The Joseph Moore Museum offers enaging, interactive tours that meet state science standards free of charge for visiting groups of all kinds. Tours are perfect for class field trips, scout groups, tour groups, and anyone who wants a more in-depth look at our exhibits. Tours must be arranged in advance using our Tour Reservation Form, check our calendar for availability.

Please contact our museum Educational Outreach Coordinator, Carol Stocksdale, at 765-983-1303 with any questions regarding tours or school visits.

The museum offers the following tours:

Going Buggy (Insects):
What defines a bug as an insect?  Find out by transforming 3 of your classmates into 1 GIANT insect!  Learn how to tell boy crickets from girl crickets.  Examine insects under microscopes.  Make a bug pie! (graph)
Best for Grades 2 & 3
Science Standards:
    2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.2.5, 2.4.1, 2.4.4, 2.5.6, 2.6.2
    3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.2.4, 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.6.3

Mystery of the Mummy:
Investigate the mysterious mummy, Ta’an.  Who was she?  How were mummies made?  How can modern science help us solve her mysteries?  Try your luck at a game Ta’an may have played.
Best for Grade 6
Science Standards:
    6.1.4, 6.1.5, 6.1.6, 6.1.7, 6.1.8
Social Studies Standards:
    6.5.6, 6.5.9

These Rock! (Geology):
Discover the thrill of being a rock hound. Learn about different types of rocks, how they formed and perform a variety of tests on individual mineral samples to identify them.  Be inspired by the beauty of rocks and amazed by rocks that actually glow!
Best for Grades 2 & 4
Science Standards:
    2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.2.5, 2.3.3, 2.5.6, 2.6.3
    4.1.3, 4.1.5, 4.2.1, 4.2.4, 4.3.5, 4.3.6, 4.3.7

Timeless Neighbors (Timeline):
Travel through time down a 100-foot timeline back 10,000 years to discover who was here and what was happening in Wayne County.  You’ll meet giant ice-age mammals, the ancient Adena people, Joseph Moore and even present day wildlife.
Best for Grade 3
Science Standards:
    3.4.1, 3.4.5, 3.6.3
Social Studies Standards:
    3.1.2, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.1.7

Ancient Adena:
Become an archeologist and learn about the ancient Adena who lived here more than 2,000 years ago.  What did they look like?  What did they do?  How do archeologists figure out the answers to these questions?  Throw a spear and grind corn just like the Adena did!
Best for Grade 4
Science Standards:
    4.1.5, 4.1.9, 4.3.7, 4.4.7, 4.4.8
Social Studies Standards:
    4.1.1, 4.1.13, 4.4.1, 4.4.2

Big Friendly? Giants (Pre-Historic Animals):
Meet some really big characters in our paleontology collection.  Our ever-popular Allosaurus is always a hit with the dinosaur lovers, but our huge ice-age mammal skeletons are equally awe-inspiring.  Think like a paleontologist to envision how and what these animals ate, what they looked like, etc.
Best for Grades 1&5
Science Standards:
    1.1.1, 1.2.1, 1.2.6, 1.4.2, 1.4.3, 1.4.4, 1.6.1
    5.1.3, 5.2.4, 5.4.4, 5.4.5, 5.4,7, 5.4.8

Winged Wonders (Birds):
Take a close look at the birds that live around us.  Investigate how various adaptations determine what, where and how different birds eat.  Examine a variety of feathers and record observations such as color, size, texture, pattern, etc.
Best for Grade 1
Science Standards:
    1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.2.1, 1.2.4, 1.2.5, 1.2.6, 1.2.7, 1.4.2, 1.4.3, 1.4.4

Star Personalities (Planetarium):
Get the inside scoop on the constellations in our planetarium.  Locate  constellations and hear the dramatic Greek myths behind them.  Our digital projector allows us to get up close and personal with the planets and their moons.  Older students can view a full-dome movie about the history of astronomy.
Best for Grades 1,3,5& 6
Science Standards:
    1.1.1, 1.1.3, 1.2.6, 1.6.1
    3.1.7, 3.2.4, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.6.3
    5.1.4, 5.3.1, 5.3.2, 5.3.3
    6.1.6, 6.1.7, 6.2.2, 6.3.1, 6.3.2, 6.3.3

Slip, Slither, Slurp (Reptiles):
Come have a close encounter of the scaly kind!  Meet our live reptiles and learn what turtles, lizards and snakes have in common and what makes them unique.
Best for Grades 1,2 & 5
Science Standards
    1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.2.6, 1.4.2, 1.4.3, 1.4.4, 1.5.3
    2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.2.5, 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.4, 2.4.5
    5.1.3, 5.4.4, 5.4.5, 5.4.7

Bats: Friends or Foes?:

There are lots of myths about our little flying furry neighbors. Discover the truth about these fascinating creatures, what kinds of obstacles they are facing, and ways in which they are not so different from us!
Best for Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, & 6
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.2.1, 1.2.4, 1.2.5, 1.2.6, 1.4.2, 1.4.3, 1.4.4
2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.4.1, 2.4.4, 2.5.6, 2.6.2
3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.2.4, 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.6.3
5.1.3, 5.4.4, 5.4.5, 5.4.7
6.4.3, 6.4.4, 6.4.8, 6.4.9

Richmond's Famous Fossils:

Unearth the types of organisms that used to live here in Richmond millions of years ago during the Ordovician Period. Learn about how they differed from each other and things that live in Richmond now, and discover how these ancient organisms lived!
Best for Grades 1, 2, 3, & 5
Science Standards
1.1.1, 1.2.1, 1.2.6, 1.4.2, 1.4.3, 1.4.4, 1.6.1
2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.4.1, 2.4.4, 2.5.6, 2.6.2
3.1.2, 3.2.4, 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.6.3
5.1.3, 5.4.4, 5.4.5, 5.4.8

Scavenger Hunts:

Scavenger hunts in the museum can be customized to the interests, abilities, and time constraints of your group. They can lead the students through the entire museum of through a single topical area. Contact the Coordinator of Educational Outreach to discuss what might work best for your class.