The Field Trips Program
Thank you for your interest in the BMSC field trip program! Our educational program has been operating since 1975. We host field trips here in Bamfield for k-12 students, undergraduate students, and for anyone who is interested in bringing a group to our campus. Our program aims to give students hands on experience and an introduction to the marine sciences. Our activities provide learning opportunities on the water, in BMSC’s labs, and on the beautiful beaches and coastline which surround Bamfield. The experiences provided at BMSC by our Education Team have touched the lives of thousands of visitors every year, inspiring many young students to become marine scientists. Additionally, all of our programs are supported by NSERC PromoScience funding and are developed with the Prescribed Learning Outcomes of the BC Ministry of Education’s Integrated Resource Packages in mind.
Now that you know who we are, how do you get your class here?
Our booking procedure allows you to submit requests for trip packages with pre-set and firm dates. We offer Fall trips (September to November) and Spring trips (February to April), for which bookings happen during the school year prior. The available trip dates are released via an e-mail contact list, and you can email us if you would like to be added to this mailing list.
There are field trip packages available for 2-night, 3-night, and 4-night stays. Check out a sample itinerary to see which activities are included in each visit. These packages have set rates for 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 guests. These numbers include all students, as well as teachers/chaperones, and we require a minimum ratio of 1 chaperone per 11 students (for K-12 groups). Group sizes are always multiples of 12 so that we may comply with Transport Canada regulations for marine vessel capacity. We encourage groups to fill all spots in a package, even if this means opening up extra spots to students in other grades, or even partnering with a neighboring school.
The Field Trip Program is very popular, and we aren’t able to accommodate every group who expresses interest. To maximize the number of different schools who can visit, we cannot provide more than one trip for a single school within the same school year. We also cannot guarantee an annual trip for your school, though you can always request to be added to our waitlist. We are working hard to increase capacity so that more students will have the opportunity to attend a field trip to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.
The BMSC adheres to current BC Health Authority Guidelines and guests are encouraged to follow these closely when planning your trip. Our safety plan and Hazard Assessment Control Program for Covid-19 is available upon request. Visitors should be aware that Bamfield is located in a remote community, albeit with a 911 first-responder service, and the Bamfield Health Centre is ready to assist in the event of a medical emergency.