Prepare for Your Split Rock Lighthouse Field Trip

Before your visit

• Consider your group's accessibility needs and communicate these to our team at fieldtrips@mnhs.org.
• Discuss museum manners with your students.
• Share visit schedules with the staff and chaperones.
• Assign students to specific chaperones. A ratio of one chaperone for every ten students is required.
• Ensure everyone has weather appropriate footwear and clothing. Students can expect to spend at least half of their field trip outside.
• Review confirmation materials for details on your visit, including schedule of events.

When you arrive at the Split Rock Lighthouse

• Please send one group leader to check in at the front desk in the Visitor Center.
• Be prepared to give an accurate count of the number of students, school staff, and chaperones. 
• Gather the rest of your group outside the Visitor Center. A staff member will meet the rest of your group  and hand out wristbands to wear during your visit.
• Students will start their experience together in the theatre to watch The Story of Split Rock Lighthouse before exploring the rest of the site. 

Accessibility

Split Rock Lighthouse welcomes all visitors and strives to make everyone’s visit a positive experience.  Please let us know if your group has anyone with special accommodation needs. Email fieldtrips@mnhs.org to discuss your group’s access needs.

• All restrooms are accessible, including an All Gender Family Bathroom.
• American Sign Language interpreters are available with two weeks’ notice.
• Wheelchairs are available on-site for use during your visit. First come, first serve.
• Quiet space is available for students in need of a break.

The experience will involve walking and standing for one hour and stairs. While much of the grounds and buildings are wheelchair accessible, the observation deck and lighthouse tower are not. To access the observation deck, students will need to climb 22 steps. There are railings on either side of the stairs. This is the only way to access the space. The lens room of the lighthouse can only be accessed by climbing an additional 32 steps.

Review the Split Rock Lighthouse Field Trip Social Narrative to prepare your group.

Learn more about accessibility at the Split Rock Lighthouse.

Split Rock Lighthouse museum manners

• Walk and stay with your group to ensure everyone stays safe.
• Use indoor voices so everyone can hear and learn. 
• Only plain water is allowed in sealed bottles in the exhibit gallery and the historic buildings (no food).
• Be respectful of staff, each other, your chaperones and other guests.
• Protect historic objects by only touching when a staff member says it's okay.
• Turn cell-phones to vibrate or silent during the field trip. 
• Due to space limitations we ask that you limit gift shop visitors to 10 at a time.

Lunch

There is no space available on the historic site for students to have lunch. Picnic facilities are available in the nearby Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. Contact the state park for options at 218-595-7625.

Field trip preview

Check out the lighthouse from the classroom with the virtual tour or Split Rock Cam Livestream. 

Watch the short video for a preview of what you’ll experience at the Split Rock Lighthouse.