Student Field Trips
The NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center, located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia is one of NASA’s 13 Official Visitor Centers and can provide students with virtual and onsite field trip experiences! These STEM experiences are interactive and free to all participants! Check out our offerings below.
Virtual Field Trips
Explore different NASA missions and NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility through one of our virtual experiences!
Virtual field trips are taught live by an informal education specialist at the Wallops Visitor Center and are approximately 30-60 minutes long. These programs include an interactive presentation, a question-and-answer session, and a hands-on activity using commonly available supplies often found at home and school.
Schedule your Virtual Field Trips
Please review the comprehensive Virtual Field Trip planning guide below for more information on eligibility and scheduling a program. The Visitor Center’s virtual field trips can be scheduled at least seven days in advance and as far as 90 days in advance. Virtual field trips are conducted live by a Visitor Center informal educator. Groups must have a minimum of 15 student participants, and educators in the same school or district are encouraged to combine classes virtually, to allow for increased participation. Virtual field trip participants may not be charged a fee to attend the program. Groups interested in scheduling a virtual field trip with the Wallops Visitor Center should review the Virtual Field Trip Planning Guide and follow the scheduling instructions contained in that document.
Grades K-2 Virtual Field Trips
Option 1: Our Neighbor the Moon (30 minutes)
What is something up in the sky visible during the day and at night? Something that may be dim or shine bright? What might have a different shape when we look at it on different days? It’s our neighbor, the moon! Join us on a short adventure about the moon and NASA’s plans to go back and visit. This 30-minute program consists of an interactive presentation and a short question-and-answer session, all led live by one of our educators.
Option 2: Building a Better Tomorrow (30 minutes) – NEW
NASA’s working to build a better tomorrow by creating innovations that solve problems and help people while protecting planet Earth. We’ll explore how engineers look back in history to learn from past engineering marvels and draw inspiration from nature, to improve designs. This 30-minute program consists of an interactive presentation and a short question-and-answer session, all led live by one of our educators.
Grades 3-5 Virtual Field Trips
Option 1: Moon to Mars (60 minutes)
Why is NASA going back to the moon and what’s left to discover? How will going to the moon help astronauts get to Mars? Why do we want to land astronauts on Mars? We’ll answer these questions and more as we explore from the Moon to Mars. Following the discussion, students can get an idea of how large our solar system is as they create a pocket-size scale model of the solar system. This 60-minute program consists of an interactive presentation, a short question-and-answer session, and a hands-on activity – all led live by one of our educators.
Option 2: Spaceship Earth (60 minutes)– NEW
Earth is our oasis in space and the only place that can support life as we know it. To better understand our complex, ever-changing planet, we’ll explore how NASA monitors and collects information about five interconnected Earth systems: hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. As travelers on “Spaceship Earth,” you and your students will consider how interactions between air, water, rock, and life change on our planet and its climate. Are all systems go? This 60-minute program consists of an interactive presentation, a short question-and-answer session, and a hands-on activity – all led live by one of our educators.
Grades 6-8 Virtual Fields Trips
Option 1: Mission Explorers (60 minutes)
Explore how NASA uses robotic spacecraft technology to uncover mysteries within the solar system! Participants will receive a solar system exploration mission, and then design their very own spacecraft prototype that will collect data about a target destination. This 60-minute program consists of an interactive presentation, a short question-and-answer session, and a hands-on activity – all led live by one of our educators.
Option 2: Journey to Mars (60 minutes) -NEW
Mars is a rich place for scientific exploration and discovery. By studying the Red Planet, we come to learn more about Earth and if life could have existed in another world. We’ll make comparisons between Earth, the moon, and Mars, explore technological innovations behind Mars-based missions, and learn how NASA is preparing for future human spaceflight challenges through analog missions.
Grades 9-12 Virtual Field Trips
Option 1: Explore Flight (60 minutes)
NASA is charged with solving the problems of flight and developing new technology to keep U.S. aviation first in safety, efficiency, and innovation. Join us in this live, virtual experience as we uncover how NASA explores the full range of Earth’s atmosphere and achieves flight on Mars! Participants can create and test a paper helicopter along with our educator. This 60-minute program consists of an interactive presentation, a short question-and-answer session, and a hands-on activity – all led live by one of our educators.
Option 2: Your Home. NASA’s Mission (60 minutes) -NEW
NASA’s known for its incredibly bold and inspiring deep space explorations, but did you know that it’s also the largest community of earth scientists in the world? From the unique vantage point of sky and space, explore how NASA’s Earth Science Division uses remote sensing to collect long-term data about our changing planet as humanity finds solutions for one of our most ambitious challenges yet – climate change. This 60-minute program consists of an interactive presentation, a short question-and-answer session, and a hands-on activity – all led live by one of our educators.
