Reach for the Stars: Field Trips at the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium

August 2026

By Kelly Suha, Lead Educator and Planetarium Specialist, Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium

Students of all ages look forward to the experience of a field trip with their classmates. It's an excellent opportunity to see real-life applications of the topics and concepts taught through formal classroom instruction. However, field trip planning can be tricky, with many moving parts. The when, where, why, and how of a trip requires quite a bit of collaboration among everyone involved. Sometimes, curriculum changes, costs increase, or a particular field trip experience just isn't quite right for your students. If it's time to mix things up, there are likely program options at the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium that will work perfectly for your class!

The Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium is owned and operated by the School District of Waukesha and is located within the Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha. The number of visitors, both students and community members, has been steadily growing, and we couldn't be more excited! Yet for every person who has visited with their family or school group, there are still so many kids and adults who say, "I've never been here before!" or "I didn't even know this place existed!"

Pick Your Show Experience

When planning a field trip to the planetarium, teachers can handpick the show of their choice. We typically recommend the show that aligns with the appropriate grade-level curriculum (4K–8th grade) and the standards you are currently teaching. We have over 100 planetarium shows in our collection, covering a wide range of topics for all ages. You can preview trailers for each on our YouTube channel. If the grade-level show doesn't seem like the right match, feel free to browse our full offerings to find the best fit for your students. Each show includes a star talk and costs just $5.00 per student for approximately one hour of programming.

A Two-for-One Trip!

But that's not all! If you have the time, transportation, and resources, consider adding another experience to your visit. Being at Retzer Nature Center offers a unique opportunity to incorporate an environmental education component into your field trip. Your visit can be organized in whatever way works best for you and your students. Browse the Environmental Education School Guide for helpful information about Retzer's offerings, curriculum standards, costs, and more. You're already here, you might as well add some extra enrichment!

Outdoor Exploration Opportunities

Retzer Nature Center sits on 483 beautiful acres featuring prairies, woodlands, wetlands, trails, gardens, and wildlife. We encourage you to explore the surrounding natural beauty in some capacity. Perhaps that means enjoying lunch together outdoors — we have plenty of picnic tables available. Or maybe you have time for a hike along one of the several trail loops of varying lengths, all starting from the same location.

If you'd like an astronomy extension to your hike, we recommend the "Purple Planetary Pathway” trail, co-sponsored by the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium and Retzer Nature Center. The trail stretches 4,500 feet and illustrates the scale of our solar system. Along the way, signs highlight planets and other objects in detail, and their spacing is carefully designed to convey the vast distances between them. The trail can be added to any visit and explored independently by teachers and students.

Book Your Field Trip!

As with most things in life, the sooner, the better! That's especially true when booking your field trip with the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium. Our scheduling opens one year in advance, giving you plenty of time to secure your preferred date and time. Please keep in mind that fall and spring are by far our busiest seasons, so if those are your preferred months, reach out as soon as possible! You can start the booking process by filling out our online form, and we will be in touch within a few days.

Posted August 2026 by Maureen Haeger, Marketing Communications & Program Manager, STEM Forward.