Design Field Trips

A photograph of an adult and group of children sitting in a circle on the ground in the corner of a room doing an activity. Each child has a clipboard and pencil and are listening to the adult. The light-skinned adult has short brown hair, is holding a clipboard with a drawing of a house and is pointing. The wall behind them is bright blue.

Design field trips

Cooper Hewitt welcomes K-12 classes to experience design at the museum. Our in-person field trips explore how design shapes and is shaped by our everyday lives. Students are guided by a Cooper Hewitt educator through a tour of the museum’s exhibitions and collections, followed by a hands-on activity that immerses students in the design making process. Advanced registration is required for school groups visiting for educator-guided field trips. Availability is limited.

Spring 2025 registration will open on Thursday, December 12th.

For additional information, please visit our FAQs page or email us at tours@cooperhewitt.zendesk.com

FIELD TRIP TRACKS BY GRADE

Design Field Trips are tailored to meet the needs of students in every stage of their learning journey. Each track has been developed to meet national and New York State Standards and is aligned with the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education framework. To review each track in more detail, please read the overviews below:

Please note: The grade level for each track is a suggestion. We are happy to offer any of the three tracks to accommodate the specific needs of your class.

Track 1: Patterns, Places, and Spaces (Grades K-2)

How does design shape how we live at home and in our communities? In this in-person gallery and workshop experience, students will visit installations of domestic interiors on the first floor of Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial and explore how family, heritage, and the natural world can influence the spaces we call home. Students will also experiment with line, shape, and color to design a pattern inspired by their own community.

 

Track 2: Home Away from Home: Designing for School Communities (Grades 3-12)

During this in-person gallery and workshop experience, students will explore designers’ visions for community spaces and alternate models of housing that foster belonging in Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial. As architects for the day, students will use three-dimensional materials to tackle design challenges that address the question: How can we make school feel like a “home away from home?”

 

Track 3: “The Land that Feeds”: Building with Ecological Care (Grades 5-12)

How can we design homes in harmony with the environment? In this in-person gallery and workshop experience, students will explore installations in Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial that re-envision how we live by adopting sustainable, community-minded practices. One structure, a contemporary Hawaiian hale, or building, demonstrates how native builders and architects’ shared knowledge can support Hawaii’s ecological future. The design embodies ʻāina, a Native Hawaiian term for land meaning “that which feeds.” Inspired by the Triennial, students will think like architects and use prototyping materials to create model dwellings for specific ecosystems.

Check out our online resources

Explore current exhibitions, design activities you can use in the classroom, and more.

K-12 Classroom Resources →
Professional Development Resources →