Group Tours at The Whale Museum

The Museum's Group Tours

The Museum's Gallery of Whales is a great way for schools, camps, service organizations, travel groups and large families to receive a personal introduction to the whales of the Pacific Northwest. Led by Museum educators, tours provide a unique experience that enhances your group's understanding and appreciation of whales and the marine habitat.

Give us a call at 360-378-4710, ext. 23 and we can help you arrange a visit to The Whale Museum, the only museum in the country dedicated to whales living in the wild!

UNGUIDED TOURS

Schedule: 7 days per week, year-round (reduced schedule in winter)
Tour Time: Approximately 45 minutes
Tour Group Size: Minimum: 10 / Maximum 40
Pricing: See Admissions page for group discounts

GUIDED TOURS
A Guided Museum Tour is an excellent opportunity for your group to receive a personal introduction to the whales of the Salish Sea. Let our Museum educators provide a unique experience that enhances your group’s understanding and appreciation of whales and the marine habitat.

GUIDED TOURS RATES

Guided Museum Tour general public: $25.00 + per person admission fees ($5 for adults, $4 for seniors over 65, and $2.50 for youth ages 5 -17)

Scholastic Rate: $12 + per person admission fees ($3 adults, $1.5 elementary, and $1.75 middle and high school)

EDUCATION PROGRAMS at The Whale Museum
Have you ever lounged within the rib cage of a killer whale?
Did you know killer whales can live into their 80’s or 90’s?
Have you ever seen how big a humpback whale is at birth?

- Cetaceans of the Salish Sea
This program is a fundamental introduction to the natural history of whales found in the inland waters of the Salish Sea. The class begins with a slide show and continues in the Exhibit Hall of the Whale Museum with life-size models and articulated skeletons of whales. Students will also learn about under water acoustics, see whale brains, and hear different marine mammal sounds.

- Puget Pinnipeds
Come learn about these amazing flipper-footed marine mammals at The Whale Museum. Students will understand the natural history of these animals through an interactive slide presentation, hands-on pelts and skulls, and activities. The presentation is followed by a visit to our Exhibit Hall.

Optional Add-on Activities:
The Museum also offers additional add-on activities to enhance your group’s visit. They are the Gray Whale Project, Orca ID Lab, and an Acoustics Lab with a field trip to Lime Kiln Point State Park.

- The Gray Whale Project
The Gray Whale Project is a popular education program at The Whale Museum that began in 1995. Students participate in engaging activities that lead them on a path of scientific discovery about gray whales and their biology, as well as the relationship between humans and whales.

Among the Gray Whale Project's educational activities is the articulation of a real gray whale skeleton. Imagine being presented with a jumbled set of real whale bones and challenged to articulate them into a complete, 28-foot, juvenile gray whale skeleton! The secret of this particular animal begins to unveil itself as construction is completed.

Efforts to complete the skeleton stimulate discussion of comparative anatomy, marine conservation, museum techniques, mythology, environmental ethics, whaling and more. Whales are impressive and fascinating animals for students to study. For educators, whales can provide an underlying theme for the integration of whale biology with more general scientific concepts such as comparative anatomy, food webs, invertebrate biology, science technology, and oceanography.

- The Orca ID Lab
This is a great activity to help students understand how the Southern Resident Community of orcas in the Salish Sea can be identified by paying attention to field characteristics and specific physical marks on each whale. The orcas in this area are some of the best known whales in the world, especially now that they have received endangered classification under the Federal Endangered Species Act.

- Acoustics Lab and Field Trip to Lime Kiln Point State Park
This lab highlights The Whale Museum’s Acoustic Research that began in 1983 in the lighthouse at Lime Kiln Point State Park. Whenever the orcas pass by the hydrophones (under water microphones) in front of the lighthouse they are recorded, along with boats, ships, and anything else making under water noise. Students will learn about echolocation, the differences among orca vocalizations, and about underwater noise and its effect on whales.

How to make a reservation
Please contact Cindy Hansen, Education Curator, at 360-378-4710 ext. 23 or email cindy@whalemuseum.org for further information or to book a program. Education programs are taught on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays anytime between 10:00am and 5:00pm. Most Programs are around one hour in length.

The program fees may be paid in advance to secure the date and time of your choice. Methods of payment accepted are Purchase Order, Visa, Master Card, American Express, or check by mail.

Acoustics Lab $100.00 – field trip to Lime Kiln Point State Park
max: 30 including chaperones, no minimum