Discovery Place Science in Charlotte doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers. What it does list is school field trip pricing, where the teacher or chaperone pays the same price as a student and class programs are free for them, plus group rates for parties of 15 or more. The special discounts page names seniors, military, groups, the EBT/WIC Welcome Program, ASTC reciprocal admission and parking, and teachers aren’t on that list.
If you’re bringing a class, the field trips page is where your savings are, and the museum offers a short call to walk you through them. If you’re heading over on a weekend with your own family, the section on visiting on your own covers what the site lists for individual tickets.
How To Get The Discovery Place Teacher Discount
There isn’t a teacher discount to claim at the ticket desk. The savings come from booking a school field trip. The page describes its field trip pricing as for state-certified Pre K-12 schools, available for groups of 15 students or more, and it asks for one chaperone for every 10 students, who must stay with their group throughout the visit.
The price table puts the teacher or chaperone on the student rate: $15.95 in spring, $13.95 in fall and $15.95 in summer. Class programs are $10.95 per student, and the teacher or chaperone is free. The group visits page lists adults at $19.95, so a teacher on a booked field trip pays less than an adult in an ordinary group.
To book, the page invites you to download its free Educator’s Guide and schedule a call with the team. It says that call covers funding options and group discounts. You can also reach the museum at 704.286.8302 or askus@discoveryplace.org.
What A School Group Gets
The page lists museum access, STEM activities, educator support and curriculum aligned to NC and SC standards as what’s included. A private class taught by a Museum educator can be added to the trip, and an IMAX documentary or planetarium show is $8.95 per person. The page says that line excludes full-length feature films.
Assemblies are $9.95 per student, with a minimum of 100. For lunch, the page says you can order from the on-site Bean Sprouts Café or schedule a space for students to eat bagged lunches in the Museum. If a trip isn’t practical, the Outreach program brings a Museum-on-wheels to your school or community for Pre-K through Grade 8, aligned with North and South Carolina state standards and the NGSS science standards.
Group Visits For Other Outings
The group visits page covers schools, camps, company outings, scout troops and family reunions with 15 or more people. Museum admission is $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for children (2-14) and $18.95 for seniors (60+), and an IMAX film is $8.95 for any of them. The page lists no per-ticket service charge, and souvenirs and food packages are available for an additional charge.
Compare before you book for children. The visit page lists online admission starting at $15.95 for children 2-13, which is lower than the $17.95 group rate, and online prices depend on the date you pick.
What To Know Before You Book
Group discounts require reservations two weeks in advance of your visit date, paid in full before the visit. The field trip prices are plus any applicable sales and use taxes, and the page says extra chaperones may be unable to attend class programs because of space limitations. Title 1 schools are told to ask about field trip discounts, but the page doesn’t print an amount.
Visiting On Your Own
The visit page lists online museum admission starting at $19.95 for adults 14-59, $15.95 for children 2-13 and $17.45 for seniors 60+. Walk-up prices start at $24.95, $20.95 and $22.45. Members and children under 2 are free. Guests 60 or older also get $3 off museum admission, but the page says that doesn’t apply at the Discovery Place Kids locations.
Military, active duty, veterans and family, and EBT/WIC cardholders through the Welcome Program are also on the discounts list, and museum visitors get 25% off in the parking deck at 220 W. 6th St. If you’ll be back, a One Person Membership is $109 and a Family Membership starts at $189.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The field trip FAQ answers were collapsed on the page, so we couldn’t read who else qualifies beyond state-certified Pre K-12 schools, or what the cancellation and refund policy is. We also don’t know the Title 1 discount amount, what funding options the call covers, or whether the parking discount applies to buses. We read only the pages for the Charlotte museum, not the Kids locations or the nature museum.
An older press release on the museum’s previous website described a back-to-school Educator Saturdays promotion with free admission for educators and one guest. None of the current pages we read mention it, so we’re not counting it as available.
Q&A
Is there a teacher discount at Discovery Place?
We couldn’t find one for individual teachers. The pages list school field trip pricing, group rates for 15 or more, and discounts for seniors, military and others.
What does a teacher pay on a field trip?
The same as a student: $15.95 in spring, $13.95 in fall and $15.95 in summer. Class programs are free for the teacher or chaperone.
How big does a group need to be?
The field trip pricing is for groups of 15 students or more. Group visit rates are for groups of 15 or more people.
How many chaperones do I need?
One for every 10 students, and they stay with the group.
How far ahead do I reserve a group visit?
Two weeks before your visit date, with payment in full before you come.
Do Title 1 schools get a discount?
The page says to ask about field trip discounts. It doesn’t say how much.
Can we bring lunches?
The page says you can schedule a space for students to eat bagged lunches in the Museum, or order from the on-site Bean Sprouts Café.
Is the Educator Saturdays offer still running?
We couldn’t find it on the current site, so we’re not treating it as available.
More Information:
The details above come from Discovery Place’s own pages as they loaded when we checked, and prices and programs change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
