Environments, Trees & Forest, Adaptation, Classification

Marine Mammals of Maine
Discover the whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals that inhabit the Gulf of Maine and explore their many adaptations to life in the salty sea.
∗MLR: Local Environments, Classification, Adaptation, Food Chains/Webs, Maine Marine Organisms

Ocean Open House
Help Ms. Salty Waters find a new home in an ocean zone while learning about the sea creatures that live there in this interactive skit.
∗MLR: Oceanography, Adaptation, Classification, Maine Marine Organisms

Owls of the Night
Explore the owl's many adaptations to its nocturnal life. Dissect owl pellets for a first hand discovery of an owl's digestive system.
∗MLR: Adaptation, Body Parts & Senses, Food Chains & Webs

Reptiles & Amphibians
Explore the similarities and differences between reptiles and amphibians. Learn frog songs, inspect turtle shells, discover a salamander's sense of hearing and more.
∗MLR: Senses, Adaptation, Classification, Aquatic Environments

Rock Riddles
Learn about sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. Investigate these building blocks of the earth as you solve their many mysteries.
∗MLR: Change in State, Rocks/Minerals/Soils, Fossils & Past Life, Living & Non-Living Things

Simple Machines
Explore simple machines and discover how they make work easier. Build your own simple machines and discover the simple machines used in your daily life.
∗MLR: Simple Machines, Forces and Motion

SmartArt Available January 2010!
Unite your left and right brain to explore and examine the world through art and science. Topics include perspective and optics, color and chemistry, and patterns and designs found in nature.
∗MLR: Principles of Design, Nature of Science

Spectacular Senses
Explore the human body's five senses and learn about the sensory abilities of other creatures
∗MLR: Senses, Body Parts, Adaptations

STARLAB
This planetarium presents the wonders of the night sky. The domed STARLAB allows your students to explore the constellations and learn the stories and facts behind the stars. The program is 30 minutes and is suitable for 25 or fewer students per show.
∗MLR: Stars, Night Sky

Take the Stage Available January 2010!
Create a play with improvisational theatre games, familiar stories, sets and costumes. Let you students take the stage and tell their own versions of The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billie Goats Gruff or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
∗MLR: Problem Solving with Improvisation, Project Success Depends on Collaboration, Understanding Plots of Simple Stories

Teeth & Skulls
Using real skulls and replicas, explore the woodland world of Maine's carnivores, omnivores, insectivores and herbivores.
∗MLR: Body Parts, Adaptation, Classification, Food Chain & Food Web

Tide Pool Touch Tank
(available to groups of 30 or fewer)
Get up close and personal with sea creatures from Casco Bay! Meet sea stars, anemones, blue mussels and other marine invertebrates and learn about the adaptations that help them thrive.
∗MLR: Maine Marine Organisms, Adaptation, Classification

Turtles of Land and Sea
Investigate these ancient reptiles and their many obstacles to survival in today's world. Compare and contrast land turtles and sea turtles, explore turtle adaptations and get a close look at turtle artifacts.
∗MLR: Body Parts & Senses, Classification, Adaptations, Maine Marine Organisms, Endangered Species

We Are Maine: Telling Our Stories
Take a trip across the state and travel the world! Maine kids share their traditions and stories that tie them to countries around the globe. See how cultures are reflected in food, celebrations and the games we play.
∗MLR: Cultural Customs and Beliefs, Oral Communication

Winter Adaptations
Learn about habitats and adaptations that Maine creatures use to survive the long winter season.
∗MLR: Adaptations, Seasons, Local Environments
Attention Educators in Maine Schools! For a limited time in 2010 Portland Ovations is offering transportation subsidy grants for qualifying field trips, as part of Destination Portland. The program reimburses schools for bus transportation (up to $500) when the school purchases 40 tickets or more to a school-time or evening performance at Portland Ovations and plans a guided tour at Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine or an approved arts destination. One grant is available per school and only covers transportation cost. Grants are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Click here for information about the Portland Ovations season
Click here for the Destination Portland application.

Please note that Destination Portland is offered by Portland Ovations. Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine has no information about the status of applications. All inquiries about Destination Portland should be directed to Barri Lynn Moreau at Portland Ovations: 207-773-3150 x227 or
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