School Field Trips

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Education is the highest priority for the museum, whether it’s teaching school children or the general public. We strive to teach about:

  • Thomas Edison’s life, emphasizing his years at Menlo Park

  • Edison’s tremendous accomplishments, especially during the Menlo Park years

  • The importance of Menlo Park as the world’s first organized research and development laboratory

  • How Edison’s inventions changed our world, affecting so many aspects of modern technology

  • The twentieth century efforts to honor and commemorate Edison’s accomplishments at Menlo Park

Our Field Trips are specifically tailored to engage and educate young learners. The Thomas Edison Center has the distinct advantage of allowing students to fully experience a history and science related program in the setting where that history actually happened, with original artifacts from the site.

All Field Trips include a hands-on component, Junior Wizard Activity Book, that further allows students to not only hear and see, but also touch history!

The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park works closely with schools, scout troops, and other youth organizations to develop educational programming. Visits to the museum can be a means to fulfill the NJCCCS requirements for Social Studies and/or science.

Coordination with high schools and universities on special projects available upon request.

  • Field Trips are available from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.

    Special dates and times are available when scheduling permits.

  • Field Trips must be a 15 student minimum. Groups of less than 15 will be charged for the 15 person minimum.

    Due to limited space, we highly suggest limiting the number of chaperones to your organization’s minimum.

    Chaperones must be 19 years of age or older.

    Groups will need to be divided accordingly based on the staff member’s recommendations and will take separate simultaneous tours.

    For groups larger than 40, please contact us at tecmp1879@gmail.com for more information.

  • Tickets are $10.50 per student. This fee helps to support our tour programs, which provide engaging, educational tours led by trained docents. Additionally, each student will receive a Junior Wizard Activity Book to aid interaction and comprehension during or after the tour.

    A deposit of 50% is required for group tours to hold the trip date. Final payment must be made 2 weeks prior to your trip date. 

    All major credit cards and debit cards accepted. Please make checks payable to the TECMP (Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park).

  • On the day of your trip, please arrive 10 to 15 minutes prior to the start time of your tour for check-in; a staff member will greet you at the door or on your school bus. Free street parking is available.

    Backpacks, lunches and other bulky items should remain on the bus.

    Visitors and students awaiting a tour can browse the outside area interpretative signs or, depending on your program, watch/participate in demonstrations.

    The tour is 60 minutes in length, longer for some; please add additional time for the gift shop.

  • The Museum Store is open during regular museum hours. It is also available to teachers and students after their tour. The purchase of gift shop items should be planned in advance and supervised. 

    A popular option is the Souvenir Gift Shop Program. Teachers will send a copy home so the student and parent can make their choices.  Payment and the list should be put inside an envelope marked with the student’s name. 

    Please have all gift shop order forms ready and available for collection at the start of your trip.

    Orders will be processed while the program is in progress. This ensures no long lines at the end of the tour with each purchase packaged – change included, with the name of the student/teacher clearly marked, and given to the teachers before boarding the return bus.

  • From fill-in-the-blank to word searches, this Activity Book has something for kids of all ages. Each child will find fun ways to test their Menlo Park knowledge and be inspired to create their own inventions.

    These booklets allow students to engage more fully with the tours, and provide teachers with a way to test student comprehension of the material.

    Designed by volunteer Soumita Banerjee.

  • No food or drinks are allowed in the museum. There is no museum café on site. Outdoor picnic tables are available.

  • Our museum is on one level and ADA accessible. As an historic monument, the Edison Memorial Tower does include stairs. Our staff can make accommodations for this portion of the tour.

    Special Needs: Please advise us of any special needs your group may have so that we are prepared and can provide your group with a comfortable experience.

    Student/visitor backpacks are not permitted in the museum; teachers/leaders are the exception. Teachers are responsible for supervising their students while visiting the museum and outside area.

  • Please contact us within two weeks in advance of your scheduled date if you must change/cancel your trip. Rescheduling your trip is available with written prior authorization of the museum staff.