Royal Botanical Gardens, in Hamilton and Burlington, Ontario, doesn’t give teachers a daily discount. The one teacher entry on its admission page sits under the heading OCT (Ontario College of Teachers), and it describes a private showcase of RBG’s School Programs for teachers, followed by complimentary garden admission on that day. The showcases are held twice a year, and the same entry says daily complimentary admission for OCT cardholders is no longer in effect.
If you teach in Ontario and you’re hoping to take your own family out on a Saturday, or you’re planning a class trip, those are two different questions here. The showcase is the only teacher perk on the admission page. The school-trip terms on a separate page are where teachers actually save, so we’ve laid out both.
How To Get The Royal Botanical Gardens Teacher Discount
The page doesn’t say how to sign up for the showcase or what you’d show to prove you teach. It says teachers are invited, that the events are held twice a year, and that dates are announced in late fall and spring. When we checked, no showcase date was posted, so there’s nothing to book yet.
Because the entry doesn’t say how invitations go out, the practical move is to watch the admission page around those announcement seasons. You can also call the number RBG gives on its field trip page for booking help, 905-527-1158 ext. 285, and ask how teachers hear about the next showcase.
What The Showcase Day Includes
The page describes a private showcase of RBG’s School Programs followed by complimentary garden admission on that day. It doesn’t describe the showcase itself beyond that, so we can’t tell you how long it runs or what you’d see.
The entry sits under an OCT heading, but its text says only that teachers are invited. It doesn’t name an OCT card, an Ontario residency rule or a grade level, so we can’t say whether a teacher from outside Ontario would be welcome.
Booking A Class Trip
The Field Trip FAQ page is where teachers on a school visit get a real break: it says there’s no charge for teachers, early childhood educators and educational assistants. Parent volunteers beyond those required for a 1:5 adult/student ratio are charged the program fee, and the ratio is 1:3 for early childhood and kindergarten groups.
Prices on RBG’s pages are in Canadian dollars (CAD). A half-day guided program is $10 per student, a half-day guided program plus a half-day self-guided visit is $14.50, and a full-day guided program, which covers two programs, is $17. Groups of 15 or fewer students are charged $160 for a half-day program, and the page says the listed rates may change without notice.
To book, you fill out the online booking request form on that page, or you can call 905-527-1158 ext. 285 for help.
Visiting On Your Own
There’s no teacher line in the regular ticket prices. Garden admission is $19.50 for an adult, $16.50 for a senior (65+) or a youth (13 to 17), and $11.50 for a child (3 to 12), with ages 0 to 2 free. The page adds that all ticket pricing is subject to HST and a $2 online service fee.
If you’ll come back more than once, a Single membership is $85 per year plus HST, and the page says members have access to daytime garden visits year round.
A few partner programs are on the same page, and they’re open to anyone who has the card. PRESTO cardholders save 15% off Adult Garden Admission tickets when they show the PRESTO card on arrival, for full-day garden admission during regular hours only. Access 2 Cardholders get one free admission for their support person. The page says partner program tickets are only available to buy in person.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The admission page doesn’t say when the next showcase is, how teachers register, or what proof of teaching they’d need. It doesn’t say whether the complimentary admission covers anyone besides the teacher, or whether teachers outside Ontario can attend. We also can’t say how long the showcase runs.
Q&A
Do teachers get a discount at Royal Botanical Gardens?
Not a daily one. The admission page lists a twice-yearly showcase of RBG’s School Programs for teachers, followed by complimentary garden admission on that day.
Can I show my OCT card for free admission?
Not for a daily visit. The page says daily complimentary admission for OCT cardholders is no longer in effect.
When is the next teacher showcase?
The page says the events are held twice a year, with dates announced in late fall and spring. It didn’t list a date when we checked.
Do teachers pay on a school trip?
The Field Trip FAQ page says there’s no charge for teachers, early childhood educators and educational assistants.
Do parent volunteers get in free?
Only up to the 1:5 adult/student ratio. Volunteers beyond that are charged the program fee, and the ratio is 1:3 for early childhood and kindergarten groups.
How much is regular garden admission?
An adult ticket is $19.50 and a child ticket is $11.50, plus HST and a $2 online service fee.
More Information:
The details above come from Royal Botanical Gardens’ own pages as they loaded when we checked, and programs change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.