Field Trips & Group Rates
Group Rate Structure
Discounted admission is available for schools, garden clubs, or other non-profit groups. Educational sessions or tours can be added to your visit - learn more below. Group visits must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. We may or may not be able to accommodate your group on the preferred date, depending on schedule and staff availability. For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact Education Program Coordinator Carley Kratz at kratzcar@msu.edu or call our office at (517) 431-2060.
- Up to 25 People
Group Admission - $100.00Available Add-ons:
Indoor Lunchroom Rental - $100.00
Full Day Room Rental - $200.00
Guided Tours (1 Hour) - $10 per person, $9 per HLG member
Educational Sessions for Schools and Children -
One Topic (1 Hour) - $50.00
Three Topics (3-4 Hours) - $100.00- 26 - 40 People
Group Admission - $150.00
Available Add-ons:
Indoor Lunchroom Rental - $150.00
Full Day Room Rental - $200.00
Guided Tours (1 Hour) - $10 per person, $9 per HLG member
Educational Sessions for Schools and Children -
One Topic (1 Hour) - $100.00
Three Topics (3-4 Hours) - $200.00- 41 - 55 People
Group Admission - $200.00
Available Add-ons:
Indoor Lunchroom Rental - $150.00
Full Day Room Rental - $200.00
Guided Tours (1 Hour) - $10 per person, $9 per member
Educational Sessions for Schools and Children -
One Topic (1 Hour) - $100.00
Three Topics (3-4 Hours) - $200.00- 55+ People
Please contact the Education Program Coordinator, Carley Kratz, kratzcar@msu.edu
Hidden Lake Gardens Guided Tours
Each Option - $10 per person, $9 per member
Garden Tour
See the highlights of the ornamental gardens in and around the Visitors Center. This tour may include a visit to our Project Bloom raised beds, Gazebo Garden, Elardo Garden, and Harper Collection of Dwarf and Rare Conifers. A knowledgeable staff member will guide you through our showiest collections and highlight seasonal blooms and foliage. This tour also includes a trip through our Conservatory, highlighting arid, temperate, and tropical plants.
Maximum 20 people, 1 hour
Hiking Tour
Explore Hidden Lake Gardens with an expert guide. A hiking tour will take you up close and personal with nature and provide new insight into the hidden worlds of plants and wildlife. Learn about the ecology surrounding the lake, forests, gardens, and more. This one-hour tour will take you around the heart of Hidden Lake Gardens. Expect to walk ½ to 1 mile. Maximum 20 people, 1 hour
Educational Session Topics for Schools and Children
See Pricing Under Group Rate Structure
Aquatic Ecology in the Pond
Our pond and lake are home to a wide array of living organisms. Insects, salamanders, frogs, turtles, fish, and waterfowl are all denizens of the deep. Learn about food webs through this hands-on guided exploration of aquatic ecology. Water quality tests and aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling will allow us to ponder what living organisms can tell us about water quality.
Engineering on the Sky Walk
Reach for the sky and think like an engineer while learning in our Sky Walk classroom space. See how forces such as compression and tension work on our Sky Walk suspension bridge. Information on bridge designs and construction will be included, along with connections to the mighty Mackinac Bridge. Our Sky Walk provides a memorable real-world example of engineering design principles for visitors of all ages.
Plant Adaptations in the Conservatory Biomes
Organisms must be adapted to the environment to survive, and plants are no exception. Our Conservatory offers three different biomes: arid, temperate, and tropical. Staff members will discuss the specialized adaptations that plants have to thrive in each type of ecosystem. Travel from the desert to the rainforest and back to our temperate deciduous forest in a single trip.
Terrestrial Ecology in the Forest
Walk the woodlands with our expert naturalists to learn about how soils, plants, and animals interact in our forests. Habitats for local wildlife such as birds, bats, squirrels, and deer will be highlighted. Trees and plants are important components of keeping our forest ecosystem thriving, and their role in the base of the food web will be highlighted. Enjoy hiking a small part of our 12-mile-long trail system.
