Booking

School Groups

Visiting the aquarium with your school is a great way to bring education alive. We offer many interactive opportunities for your students to learn more about marine environments. Most of our programs are correlated to state standards. Please contact us for more details on correlations.

School Groups

If your are interested in bringing a school group to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, please submit a REQUEST FORM.

Self Guided Tour

Self Guided Tour

Welcome to the North Carolina Aquarium classroom! Plan an unforgettable field trip to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Your students will dive into the world of wonder and water, with a wide array of educational exhibits and programs.

All groups must pre-register.
Duration Varies
Request

Special Activities

Butterfly Bungalow

Available from April 20th-September 30th

Welcome to the North Carolina Aquarium's Butterfly Bungalow! Bring your students to see the beauty of hundreds of exotic butterflies from around the world while learning the importance of butterflies and other insect pollinators.

All Grade Levels

$3 per person

Maximum of 25 participants

All groups must pre-register.
Duration Varies
Request

Special Activity Animal Programs

All About Butterflies

Available from April 20th - September 30th.

Eighty percent of all animals on earth are insects, making them the most diverse group of organisms. In this program our focus will be on butterflies. Learn about their life cycle and gain a better understanding of the importance of butterflies and other insect pollinators. After the program participants will visit our Butterfly Bungalow and delight in the beauty of hundreds of exotic butterflies from around the world and walk through our outdoor butterfly garden for our native species.

Grades K-5

$7 per student
$3 per adult
Minimum of 10 people
Maximum of 50 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Animal Meet and Greet

Would you like to give your school group a private encounter with a critter of your choice but don’t have a lot of time? Request a 15 minute Animal Meet and Greet and let your students say “hello” to one of our many live animals! This program is perfect for smaller groups that are on a schedule and a budget but desire an intimate experience to learn about a North Carolina native species! For $1 per student, choose one animal from the following: turtle, snake, alligator, frog, toad, salamander, hermit crab, sea star, or sea urchin.
Available Monday-Friday from September 1-February 28 only!

Grades PreK-12.

$1 per student
Minimum of 12 students
Maximum of 30 students

Maximum of 3 rotations, back to back each day
Duration 15 minutes
Request

Reptiles-R-Us

Learn about the habits and habitats of various reptiles in the Cape Fear Region. Alligators, turtles, and snakes will be highlighted.

Grades 1 - University.

$4 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 120 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Invertebrate Interview

Uncover the hidden world of clams, snails, crabs, sea urchins, sea stars, and other invertebrates. Learn what makes a coral an animal, where the eyes of a sea star are located, how an urchin gets around, and much more!

Grades 1 - University.

$4 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 120 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Sharks: Inside and Out

Learn the characteristics of sharks in this interactive presentation on shark anatomy and behavior. Discover how sharks swim, how they get along without bones, and how they replace their teeth!

Grades 1 - University.

$4 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 120 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Whales and Dolphins

How do we compare to some of the largest animals on earth? What is the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this fun, interactive program highlighting the whales and dolphins that frequent North Carolina's coast.

Grades 2 - University.

$4 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 120 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Children's Discovery Time

Creatures come alive in this story telling and critter creating program. A special craft is included with each program, and some programs include live animals.
Topic Selections:
Spiny-skinned animals, Whales and Dolphins, Crabs and other Crustaceans, Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Sharks, Skates and Rays.

Grades K - First.

$5 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 25 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Exploring our Ecosystems

Learn about the different ecosystems we have here in coastal North Carolina during this interesting and interactive program. Explore why these ecosystems are important and meet some of the creatures that inhabit them.  

Grades 1 - University.

$4 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 120 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Animal Life Cycles

Learn about different life cycles of various animals during this interesting and interactive program.

Grades 1 - University.

$4 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 120 people
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Behind the Scenes Tour

Join staff on a behind the scenes tour and see what it is like to be responsible for the aquarium's critters. This tour will take you places that many guests never have a chance to see.

Grades 6 - University.

$7 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 15 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Front of Scenes Tour

Have your own guide take you along on a front-of-scenes tour following the Cape Fear River throughout our Aquarium which will highlight specific exhibits important to your journey.  This tour is recommended for smaller groups that desire a more structured visit with your own private party.

Available from October 1st - March 1st.

