Below is a list of frequently asked questions about our school programs.

Why has your fee structure changed?

We have changed the pricing structure for our programs conducted here at the Museum. We are now charging a per-student fee rather than the per-class fee. By having a per-student fee, we have eliminated the need to set a maximum for a group. We can schedule lessons for various class sizes and not have to charge you per lesson. A per student fee also makes our classes more affordable to small groups. Included in the per-student fee is admission to the Museum for the students, teachers, and 7 chaperones, as well as your program.

What if I have a different number of students the day of the program from which I registered?

We recognize that your class/group size may change. If you need to change the number of students to the program, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible so that we can make the appropriate adjustments. You will be charged the per-student fee for each student being added to a program taking place here at the Museum. We do not provide refunds if you bring fewer students than you registered.

Can we schedule more classes on one day?

Possibly—programs are scheduled based on the availability of space, educators, and our Animal Ambassadors.

Where can we eat?

Coyote Point Museum has an outdoor picnic area in our gardens, near our Wildlife Habitats, which may be used on a first-come, first-served basis. The picnic area can accommodate 25-35 children. There are also many picnic areas in the park surrounding the museum.

Do you sell food?

Snacks and drinks are available for purchase in the Museum Store.

What if it rains during my visit?

We teach our classes rain or shine; we believe there is no bad weather, only bad clothing, so please dress for outdoor exploration. We do not have indoor eating areas available.

What can our students do at the Museum if/when not in a program?

Additional groups are welcome to explore our Environmental Hall, Exhibits, Wildlife Habitats and Gardens. The Museum is surrounded by the Coyote Point Park. Paved trails lead to several different natural habitats and a little bit of exploration can result in a lot of discovery.

How long does it take to go through the Museum?

We find that students enjoy exploring the Museum for between 1-3 hours, in addition to any scheduled lessons. The interests and preparation of your group chaperones influence how long it takes to visit the Museum. We suggest that teachers visit the Museum prior to your group visit, to help prepare chaperones with ideas. Your teacher preview visit will be free, as teachers are always admitted to the Museum free of charge.

Are you still offering the same classes that you offered in previous years?

Our class offerings change every year as we constantly improve our class content and in response to the needs of schools and teachers. This year, we have added several new class offerings and have made more programs available to travel to your site. Please review our 2009-2010 program offerings before submitting your registration form.

Why is a deposit required to register for classes?

Registering for Coyote Point Museum programs is on a first-come, first-served basis. Scheduling programs requires communication between the group/class leaders and the Museum staff. To ensure that the date and time of your program are secured, we ask for a deposit as your commitment to the scheduled session time. The deposit is non-refundable and will be credited towards your total fees due.

Can your programs travel to our school site?

Several of our programs are set up to go on the raod and come to your classroom. What looking through the brochures or our website, look for the programs that state:
This program can travel to your site!
To cover the cost of transportation we do charge a travel fee which varies depending on your location. We do focus our travel to locations within San Mateo County. Some classes may have certain space requirements, and if you have more than 20 students for PreK-2nd grade or 30 students for 3rd grade and above, multiple programs may need to be scheduled.

Still have questions? Please contact our Program Scheduler at scheduler(at)coyoteptmuseum.org or 650.340.7598.