Homeschool Discounts in Alaska (2026) — Sea Life, Musk Ox & Native Heritage

Alaska's homeschool scene is built around the state's many correspondence-school families, and its big museums and wildlife centers meet them with deep field-trip discounts. In Anchorage, the Anchorage Museum runs self-guided school visits at just $5 a student, the Alaska Zoo's education-group safari is $10, and the Alaska Native Heritage Center admits summer school groups for $11 with a free chaperone for every five kids. North in Fairbanks, the University of Alaska Museum of the North charges $6 a student and hosts a dedicated Homeschool Day each year.

Beyond the cities, the farms and gardens fill in. Palmer's nonprofit Musk Ox Farm runs $8 educator-led tours with special group rates for homeschoolers, and the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage opens its trails to self-guided school groups for $7. Homer's award-winning Pratt Museum drops to $3 a student, and Juneau's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery gives free guided tours to student groups of any age. For the marquee experiences — the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage — book a day program ahead for a reduced group rate.

Confirmed homeschool pricing

Published price on the venue's own homeschool page — most under $20 per child.

Recurring

Weekdays

+ annual Homeschool Day

per kid

University of Alaska Museum of the North

Fairbanks · Ages 6–18 · Reserve ahead; UA-museumlearn@alaska.edu

Alaska's premier natural- and cultural-history museum on the UAF campus walks students through the state's geology, dinosaurs, Ice Age mammals, Native cultures, and art under one sweeping roof. The $6 student rate and its annual Homeschool Day make it the flagship homeschool field trip in the Interior.

Regular admission: $23 adult / $15 youth 6-17 (gate) — $6 per student with one adult free per child

Note: School and homeschool field trips are $6 per student (ages 6–18), with one accompanying adult free per K–12 student and kids 5 and under free. The museum also holds a dedicated Homeschool Day each year with drop-in activities, a Creativity Lab, scavenger hunts, and gallery exploration. Reserve a field-trip date or email UA-museumlearn@alaska.edu.

Homeschool page at uaf.edu →

Recurring

Weekdays

By reservation

per kid

Large Animal Research Station (LARS)

Fairbanks · All ages · Book 2 weeks ahead; uaf-lars-tours@alaska.edu

A 130-acre University of Alaska Fairbanks research station raising muskoxen, reindeer, and wood bison for Arctic-mammal science. Its $5 student field trips put a homeschool group nose-to-fence with iconic northern animals for a hands-on biology and ecology day on the edge of Fairbanks.

Regular admission: $20 adults / $15 students (public-tour gate) — $5 per student vs. the $15 public student tour

Note: Field trips are $5 per student with teachers and chaperones free, suitable for all ages and adjustable to your curriculum; the station requests one adult per six students and two weeks' notice. Students meet muskoxen, reindeer, and a wood bison herd while staff explain Arctic-mammal biology. Email uaf-lars-tours@alaska.edu.

Homeschool page at uaf.edu →

Recurring

Tue–Fri

By reservation

per kid

Anchorage Museum

Anchorage · Grades K–12 · Book 2 weeks ahead

Alaska's largest museum blends Alaska Native heritage, state history, contemporary art, and a hands-on science center (the Discovery Center with a planetarium) in downtown Anchorage. At $5 a student for a self-guided visit, a homeschool group can fill a rich half-day for pocket change.

Regular admission: $25 adult / $12 youth 6-12 (gate) — $5 per student self-guided field-trip rate

Note: Self-guided school and homeschool field trips are $5 per student and $5 per chaperone, with educators free with a staff ID. Groups get a required orientation and a coordinator-built itinerary across the museum's Alaska history, art, and science galleries. Facilitated educator-led visits and free virtual field trips are also offered.

Homeschool page at anchoragemuseum.org →

Recurring

Summer

Self-guided school visits

$11

per kid

Alaska Native Heritage Center

Anchorage · Grades K–12 · Summer self-guided; book ahead

The largest cultural institution in Alaska, set on wooded grounds 10 miles from downtown Anchorage, brings the state's eleven major Native cultures to life through dance, games, storytelling, and authentic village dwellings. The $11 summer school rate turns it into a hands-on cultural field trip.

Regular admission: $30 adult / $20 youth 4-17 (gate) — $11 per student with 1 free chaperone per 5 kids

Note: Summer self-guided school visits are $11 per student, with one teacher or chaperone free for every five paying students; extra chaperones pay the $15 Alaska-resident rate. Alaska Native students and chaperones of any age are admitted free when they name their Native or Tribal corporation. Explore the gathering hall and six traditional village sites around Lake Tiulana.

