H2O Friends
Through the generous support of donors, we are delighted to offer “Help to Our Friends” by offering free field trips and outreach programs to underserved schools and groups in our community.
Who is Eligible?
Title One schools or schools/groups that demonstrate financial need may be eligible for a free field trip to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station.
To best serve our community, we ask H2O Friends applications be limited to one per school within a given school year.
What is Included with an H2O Friends Field Trip?
Aquarium Admission:
Schools and groups approved for H2O Friends field trips will receive free admission to the Aquarium for their students and required chaperones. Funds are limited and applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.
Please note, one (free admission) adult chaperone is required for every 10 youth attending. Additional adult chaperones are welcome and will be asked to pay a $25 Aquarium admission fee.
Education Classes:
A select number of education classes are available through H2O Friends funding. Please note, these classes have a maximum of 30 youth and are approximately 45 minutes long. Education classes are scheduled as add-ons to your Aquarium field trip. Please indicate your interest in an education class when filling out your field trip request form.
Bus Transportation:
As part of our H2O Friends Program, we offer transportation stipends for approved schools under Title I. Schools that are approved by our team may request a transportation stipend. When filling out the “Field Trip Request Form,” please note at the bottom of the form on assistance with bus transportation. Approved schools through our H2O Friends Program will then arrange and pay for their own transportation then submit their transportation receipt to Andrea Yochum ( ayochum@stlaquariumfoundation.org ) for reimbursement. Please note: our H2O Friends Program has limited funding and cannot guarantee how much transportation will be stipend.
Outreach Programs
Are you interested in bringing the St. Louis Aquarium to your facility, organization, school, or special event? Participate in hands-on activities and programs led by the Aquarium’s Education Department and learn about the world around us and how water connects us all!
Virtual Education Classes:
We are able to provide free virtual education classes to a limited number of under-resourced schools. To inquire about free virtual education classes, please email: education@stlaquariumfoundation.org