Help Preserve the Spirit of the American West
School Programs
Guided and Self-Guided Field Trips
Notice: We are no longer taking reservations for guided tours this spring.
Museum Hours
| September 16 – October 31 | Open Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| November 1 – 30 | Open Daily | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| December 1 – February 28 | Thursday – Sunday | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| March 1 – April 30 | Open Daily | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| May 1 – September 15 | Open Daily | 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
School Group Prices
| Self-guided teacher-led tours |
$2 per student |
| Docent/educator guided tours |
$3.50 per student |
| Docent/educator guided tours with activity |
$5 per student |
| Teachers |
Free |
| Chaperones (1 chaperone per 4 students) |
Free |
| Chaperones (more than 1 per 4 students) |
$14 per chaperone |
| Outreach trunks |
Cost of shipping both ways |
| Outreach programs (Cody, Powell, and Meeteetse only) | $25 first class; $20 each additional class |
ATTENTION ALL TEACHERS!
Schools that need assistance to visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center may be eligible for a fee waiver. Please contact the School Services office at schoolprograms@bbhc.org or 307.578.4028.
General Information
- All school groups, including self-guided (teacher led) or guided, MUST register before coming to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
- Register for all visits to the museum at least three weeks in advance.
- All visits must be scheduled on weekdays during regular museum hours.
- School groups are required to have a minimum of 1 adult chaperone per 10 students. It is the responsibility of the chaperone(s) to supervise the students at all times.
- Please make sure that the group size visiting the Museum Store at any one time does not exceed 10 individuals per group. A chaperone or teacher must be with groups when they are visiting the store.
Online registration:
- Please fill out the information requested on the forms at the links below to register.
- Once you've submitted your request, you will receive an e-mail response that your registration is being processed.
- Your visit is not confirmed until you receive a second e-mail within 1 week with a confirmation number.
- Upon arrival, please check in at admissions with the name of your group, the number of students and chaperones, and your purchase order/payment ready.
- Please let us know if you have any problems with our online registration system. If you have difficulty, or do not see a screen noting that you have submitted the form, please e-mail Megan Smith or call her at 307.578.4028.
We are no longer taking guided tour reservations this spring. See below for self-guided tours
Guided tour options are listed below and on the registration form. Questions? Please e-mail or call Megan Smith at megans@bbhc.org or 307.578.4028.
Click here to register for self-guided/teacher-led tours
The following self-guided tour maps are available for students and teachers to print and use in the museums of the Center:
- Buffalo Bill Museum self-guided tour map (PDF)
- Draper Museum of Natural History self-guided tour map (PDF)
- Plains Indian Museum self-guided tour map (PDF)
- Cody Firearms Museum self-guided tour map (PDF)
- Whitney Gallery of Western Art self-guided tour map (PDF)
Guided Tours
Note: we are no longer taking reservations for guided tours this spring, but click here for resources that will assist you in self-guided tours.
Guided Western History Tours
Getting to Know Buffalo Bill (Grades K–5)
William F. Cody embodied the adventurous spirit of the American West. Explore the life and times of the scout, buffalo hunter, town-builder, entertainer, and family man known as Buffalo Bill.
State Standards: SS.4.4.1, 4.2.1, 4.4.3
Homesteading in Wyoming (Grades 3–8)
Discover the challenges that homesteaders faced as they settled the Big Horn Basin between the late 1800s and the mid 1900s. Tour includes an interactive "claim your land" activity.
State Standards: SS.4.4.3, 4.5.4, 8.4.1, 11.4.1
Teacher Guide for the Homesteading in Wyoming Guided Tour
Trappers, Traders, and Trailblazers (Grades 4–8)
Explore the adventurous culture of the West during the time of the trappers, traders, and trailblazers. Discover the tools and techniques that mountain men used to survive in the wilderness, and see how they influenced the American West.
State Standards: SS.4.3.1, 4.4.3, 8.4.3, 8.3.1-2
Teacher Guide for the Trappers, Traders, and Trailblazers Guided Tour
Guided Cultural History Tours
Journey into Art (Grades K–3)
Discover and explore the artistic elements of line, shape, and color throughout the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
State Standards : FA.4.2.1 (2–3), FA.4.3.1 (2–3)
Customized Art Tours (Grades 4–12)
Please call 307.578.4028 for information about a customized tour for your group.
Plains Indian Tipi Activity Tours (Grades Pre K–2)
Tipi Activity Tour: $5 per student
Parfleche Activity: $5 per student
Explore the dwellings of some Plains Indian people. Students will make miniature tipis or parfleches using their own designs. Maximum of 25 students per visit. Must register 3 weeks in advance. Available during the month of November only.
State Standards: SS.4.2.1 (K), 4.2.2 (K–4)
Teacher Guide for the Plains Indian Tipi Guided Activity and Tour
Plains Indian Culture: Yesterday and Today (Grades 3–12)
Discover how Plains Indians enrich their lifestyles today by incorporating new aspects of culture while continuing to draw upon past traditions.
State Standards: SS.4.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.4.3, 11.2.2, 11.4.4
Teacher Guide for the Plains Indian Culture: Yesterday and Today Guided Tour
Natural History Tours
Animal Adaptations (Grades Pre K–8)
Discover the basic habitat needs of animals, and explore how plants and animals adapt to changing seasons and environments. Dress-A-Beaver activity included in Pre K–4 programs.
State Standards: SC.4.1.1–3, 8.1.5, 11.1.6
Teacher Guide for the Animal Adaptations Guided Tour
Wyoming Geology Rocks! (Grades 1–4)
Students will study the geologic processes that have shaped this region, and explore how these processes influence the diversity of plants and animals found here.
State Standards: SC.4.1.7 (K–2), SC.4.1.3 (1), SC.4.1.4 (3)
Fire, Water, and Ice (Grades 4–12)
Explore how water, fire, heat, and ice have shaped the landscape around us. From pikas to prairie dogs and lodgepoles to landslides, these natural factors determine what we see and where animals live.
State Standards: SC.4.1.4, 4.1.6
Carl Preussl (1894 – after 1934) Old Faithful, 1929 oil on canvas. 3.01
Yellowstone has always inspired artists as well as scientists and nature lovers. See the nature of Yellowstone through art.
Register now or at the door. Our June 21 "Guys Night at the Museum" features the Draper Museum and our live raptors! More info.
Winchester Model 1876 short rifle. Gift of Olin Corporation, Winchester Arms Collection. 1988.8.191 With saddle, ca. 1900. 1.69.875
The firearm is integrally tied to the story of the history and culture of the West.
Traverse the natural history of the Greater Yellowstone region on an interactive trail from an alpine ecosystem down to the plains.
Find out about the 'Man of the West—Man of the World,' the times in which he lived, and his lasting influence.