Grades Kindergarten - University.
$5 per student
Maximum of 10 students
Duration 45 minutes
Request

Special Activities

Geodome-Marine Mammals and Climate Change

A changing climate is affecting our oceans and the animals that call it home. Join aquarium staff to experience the Geodome; an immersive, inflatable theater with footage showcasing local scientists’ work about effects of climate change on marine mammals. Learn about what we can do to make a difference to ensure a healthy ocean for all living things.

Grades 6 - 12.

$100 per session
$75 for each additional session
Maximum of 25 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Special Activity Outdoor Programs

Salt Marsh and Crabbing

Available April 1st to September 30th

Join us for a hands-on program that introduces students to the fun of catching blue crabs.
Activities include:
Lessons in the biology of crustaceans, crab rigs, bait, exploring a shrub thicket, pulling a seine or dip net through the salt marsh, and the importance of dunes, marsh grasses, and food webs.

Grades 2 - University.

$8 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 60 students
Duration 2 Hours
Request

Salt Marsh Exploration

Available March 1st to November 30th

North Carolina has over 3,000 acres of salt marsh. Students hike the marsh and discover plants and animals found in this rich environment.
Activities include:
Exploring a shrub thicket, pulling a seine or dip net through the marsh, and discovering the importance of dunes, marsh grasses, and food webs.

Grades 2 - University.

$7 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 60 students
Duration 1 1/2 Hours
Request

Surf Fishing

Available April 1st to November 30th

Learn the art and practice of saltwater fishing.
Activities include:
This hands-on program includes knowledge of surf fishing equipment, baits commonly used and how to identify local fish in our waters. All equipment and bait is provided.
Grades 6 - University.

$18 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 20 students
Duration 3 Hours
Request

Fort Fisher Hermit's School of Common Sense

Available March 1st to November 30th

Have you ever heard about the Fort Fisher Hermit? Maybe you were lucky enough to meet him. Join aquarium staff to watch an award winning documentary entitled, "The Fort Fisher Hermit: The Life and Death of Robert E. Harrill." Then take a walk in the Hermit's footsteps out through the marsh to the bunker where he lived. Learn how the hermit lived in the marsh, surviving largely on plants and animals. Test your own skills catching and releasing food from the marsh.
Activities include:
Watching the documentary, crabbing, seining, and hiking.

Grades 10 - University.

$10 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 60 students
*Photo by Fred Pickler
Duration 2 1/2 Hours
Request

Canoeing the Salt Marsh

Available June 1st to October 31st

Explore Zeke's Island Estuarine Research Reserve by canoe. Participants should be able to swim and be capable of sustained physical exertion.
Activities include:
Canoeing, crabbing, seining, or birding.

Grades 7 - University.

$25 per student
Maximum of 15 students
Duration 3 Hours
Request

Rocky Outcrop Exploration

THIS PROGRAM MUST BE SCHEDULED AT LOW TIDE. TIMES AND DATES WILL VARY.

Explore the only natural rock outcrop on the North Carolina coast and discover the marvelous marine invertebrates that live in this dynamic habitat.

Grades 4 - University.

$10 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 20 students
Duration 1 1/2 Hours
Request

Sea Scholars

For New Hanover County Fifth Grade Students Only.
Duration 3 Hours

Craft Programs

Nature Crafts: Gyotaku

Learn the ancient art of Japanese fish painting, Gyotaku. Discover the history behind this craft and make a Gyotaku T-shirt to take home.
All supplies, smocks, and shirts are provided

Grades K - University.

$12 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 25 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Nature Crafts: Stamp Painting

Create your very own incredible, wearable T-shirt with easy to use stamps in fun Marine-life shapes.
All supplies, smocks, and shirts are provided

Grades K - First.

$12 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 25 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Nature Crafts: Sand Painting

Students will create their own masterpiece using sand.
All materials are provided

Grades 1 - University.

$6 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 25 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

Nature Crafts: Nature Paper

Paper can be natural...learn how to make it: It's fun, easy, and saves some trees! Education staff guides you through the process of recycling used paper to create new Nature Paper. With a bit of creativity and some help from nature, participants make their own beautiful pages. Your paper can be used for journaling, stationary, scrapbooking, or any other project.
Materials are provided.

Grades 5th - University.

$5 per student
Minimum of 10 students
Maximum of 15 students
Duration 1 Hour
Request

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