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    IMSS Education

    Tours & Field Trips

    Group Rates

    Reservations Required for Group Rate

    Group Type

    Cost 

    Group Minimum

    Youth K-12 

    $10 per Student

    Minimum of 10*

    Higher Education Adults & Senior Groups

    $12 Per Person

    Minimum of 10 

    Daytime Private Group 
    (No School Affiliation)**

    $15 per Person

    Minimum of 10

    Evening Private Group

    $20 per Person

    Minimum of 15

    *IMSS requires at least 1 chaperone for every ten students. Group rates cover chaperone entry.

    **You cannot mix & match group fees. If your group is unaffiliated with a school, educational program, or senior center, you will be charged the private group fee. Groups under the minimum person count will be charged the minimum group rate amount. 

    Contact education@imss.org with more questions about group rates.

    School Field Trips

    The International Museum of Surgical Science welcomes school groups grades 5 and up! Our tours include art and artifacts that deal with surgery as well as history, science, health, and cultural studies. A field trip to the Museum can be used to complement classroom topics ranging from STEM to career exploration to history and art! 

    Fill out the form below to schedule your field trip today! 

    Field Trip Programs

    We offer two hour – long programs at the museum. You can choose between a guided or self-guided tour and the option to add-on an interactive activity!

    Guided Tours – Guided tours lead field trip groups on a journey through time as they explore the development of anesthesia, germ theory, and anatomical knowledge. 45 minutes. 35 students maximum per rotation.

    Self-Guided Tours – Go through the museum at your own pace, choose what you want to highlight, and explore all four floors of the museum! Supplementary self-guided worksheet available upon request. 1 hour, up to 100 students.

    Amputation Demonstration – This interactive demonstration allows students to experience a leg amputation from the mid-1800s, with no anesthesia and no sterilization. This was the most common surgery performed before the discovery of anesthesia and germ theory. 30 minutes. 35 students maximum per rotation.

    Surgical Tool Identification – An educator-led activity that allows students in teams to learn about historical and modern tools of surgery. 30 minutes. 35 students maximum per rotation. *NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE*

    School Booking Requirements:

    (Applicable to K-12 and University Groups only!) 

    • Field trips and student programs are available for groups of 10 or more.
    • Book your group at least two weeks in advance to receive the group rate.  Please note that pre-registration for field trips is required.
    • The Museum can accommodate field trips of up to 100 students per day. Groups larger than 35 may be split up into rotations. Groups larger than 100 students may be split into two days. 
    • One chaperone/educator per 10 students is required. Chaperones are not charged at a 1:10 ratio; any additional pay group rate fee.
    • Group organizers are responsible for all students and any damages that occur to Museum displays, artifacts, and artworks.
    • There is no parking available at the Museum. Bus parking is available through the Chicago Park District. For more information visit Plan Your Visit.
    • The Museum does not have a cafeteria or eating space onsite.
    • Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted up to 48 hours before your trip. Cancellations within 48 hours and no-shows will be charged 50% of the trip fee (School groups [K-12 and Universities] exempt)
    • Refund Policy: The Museum is unable to offer refunds for paid tours. Tours may be rescheduled for no additional fee. 

      Book your field trip today!

      Fill out the form below to inquire.

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      Name
      Preferred Date / Time
      Alternate Preferred Date / Time
      Interactive Activities
      We will do our best to include these subjects into your tour, but please note that we can not guarantee the tour will be able to cover/include these topics. Our tours directly connect with the exhibits and collection items currently on display in the museum.

      Testimonials

      As a Rush University student and co-leader of our Building Blocks Scholars Program, it was touching to hear the impact of the IMSS field trip from our students. The high school students we mentor, most of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds, are interested in pursuing healthcare careers but perceive that goal as insurmountable due to lack of exposure, limited familial and community resources, and minimal knowledge about healthcare roles. An opportunity like their field trip to IMSS serves as proof of possibility and attainability. Hearing the post-visit feedback from our Scholars, such as "can't believe medical stuff used to be like this" and, in reference to IMSS' Surgical Technology exhibit, "surgery technician seems like fun!", reaffirms to us at Rush why we ensure our Scholars can be provided with such integral experiences. Our Scholars represent the future generation of healthcare providers, and IMSS served as a memorable, motivating, and empowering experience for them to pursue these careers. 

      Thank you, IMSS, for the fun and learning!

      Brandi A. Swafford Rush University student & Co-Leader of Rush Building Blocks Scholars Program

      We here at Friedman Place are so grateful for the very educational and entertaining tour of the Museum of Surgical Sciences with Maya, who was a wonderful tour guide. The building was easy to navigate, the presentation was very accessible, and Maya made the process of working out tour logistics very simple. We definitely look forward to a return visit and would recommend anyone in the local Blind/[Vision Impaired] community to take advantage of the accessibility at the Museum of Surgical Sciences.

      Dan Rodaire Friedman Place

      Our annual visit to the International Museum of Surgical Science is the perfect capstone to the Rush Mini Medical School Program for 4th and 5th graders. The museum’s staff is great to work with and the kids love the exhibits.

      Keith Boyd MD Director, Rush Medical College’s Mini Medical School

      Each semester I bring my Comics Narratives: Illness, Disability, and Recovery class from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a tour of the IMSS. The lively tours, peppered with stories about shocking surgical scandals, humorous anecdotes, and informative details, have kept my students engaged and eager to learn more as they generate related ideas for comics projects. The trip to the IMSS is always a class favorite, as students are able to place current ideas about health in historical context.

      Katharine Houpt ATR-BC, LCP, Lecturer, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

        Field Trips & Tour FAQ

        Chaperones and educators are responsible for students' well-being and conduct in the Museum. They must patrol students for the duration of the field trip to follow the Museum guidelines and rules. The Museum does not have a cafeteria or eating space onsite.

        • No running, yelling, or disturbing Museum visitors.
        • No outside food or drink. No gum allowed.
        • Notebooks and pencils are acceptable; no pens, markers, or other artwork materials.
        • No touching of Museum displays, wall texts, cases, lighting, artworks, or artifacts.

        For information on Chicago Park District bus parking reservations, visit http://www.chicagoparkdistrictparking.com/bus-parking/ 

        The Museum is unable to provide facilities for dining before, during, or after tours. 

        Park space is available at Lincoln Park, just North of the Museum and there are many local restaurants nearby. 

        To make a reservation, or if you have any questions, contact our team at info@imss.org.