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Student Tours

Guided Tours for Students

Plan a visit to Reiman Gardens for a unique learning experience. Follow trained guides as they show you hundreds of native and tropical butterflies. Maybe you’ll see butterflies emerge from their chrysalides in the emergence cases while you also enjoy the plants in the beautiful, tropical Conservatory. Do all of this while learning about plant and insect life cycles. All tours incorporate national and state school standards and benchmarks. Age specific tours are available for students from Pre-K to 12th Grade. CLICK HERE to view the objectives, standards, and benchmarks.

Guided tours last one hour and are $7.00 per student, including admission, an orientation presentation, and age-appropriate tour. Paid school staff, such as teachers and bus drivers, are admitted free. All other chaperones pay the regular admission fee. If your group is not affiliated with a school, such as a Boy Scout, 4-H, or home school group, two chaperones are admitted free.

Minimum group size is 12, maximum 60. If your group is larger than the maximum, please review our Large Group Options packet for more information by CLICKING HERE.

Tours must be arranged at least two weeks in advance. They are available Monday through Friday only. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call our Tour Coordinator at (515) 294-8994 or CLICK HERE to submit a tour request. Please review our Guided Tour Teacher Information packet for more information by CLICKING HERE.

To make your field trip an educational and enjoyable experience, below is a checklist to help the day run smoothly!

Tour Checklist:

  • No charge for teachers, school personnel, or bus drivers.
  • All other adults (MAXIMUM of 10 guardians can join the tour) pay the $9.00 admission fee on the day of the tour.
  • No siblings or additional children allowed. Additional children and guardians are welcome to explore the Gardens and join the group after the guided tour has finished.
  • Students are required to wear name tags provided by your organization.
  • Please allow time for restroom breaks prior to your tour. All students must have an adult accompany them to the restrooms.
  • The tour will begin with a 15-20 minute presentation promptly at the scheduled time.
  • Each tour will be divided into smaller groups of 10-20 students.
  • A minimum of one adult teacher/chaperone per 10 children is required.
  • Please inform us in advance of any special needs, i.e., wheelchairs, walkers, hearing aids, vision impaired, etc.
  • Please turn off cell phones during the tour.
  • At departure, students will receive a coupon for a free return visit.
  • Payment is required two weeks in advance. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover or a check can be made payable to Iowa State University. We do not accept purchase orders.

Guided Tour: Exhibit Tour Request Form

Cost: $7.00 student / $11 chaperones (includes admission)
All ages welcome!  (Please specify total participants and age ranges upon booking)
Maximum # of Participants: 75
Duration: 60 minutes
Outdoors rain or shine!
CLICK HERE to submit a Exhibit Tour Request Form.

This outdoor (rain or shine) tour lasts 60 minutes and is $7.00 per student/ $11.00 per chaperone, including admission, orientation, and individualized tour. Paid school staff, such as teachers and bus drivers, are admitted free.  All other adults (parents/guardians) pay the adult tour fee as stated above. If your group is not affiliated with a school, such as a Boy/Girl Scout, 4-H, or home school group, two adults are admitted free.

Minimum group size is 12, maximum 75.  There are no options for larger groups or add-ons.

Picnic lunches are permitted before or after the tour.

Capacity is limited, so book early! Tours must be arranged at least two weeks in advance. They are available Monday through Friday only, from May 16 – October 28. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call our Tour Coordinator at (515) 294-8994 or  CLICK HERE to submit a Theme Based Tour Request Form.

Option to Add on a guided lesson/activity:

On Pollination

For an additional $1 per student, add on an hour-long class/activity about pollination to your hour-long guided tour. Learn about the plant life cycle, pollination, and why pollination is an essential component of the plant life cycle. Students will work with trained guides as they show you the amazing world of plants. The tour includes hands-on activities indoors and out. All tours align with national school standards and benchmarks. Tour curriculum is most appropriate for 1st to 3rd grade, but age specific tours are available for students from Pre-K to 12th grade. Minimum group size is 12, maximum 60. If your group is larger than the maximum, please review our Large Group Options packet for more information by CLICKING HERE. Pollination classes are only available April 1 to May 31 and space is limited!

On Seeds

For an additional $1 per student, add on an hour-long class/activity about seeds to your hour-long guided tour. Seeds are an essential component of the plant life cycle. Learn about the plant life cycle, seed dispersal, and how seeds interact with the environment. Students will work with trained guides as they show you the amazing world of plants using the seed. The tour includes hands on activities indoors and out. All tours align with national school standards and benchmarks. Tour curriculum is most appropriate for 1st to 3rd grade, but age specific tours are available for children from Pre-K to 12th grade. Minimum group size is 12, maximum 60. If your group is larger than the maximum, please review our Large Group Options packet for more information by CLICKING HERE. Seed Tours are only available September 1 to October 31 and space is limited!

Self-Guided Tours – Student

Bring your class or student group to Reiman Gardens to explore the Gardens on their own. Age appropriate lessons that incorporate the Gardens as an outdoor classroom are available. All tours align with national school standards and benchmarks. CLICK HERE to download the guide.

Teachers can download a Trip Guide and Teacher Packet for free by clicking the links above. Self-Guided Tours are $4 per student, which includes admission. In order to receive this student admission discount, self-guided tours must be setup in advance. Paid school staff, such as teachers and bus drivers, are admitted free. All other chaperones pay the regular admission fee. If your group is not affiliated with a school, such as a Boy Scout, 4-H, or home school group, two chaperones are admitted free. Teacher pre-visits can also be arranged. Self-guided tours must be arranged at least two weeks in advance. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call our Tour Coordinator at (515) 294-8994.

Please review our Self Guided Tour Teacher Information packet for more information by CLICKING HERE.

Iowa State University Classes

Any Iowa State University class may use the Gardens for class work without an admission charge by calling Reiman Gardens at (515) 294- 2710 to notify us of the hours of the class visit(s).