Onsite Field Trips
Educators and their groups are welcome to explore in person during onsite field trips to the Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center in Wallops Island, Virginia. Admission to the Visitor Center is free of charge. To notify the Visitor Center of your intended field trip, email us with information about the date of your visit, time of arrival, grade level(s), and number of guests (adults and youth) in your group. Review the Field Trip Guide for more information and self-guided field trip recommendations.
Onsite Self-Guided Field Trip
Explore the exhibits on your own, included in all field trips. Educators and their groups are welcome to explore the engaging exhibits during a self-guided field trip. Current Visitor Center exhibits may include:
- The NOAA Science On a Sphere interactive theater
- Exploring Engineering Design Process with Sounding Rockets
- Lunar Surface Exploration Exhibit
- Outdoor Rocket Garden and Observation Deck
Groups may request one Visitor Center educator-guided program in advance. Larger groups of up to 100 participants may choose from two interactive assembly shows, and smaller groups of up to 30 participants may choose from a variety of hands-on programs. Limit one add-on program (assembly show or hands-on activity) per group. See the onsite program options for more information.
Onsite Assembly Shows
Assembly shows are 60 minutes long and adapted to the specified grade level of program participants.
Request to add a guided assembly show to your self-guided field trip. Choose from one of the topics below.
Option 1: Explore Solar System & Beyond: In this 60-minute add-on onsite program led by one of our educators, participants explore the origin, components, forces, and scientific exploration of our local solar system “neighborhood” in space. The Explore Solar System & Beyond Assembly Show is adapted to the specified grade level of participants and is for up to 100 participants.
Option 2: Guided Solar System Tour on NOAA Science On a Sphere Interactive Theater: (NEW) Explore NASA planetary missions and our solar system through an educator-guided tour on our NOAA Science On a Sphere Interactive Theater with stops at the Sun, planets, dwarf planets, and the moon. Then, students can get an idea of how large our solar system is as they create a pocket-sized scale model of the solar system. The Guided Solar System Tour is adapted to the specified grade level of participants, for up to 60 participants, and the hands-on activity is recommended for grades 3-8.
Grades K-2 Onsite Programs
Select one 60-minute program for up to 30 participants.
Smaller groups can request to add a Visitor Center educator-guided hands-on program to your self-guided field trip. Choose from one of the topics below.
Option 1: Stomp Rocket Rumble (forces, motion, technology): Some rockets carry science tools- not scientists- into space! In this program, your budding rocket scientists will explore sounding rockets and basic forces as they build and launch a stomp rocket.
Option 2: Imagination Playground (creativity, motor skills, communication): If your students like to tinker, build and create, they’ll love Imagination Playground! Using oversized dense foam blocks, gears, chutes, and hinges, they’ll work together to explore simple machines and build cosmic creations.
Grades 3-5 Onsite Programs
Select one 60-minute program for up to 30 participants.
Smaller groups can request to add a Visitor Center educator-guided hands-on program to your self-guided field trip. Choose from one of the topics below.
Option 1: Seltzer Rocket Splatter (forces, motion, chemistry, art): Propel toward the skies as we explore rockets and experiment with fuel rations to maximize rocket altitude! Participants will launch on a goldenrod paper platform, allowing them to create and take a unique art piece home.
Option 2: Parachute Design (inquiry, forces of flight, design, math): Students learn how NASA Wallops Flight Facility tested the latest parachute used to land the Perseverance Rover on Mars, then explore the principles of flight and balancing of forces as they design a parachute that must safely deliver a payload.
Grades 6-8 Onsite Program
Select one 60-minute program for up to 30 participants.
Smaller groups can request to add a Visitor Center educator-guided hands-on program to your self-guided field trip. Choose from one of the topics below.
Option 1: “Strawkets”: Air-Powered Rockets (forces and motion): Explore the basic parts of a rocket and work through the engineering design process to aim for a target using our high-powered straw rocket launchers
Option 2: Rigamajig Engineering Spacecraft Challenge (solar system, engineering, technology): Students work in teams to design and construct a spacecraft set to explore a mysterious location within our solar system.
Assembly Shows for any grade!
Select an assembly show to enhance your group’s self-guided experience.
Option 1: Explore Solar System and Beyond – up to 100 participants
In this 60-minute add-on onsite program led by one of our educators, participants explore the origin, components, forces, and scientific exploration of our local solar system “neighborhood” in space. The Explore Solar System & Beyond Assembly Show is adapted to the specified grade level of participants.
Option 2: Guided Solar System Tour – up to 30 participants
Explore NASA planetary missions and our solar system through an educator-guided tour on our NOAA Science On a Sphere Interactive Theater with stops at the Sun, planets, dwarf planets, and the moon. Then, students can get an idea of how large our solar system is as they create a pocket size scale model of the solar system. The Guided Solar System Tour is adapted to the specified grade level of participants, and the hands-on activity is recommended for grades 3-8.
Explore the Universe from your Inbox
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive the latest news, events, and programs happening at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center!
We will never share your email address.