Homeschool page at alaskanative.net →

Recurring

Weekdays

By reservation

$10

per kid

The Alaska Zoo

Anchorage · Pre-K–12 · Reserve 1 week ahead; programs@alaskazoo.org

Home to rescued and orphaned Alaskan wildlife — brown bears, moose, musk oxen, wolves, and snow leopards — plus Arctic and Siberian species, the Alaska Zoo gives homeschool groups a self-guided outdoor science day at $10 a student, with deeper themed homeschool classes offered monthly.

Regular admission: $25 adult / $12 youth 3-15 (gate) — $10 per student education-group rate vs. the gate

Note: Education groups — including homeschools — pay $10 per student and $14 per adult for a reserved Self-Guided Safari across the zoo's 30 acres of Alaskan and Arctic animals; ages 2 and under are free. The zoo also runs dedicated monthly homeschool Eco EDventure classes ($40/student) with a free admission pass for one parent and a sibling. Reserve at least a week ahead.

Homeschool page at alaskazoo.org →

Recurring

Tours hourly

May–Sep

per kid

Musk Ox Farm

Palmer · All ages · Walk-in or book; group rates by request

This nonprofit Matanuska Valley farm raises a herd of 70-plus musk oxen and hand-combs them each spring for qiviut, the cashmere-soft underwool. Guided tours explain a 60-year domestication project and bring students nose-to-fence with bulls, cows, and spring calves.

Regular admission: $16 adults / $8 kids 5–17 (gate) — $8 educator-led kid tour; special group rates by request

Note: Standard educator-led 45-minute walking tours are $8 for ages 5–17, free under 5, and $16 for adults — an inexpensive, single-day science visit on its own. The farm also offers special student group rates for organized homeschool field trips through its Field Trips request form. Open Mother's Day through September; tours leave on the hour.

Homeschool page at muskoxfarm.org →

Recurring

Weekdays

Year-round

per kid

Alaska Botanical Garden

Anchorage · All ages · Reserve ahead; $100 min under 10

A 110-acre subarctic garden at the edge of Anchorage with native-plant collections, perennial gardens, and a forest loop along Campbell Creek where moose are common. Its year-round school programs make it an easy, low-cost botany and ecology field trip for a homeschool group.

Regular admission: $14 adult gate — $7 self-guided / $10 guided programs

Note: Schools and homeschool groups are welcome year-round for self-guided field trips at $7 per student, or guided in-garden programs (Soils & Worms, Alaskan Plants & Animals, Pollinators & Plants, and more) at $10 per student with a $100 minimum for groups under 10. Teachers and parents can schedule directly at education@alaskabg.org.

Homeschool page at alaskabg.org →

Recurring

Tue–Sat

By reservation

per kid

Pratt Museum

Homer · Grades 1–12 · Email kobrien@prattmuseum.org

Homer's award-winning community museum covers Kachemak Bay's natural history, Alaska Native cultures, homesteading, and the commercial fishery, plus marine aquariums, a forest trail, and a historic homestead cabin. At $3 a student it is one of the best homeschool values on the Kenai Peninsula.

Regular admission: $15 adults / $9 youth 6–12 (gate) — $3 per student vs. the $9 youth gate

Note: School and homeschool field trips are $3 per student (or $50 per group) for a self-guided visit, with teachers and chaperones free. Docents help with themed explorations — a gallery scavenger hunt, a mammal-skull lab, a forest-ecology trail walk, or Kachemak Bay marine life. Email kobrien@prattmuseum.org to book.

Homeschool page at prattmuseum.org →

Recurring

By reservation

Year-round

Free

per kid

Macaulay Salmon Hatchery (DIPAC)

Juneau · All ages · Contact the Visitor Center to book

A working salmon hatchery on Gastineau Channel with a visitor center, saltwater aquariums, and touch tanks, the Ladd Macaulay Center has taught Juneau's youth marine science for 30 years. Free guided tours for student groups make it a no-cost biology field trip in the capital.

Regular admission: $7 adults / $5 children (summer gate) — free guided tours for school and homeschool groups

Note: The hatchery offers FREE educational tours for student groups of all ages, including homeschool groups — a commentary and viewing of the salmon ladder and sorting area plus interactive lessons. Seasonal PreK–5 fall field trips (salmon life cycle) and spring Sea Week (mollusks) run too. Contact the Visitor Center to schedule.

Homeschool page at dipac.net →

Worth calling about

These venues run homeschool programs but don't publish pricing online. Call before you go.

