H2O Friends
Through the generous support of donors, we are delighted to offer “Help to Our Friends” by offering free field trips and outreach programs to underserved schools and groups in our community.
Who is Eligible?
Title One schools or schools/groups that demonstrate financial need may be eligible for a free field trip to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station.
Are you part of a non-profit organization that provides services for underserved children, children/families experiencing medical crises or adults that require full-time care? You may qualify for free access through our Community Partner program. Contact info@stlouisaquarium.com to see if you qualify as a community partner and are able to receive a fully funded visit.
To best serve our community, we ask H2O Friends applications be limited to one per school within a given school year.
What is Included with an H2O Friends Field Trip?
Aquarium Admission:
Schools and groups approved for H2O Friends field trips will receive free admission to the Aquarium for their students and required chaperones. Funds are limited and applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.
Please note, one (free admission) adult chaperone is required for every 7 youth attending. Any additional adult admission tickets must be requested and added to your contract at an additional cost.
Education Classes:
A select number of education classes are available through H2O Friends funding. Please note the maximum number of students in the main classroom at a time is 40 youth and 7 adults and classes are approximately 1-hour long. Education Classes are scheduled as add-ons to your Aquarium Field Trip, able to be requested when filling out your Field Trip Request Form
Bus Transportation:
As part of our H2O Friends Program, we offer transportation stipends for approved schools under Title I. Schools that are approved by our team may request a transportation stipend. When filling out the “Field Trip Request Form,” please note at the bottom of the form on assistance with bus transportation. Approved schools through our H2O Friends Program will then arrange and pay for their own transportation then submit their transportation receipt to the education team (education@stlaquariumfoundation.org) for reimbursement. Please note: our H2O Friends Program has limited funding and cannot guarantee how much transportation will be stipend.
Outreach Programs
Are you interested in bringing the St. Louis Aquarium to your facility, organization, school, or special event? Participate in hands-on activities and programs led by the Aquarium’s Education Department and learn about the world around us and how water connects us all!
