Phipps Conservatory doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers. Its FAQ names discounts for EBT card holders and for students, then answers “Are other discounts available?” with “Not at this time.” Where teachers do save is on a school field trip: $9 per student for a self-guided group visit, with one adult chaperone admitted free for every eight students.
If you’re planning a unit on plants or ecosystems, or wondering whether your school ID would take a few dollars off a Saturday visit with your own kids, the FAQ doesn’t list a teacher rate for that. The savings Phipps does list belong to the class, so this page walks through what a trip costs, who gets in free, and what’s left if you’re coming on your own.
How To Get The Phipps Conservatory Teacher Discount
There’s no individual teacher discount to claim, so the way to save is to book a class trip. The field trips page describes trips for school, homeschool and other youth education groups in three styles. On every one, an adult chaperone is admitted free for every eight students, and any additional adult pays $17.
Group Visit Only is $9 per student for 15 to 64 people. There’s no docent or staff presence, so you move at your own pace through all the open exhibits, and the page estimates about 90 minutes. Docent-Led Tour is $9.50 per student for 10 to 40 people, with an expert volunteer docent guiding you through the Conservatory for 60 minutes, and the group can stay longer if you like. The page says docent tours are booked only for groups ages 12 and up, so younger classes need one of the other two. Group Visit with Learning Session is $10 per student for 15 to 64 people: Phipps science education staff meet your group for a 30-minute learning session before the self-guided visit, and the page says it runs Tuesdays through Fridays only.
Two of the three need planning ahead. The docent tour and the learning session both have to be booked with a final group count at least one month before the tour date. To start any of them, you fill out the Field Trip Inquiry Form, which the page says triggers a follow-up call from staff to finalize details, typically within a week of receipt.
What Else To Plan For
At one free adult for every eight students, 24 students would come with three adults admitted free, and a fourth adult would pay the $17. If your class is bringing lunch, the page says an eating space has to be reserved for a fee of $30 for every 32 students, that food and drink aren’t provided, and that each lunch reservation is 30 minutes.
Field trips aren’t available while the Winter Show is running, so plan your class trip around it. The field trips page gives the dates for the current season, and it also links to a list of the learning session options available that season.
Visiting On Your Own
For a visit that isn’t a class trip, the FAQ lists a discount for EBT card holders through Phipps’s Museums for All page, and one for Pitt, CMU and La Roche University students. It also says all students are eligible for the student rate on the Hours and Admission page, which matters if you’re taking classes yourself.
The same page lists a 10% discount on tickets for groups of 15 or more. To use it, the page says to contact Guest Services at 412-622-6914 ext. 6307, and it adds that neither guided tours nor group rates are available during Phipps Holiday Magic. That one fits a staff outing better than a family Saturday.
Other Things For Teachers At Phipps
Phipps’s For Educators page lists two programs that aren’t discounts but are worth knowing about. The Fairchild Challenge is described as a chance to win cash prizes for your school’s green initiatives as middle and high school students tackle important environmental issues. The Phipps Teacher Advisory Committee is described as a select group of educators who foster collaboration across schools and museums.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The field trips page doesn’t say whether the teacher counts as one of the adult chaperones in the free ratio, so ask when the staff call you back. The Hours and Admission page shows a separate Holiday Magic admission table, so we left individual ticket prices out; check it for the price on your day. We also didn’t read the list of learning session options the field trips page links to. For anything else, the FAQ lists Phipps’s phone number as 412-622-6914.
Q&A
Does Phipps Conservatory give teachers a discount?
We couldn’t find one. The FAQ answers “Are other discounts available?” with “Not at this time.” Class trips have their own rates, starting at $9 per student.
How much is a school field trip to Phipps?
$9 per student for a self-guided group visit, $9.50 for a docent-led tour and $10 with a learning session. On each, one adult chaperone is free for every eight students and extra adults pay $17.
How many students do we need?
The group visit and the learning session option take 15 to 64 people. The docent tour takes 10 to 40.
Can my class eat lunch there?
If you bring a brown-bag lunch, the page says to reserve an eating space for a fee of $30 for every 32 students. Food and drink aren’t provided.
Can we book a trip during the Winter Show?
No. The field trips page says trips aren’t available during the Winter Show.
How do I book?
Fill out the Field Trip Inquiry Form on the field trips page. Staff typically call within a week to finalize details.
Is there a student rate for a teacher who is also in school?
The FAQ says all students are eligible for the student rate listed on the Hours and Admission page.
More Information:
The details above come from Phipps Conservatory’s own FAQ, field trips, For Educators and Hours and Admission pages as they loaded when we checked, and rates change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
