K-12 Group Visits and Classroom Experiences on Campus
Are you interested in checking out our beautiful campus at the base of Mount Sentinel in Missoula? Whether you’re a prospective student, school group or interested community member, we encourage you to visit our campus and make a day of it.
Alternatively, the program will bring UM faculty, scholars and researchers to your K-12 learning environment. Email Kit Smith for more information on We Are Montana in the Classroom.
Find what works best for you:
- High School Students – Check out our to learn more about campus tours and schedule a visit.
- Group Leaders – .
- K-12 Educators and Counselors – We Are Montana in the Classroom is a free program that connects UM scholars and researchers with K-12 classrooms. This program visits classrooms and out-of-school programs and facilitates on-campus field trips and lab visits.
- Other Community Members – Our campus is your campus! .
- Athletics Tours – .
Activities on Campus
-
We Are Montana in the Classroom connects K-12 students and teachers with UM role models (faculty, graduate students, and professionals) who lead hands-on activities designed to inspire students about higher education and career pathways. We Are Montana in the Classroom can send a UM role model to your school or we can arrange for you to visit a lab, studio, or classroom while you are visiting campus.
Capacity: 25 students (or one full class)
Recommended ages: K-12
Cost: Free
Contact: Kit Smith (kit.smith@umontana.edu)
-
The Autonomous Aerial Systems Office (AASO) offers students hands-on experience setting up and operating small drones and robots outside (or inside, if the weather is bad).
Capacity: 15-20 students
Recommended ages: 4th grade and up
Cost: Free (1 hour)
Contact: AASO (aaso@mso.umt.edu)
-
Join UM Media Arts professor and UM ESports team director Michael Cassens in UM's new ESports training facility to learn about gaming concepts, create a mobile application/game, and deploy it on a smartphone and share with others. Students will learn about UM’s Game Design and Interactive Media Program, meet UM ESports players, and learn about the team.
Capacity: 15-30
Recommended ages: Middle-High School
Cost: Free
Contact: Michael Cassens (michael.cassens@umontana.edu)
-
Grizzly Athletics Facilities Tours include guided access to the Hall of Champions, Sky Club, and Washington-Grizzly Stadium football field as available. Other areas may also be included in the tour subject to availability. Tours are normally scheduled for a one hour time block which including a 30 minute tour and 30 minutes of access to the football field.
Capacity: 30-35 people per tour
Recommended ages: All ages
Cost: Free
Contact: Please fill out the or call 243-2222.
Go Griz!
-
Visit the in the School of Journalism to record journalistic interviews and learn journalism basics.
Capacity: 20 students
Recommended ages: 6-12 grade
Cost: Free
Contact: mary@montanamedialab.com
-
The Montana Museum of Art and Culture, the state's largest and deepest collection of art, exhibits, and important works from many cultures and periods and features several rotating exhibitions each year. Information about current shows is available on the MMAC website or by calling 243-2019. Docent tours are tailored to fit the interests of students and teachers.
Capacity: 30 students, plus teachers/chaperones
Ages: All ages
Cost: Free
Contact: Peggy Nesbitt (peggy.nesbitt@mso.umt.edu)
-
The UM Paleontology Collection has an estimated 40,000 specimen-lots, with over 2,000 being type (published) specimens, that represent the ancient heritage of North America, as well as containing specimens from over 20 different countries.
Capacity: 25 students
Recommended ages: 3rd grade and up
Cost: $25 per hour
Contact: Kallie Moore (kallie.moore@mso.umt.edu)
-
Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum (UMZM) is a natural history museum located at the 91次元, containing over 22,500 specimens of birds and mammals. UMZM is the largest zoological collection in Montana and serves as the principal repository for important bird and mammal state records.
Capacity: UMZM is in a transitional period and will be unable to offer tours in Fall 2024. They hope to be open to tours again in Spring 2025.
Contact: umzm@mso.umt.edu
-
Planetarium shows will familiarize you with the constellations, planets, and bright deep sky objects currently visible, as well as any exciting upcoming celestial events. The remainder of each show can be tailored to include any specific topic(s) that you are studying in your classroom.
Capacity: 27 students, 3 chaperones
Recommended ages: All ages
Cost: $80 per show
Contact: planetarium@mso.umt.edu
-
Located just across the river in the new Missoula Public Library, spectrUM Discovery Area is dedicated to igniting passion for discovery through science. As the University's award-winning hands-on science museum, spectrUM offers educational opportunities for all ages.
Cost: Free
Contact: spectrUM@umontana.edu
Museum Exploration Field Trip
Groups can schedule a visit to spectrUM's museum during public hours for a self-guided experience at no cost. The exhibits and activities featured in our field trips are curated to inspire a culture of learning and discovery, and are facilitated by trained educators who serve as role models by demonstrating a passion for science and pathways to higher education.
Capacity: 60
Recommended ages: K-12
Length: 90 minutes
Cost: Free
Contact: Caitlin Ervin (caitlin.ervin@mso.umt.edu) or call 406-541-8971 to schedule a visit. Visit their field trip webpage for more information.
Guided Field Trip
Guided field trips are designed to give students the opportunity to explore our museum independently to make their own discoveries, as well as work with our educators to learn science concepts through guided experiments and activities. While each field trip topic explores different themes, students and educators will model the scientific method and are encouraged to be curious learners. Field trip curricula are designed to meet Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), but may be adapted to all ages and abilities.
Groups can book a classroom experience that includes 45 minutes of private, educator-led experiments, and 45 minutes of museum exploration. Classroom activities are designed to support NGSS.Capacity: 60
Recommended ages: K-12
Length: 90 minutes
Cost: $6.50 per student (minimum of $100)
Need-based scholarships are available, apply online.
Contact: Caitlin Ervin (caitlin.ervin@mso.umt.edu) or call 406-541-8971 to schedule a visit. Visit their field trip webpage for more information.
-
UM's Conference on Undergraduate Research is hosted annually in April. The conference showcases and highlights the work of undergraduate researchers from all disciplines.
High school classes are invited to join us! At least one chaperone must be on-campus with the students as a point of contact. The conference is broken into sections, and you are welcome to join for as much or as little as you would like. To learn more about the conference, please contact Kit.
Cost: Free
Recommended ages: high school students
Date: April 25, 2025 (9am-5pm)
Contact: Kit Smith kit.smith@umontana.edu
-
REACH (Research and Explore Awesome Careers in Healthcare) is a day-long camp offered by for high school students at their local healthcare facility or on the UM college campus to explore careers in the medical field. Students will rotate through different stations where they will learn hands-on healthcare skills.
Capacity: 20-30 students per day
Recommended ages: high school students
Cost: Free
Contact: Jillian Hull (jillian.hull@mso.umt.edu)
While You're On Campus
Dining Venues
Looking for food on campus? Please see Campus Dining's Location and Hours for detailed information
Campus Map
Use for ADA accessibility information, construction closures, campus services, dining venues, and more!
Parking and Transportation
Find information on Visitor Parking on campus here. Planning to take the bus to campus? Learn more about bus services here.