When

Day Programs

Year-round

Call

no public price

Alaska SeaLife Center

Seward · Grades K–12 · Min 12 students; book 30 days ahead

Alaska's only public aquarium and a working marine research and wildlife-rescue center on Resurrection Bay in Seward. Its Day Programs pair a self-guided visit through the kelp forest, sea lion tanks, and puffin aviary with a class like a squid dissection or a salmon life-cycle role-play — the marquee marine-science field trip in the state.

Regular admission: ~$30 adult gate

How to reach them: Day Programs (minimum 12 paying students, two adults free) include admission to the aquarium plus a hands-on marine-science class, but the per-student price lives only on the downloadable Day Program form. Email education@alaskasealife.org or call (907) 224-6306; book at least 30 days ahead.

Homeschool page at alaskasealife.org →

When

Sep 15–May 15

School-year programs

Call

no public price

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Portage · All ages · Schedule ahead for the group rate

A 200-acre wildlife sanctuary in Portage Valley, an hour south of Anchorage, caring for rescued bears, moose, bison, musk oxen, lynx, and Cook Inlet beluga research. Naturalist-led school programs and self-guided field trips bring homeschool groups face-to-face with Alaska's iconic animals and conservation work.

Regular admission: ~$20+ adult gate

How to reach them: Naturalist-led programs (guided walking tour, Adaptation Station, Awesome Adaptations, beluga monitoring) and self-guided field trips earn reduced group admission when scheduled in advance, but the group rate isn't posted online. Email education@alaskawildlife.org or call (907) 783-0058.

Homeschool page at alaskawildlife.org →

Plus more free and cheap educational outings in Alaska

Already on DiscoverCheapUS — free and low-cost Alaska attractions homeschool families plan whole field-trip days around.

Juneau

6 free or cheap

Mendenhall Glacier Recreation AreaFree grounds; $5 visitor center May–Sep (kids under 16 free)
Alaska State CapitolFree
Last Chance Mining MuseumSmall cash-only fee (recent visitors report ~$5)
Juneau-Douglas City Museum$7 adults / $6 seniors / Free children 12 & under (summer) / Free admission October–April
Macaulay Salmon Hatchery (DIPAC)Summer (May–Sep): $7 adults / $5 children / Free under 2 / Free October–April (by appointment) / Fish ladder viewing always free
National Shrine of St. ThereseFree (donations welcome)

See all Juneau attractions →

Fairbanks

8 free or cheap

Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl RefugeFree
Pioneer ParkFree admission (some attractions inside have small fees)
Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center (Antler Arch)Free
Trans-Alaska Pipeline ViewpointFree
Fairbanks Community MuseumFree (donations welcome)
Georgeson Botanical Garden$8 suggested donation / Free children under 6
University of Alaska Museum of the North$23 adults / $15 youth 6-17 / Free under 5 ($17 AK resident)
Large Animal Research Station (LARS)$20 adults / $15 students-seniors-military / Free under 4

See all Fairbanks attractions →

Anchorage

7 free or cheap

Earthquake ParkFree
Resolution Park & Captain Cook MonumentFree
Alaska Botanical Garden$14 adults / $10 students-seniors-military / Free under 6 (summer); $5 ages 7+ (spring)
Anchorage Museum$25 adults / $12 ages 6-12 / Free under 5 (free First Fridays after 6pm)
Alaska Native Heritage Center$30 adults / $20 youth 4-17 / $15 AK resident
The Alaska Zoo$25 adults / $12 youth 3-15 / Free under 2 ($18 AK resident)
Potter Marsh (Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge)Free

See all Anchorage attractions →

Palmer

6 free or cheap

Musk Ox Farm$16 adults / $8 ages 5-17 / Free under 5 / $14 seniors
Independence Mine State Historical ParkFree (small daily parking fee); visitor center open mid-June-Sep
Reflections Lake TrailFree
Palmer Museum of History & ArtFree
Colony House MuseumBy donation
Williams Reindeer FarmSeasonal self-guided tour (rates posted by month on the farm's site); under 2 free

See all Palmer attractions →

Seward

4 free or cheap

Alaska SeaLife Center~$30 adults / Alaska resident, senior & child rates lower / Free under 2
Exit Glacier (Kenai Fjords National Park)Free
Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor CenterFree
Seward Community Library & MuseumMuseum $5 summer / Free under 12 / Free admission Oct-Apr

See all Seward attractions →

Homer

4 free or cheap

Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor CenterFree
Pratt Museum$15 adults / $13 AK residents / $9 youth 6-12 / Free under 5
Carl E. Wynn Nature CenterSmall general-admission fee; naturalist programs extra (see site)
Beluga Slough TrailFree

See all Homer attractions →

See all 54 Alaska attractions on the directory →