Please use the Plan Your Visit form to connect with us regarding your interest in booking a field trip. We will respond to you via email to discuss field trip arrangements.
The calendar below is updated bi-weekly as a reference for potentially available days for field trip bookings.
Bookings are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability is subject to rooms needed, lab selected, and group size.
October 2024 – May 2025; please still inquire about specific days as rooms may become available over time.
Geared to middle, high school and college students and their teachers, Biotechnology Field Trips are designed as a 0.5 to 5 hour visit to the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. Supported by instructors, a fully-equipped molecular biology laboratory and ample time, students are able to immerse themselves in the concepts of biotechnology, and to apply those concepts by learning hands-on techniques. While you’re waiting on incubations, instructors will provide background information and real-world connections.
Depending on which experiences you select, fees range from $5/student to $13/student per lab (see also: Cancellation Policy). Some of the field trips can also be taught in an On The Road format and brought to your school, or to any suitable classroom space for an additional fee. Our labs have a maximum capacity of 80 students at a time – we are happy to work with larger groups in multiple shifts throughout the day and/or week depending on the lab!
For longer experiences or visits that take place around lunch, we can reserve classroom space for your group to eat. We do not have meal facilities on-site; group organizers may wish to order food for delivery or have students bring a packed lunch.
A unique destination is now open to visitors on the Promega campus:
Click each field trip below for more information. We are updating protocols – if they are not currently available they can be emailed to you prior to booking for review. Already know the field trip you are interested in? Plan Your Visit Here!
Introductory field trips are designed for students of various levels who wish to engage both their hands and minds in a fun, short biotechnology activity!
Intermediate field trips are designed for students at a high school level or above who have had exposure to the concepts of molecular biology. These labs are usually two step: reaction set-up and analysis. Students that have had experience in the laboratory with micropipettes will be at a distinct advantage when they explore concepts that are fundamental to the way in which modern biotechnology works!
Modules combine multiple field trips into a workflow to tell a continuous story. We’ve included a few examples, but feel free to mix and match the field trips above that fit your time frame and goals of your experience; we will do our best to customize a story that connects the labs together.
“We had an absolutely outstanding time, and the balance of background information in the auditorium and lab time was perfect.”
- Sarah Wright, Eagle School science teacher