Monday to Friday, 5 hours
An all-inclusive experience featuring all our options. Recommended for Grade 3-12 / Ages 8-18.
Monday to Friday, 4.5 hours
Recommended for all ages and all groups. Previously known as our Full Day experience.
Monday to Friday, 4.5 hours
New experience including a guided tour, especially designed for youth as a deeper dive into our galleries artifacts, that goes beyond self-exploration. Recommended for Grade 3-12 / Ages 8-18.
Monday to Friday, 2.5 hours
Explore Studio Bell’s exhibition stages, while educators engage students with fun, interactive demonstrations. Enjoy the Kimball theatre organ demonstration. Previously known as our Half Day experience.
Monday to Sunday, Open Time frame
Explore Studio Bell’s exhibition stages, while educators engage students with fun, interactive demonstrations. Great rate provided for youth groups visiting Calgary. Based on availability, you may “add on” other options per request. For groups larger than 20 participants, it will cost $11.50 + GST for each extra person.
Want to change it up? At an additional cost, you can add on certain options for a custom made experience. Just ask us how.
Duration: 2 hours +
All experiences include exploration in the galleries. This is designed specifically for students to explore the exhibition stages, with chaperones while completing fun activities and viewing one-of-a-kind artifacts found at Studio Bell. Along the way, students will be amazed as they watch our skilled educators perform interactive demonstrations that encourage participation and hands-on, ears-on, minds-on learning.
Duration: 15 minutes
Manufactured in 1924 to accompany silent films, a 15-minute performance by one of our educators on this amazing instrument will be the highlight of your day.
Duration: 30 minutes
We have 2 lunchroom spaces able to accommodate a total of 90 people. Larger groups will have their lunch in different time slots.
Duration: 1 hour
Our guided tour provides students with an interpretive experience of artifacts at Studio Bell while making distinct connections to curriculum studied at school. Offered at all grade levels, this program aims to enliven subjects being explored in the classroom through the living collection at The National Music Centre
Duration: 1 hour
Our classroom programs offer a variety of grade-appropriate curriculum connections while fostering an engaging, hands-on learning environment. Click here for more details.
All education and youth experiences are offered Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, with the exception of the Gallery experience which is offered from Monday – Sunday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
All bookings must be made two weeks in advance. Space is limited, so please book early.
We can accommodate up to six classes/groups per day, with a maximum of 30 students per class/group.
We accept payment by credit card or cheque. Once you have made a booking, you will be emailed an invoice. To pay by credit card, please call the Education and Public Programs Coordinator at 403-543-5119. Cheques can be mailed to National Music Centre, 300 – 851 4 Street SE, Calgary, AB T2G 1P2 or collected in person on the day of your visit.
All payments for any bookings are due the day of your visit. Late payments will incur a 10% fee.
We require at least 1 adult chaperone for every 5 students. Chaperones play a vital role in the experience. Please ensure that they engage with the students and the activities.
Cancellations must be made at least two weeks prior to the scheduled date of your program to avoid penalty. A cancellation fee of $70 per program will be charged when less than two weeks’ notice is provided. If you need to cancel or make any changes to your booking, please email us or call 403-543-5119.
Please note that in the event of school closures due to inclement weather or unsafe road conditions, either party may cancel programs on the day-of without penalty. Every effort will be made to re-schedule. In the event of an emergency cancellation, please call 403-543-5119.
Our hands-on classroom programs are based on the Alberta Education Program of Studies and encourage critical thinking and inquiry-based learning about music, sound, science, culture, history and the creative process. All programs are led by talented musician educators who make concepts come to life and feature items from our rare and unique collection!
No. Schools and groups must arrange their own transportation. The arrival time and departure time must match the booking times of your visit to Studio Bell.
NMC meets service-provider requirements for all school boards, including first-aid training and vulnerable sector police security checks.
NMC also has a Master Agreement with the Calgary Board of Education, which means we have been pre-approved and you get to fill out less paperwork! Please refer to the CBE Website for more information about working with a Masters Agreement provider.
Please email our Education and Public Programs Coordinator with any questions related to your visit.
Classroom programs are available in French but subject to the availability of bilingual educators. Please let us know your language preference on our online booking form and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Select roadcases are also available in French.
We recommend school groups arrive approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled program, unless otherwise specified. This will ensure your group has enough time to hang jackets, stow lunches, and get oriented.
We recommend bringing bagged lunches. We also recommend that each person brings a bottle of water and wears comfortable walking shoes. We discourage students from bringing backpacks and large bags, as we have limited storage. Otherwise, the most important thing is to bring your imagination!
We require you bring at least one adult for every five students to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone involved. However, we ask that you do not exceed a 1:4 adult to student ratio to ensure there is enough room for everyone in our classrooms and other spaces.
Once your booking is confirmed, our Education and Public Programs Coordinator will email you the necessary Getting Ready documents.
Absolutely! Individuals and families are welcome to visit during Studio Bell’s regular hours of operation. While groups and classes are also welcome to visit during regular hours, it is worth noting that our experiences are much more affordable than paying individual admission for each person.
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