Plan Your Visit!
TRT is open 7 days a week from 9am to 4pm *weather permitting
Self-guided visit – admission is free, donations encouraged: Enjoy the opportunity to visit our many resident hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, and vultures. Stop at the Gift Shop (masks on inside, please) for lots of fun, bird-themed gifts.
Staff-led Tour Talks – $100 per group: These private tours offer visitors a chance to learn more about NJ’s native raptor species and hear about some of our residents’ individual histories directly from one of our education team. Tour Talks run about 50 minutes and your reservation is private and offers space for you to bring a party of up to 8 guests total. Each tour includes the opportunity to observe one of our resident birds as they engage in a training or enrichment activity which provides intellectual stimulation and demonstrates their natural abilities and adaptations.
Reservations must be made in advance for a staff-led tour talk, and quantities are limited. Go to our scheduling link to see available dates and times. Gift certificates available. To request additional dates or special accommodations, please email Shari Stern at education@theraptortrust.org.
The TRT Education Center is open on select weekend and holiday dates. Check our Facebook page for weekly updates if you are interested in stopping in on your next visit.
*The State of NJ has relaxed its guidelines on wearing masks. At The Raptor Trust, masks must be worn in all indoor spaces, such as our gift shop and public restrooms. While outdoors, fully vaccinated visitors are not required to wear masks. Visitors who are not fully vaccinated are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to wear masks while on our campus.
The Raptor Trust is a medical facility, much of which is outdoors, and our medical staff members do much of their work outdoors. For the safety of our essential medical workers and for those unable to be vaccinated such as children and immunocompromised, we ask that visitors please follow these guidelines to help keep our community members safe. Thank you.
In-Person Programming
Visiting families, friends, and adult groups
Private Tour Talks – $100 for up to 8 people or $150 for up to 15 people.
Guests meet at our entry gazebo for this staff guided tour. We explore the natural and personal histories behind the various raptor species and individual birds who reside permanently at The Raptor Trust. Each tour includes the opportunity to observe one of our resident birds as they engage in either a training session, feeding, or enrichment activity.
Scout, kids clubs, & homeschool groups
Education Center & Tour Combo – $100 for up to 10 people total (including chaperones) Groups meet in our education center to explore our exhibits, test your knowledge with our educators and begin a scientific scavenger hunt. Our informational scavenger hunt continues on a guided tour of our aviary trail where you will learn about the different birds who live here. Our educators will ensure your group experiences either a training session, feeding, enrichment activity, or ambassador bird meet and greet, based on the birds available that day.
Education Center & Seated Program Combo – $150 for up to 25 people total
Groups meet at the benches behind our education center for a 20 minute program about raptor adaptations and a meet and greet with one of our ambassador birds. Then visit our education center to explore our exhibits, test your knowledge with our educators and complete a short scavenger hunt. Your group is welcome to visit our aviary trail before or after their program.
Schools and larger groups
Field Trip – $150 per group. 25 students maximum per group, up to 3 groups per booking.
Students explore all we have to offer as they rotate, in groups, between three stations. We also have a gift shop and picnic areas available.
- Outdoor seated program with ambassador bird meet and greet (~20 minutes)
- Indoor guided education center visit with information scavenger hunt (~20 minutes)
- Self-guided tour of our outdoor aviary trail (~40 minutes)
Outreach educational programs (2nd grade – adult) – $275 for the 1st program, $150 for each additional program on the same day. 50 students maximum per program.
Run time is between 40-50 minutes. Our educators visit your facility with a display of avian artifacts, photos, taxidermy, and a live ambassador bird (typically a kestrel or screech owl). Participation is encouraged through group answers, body movements, polling/voting, and offering time for questions. Supporting materials for organizers, including additional readings, detailed program outlines, vocabulary lists, worksheets, and suggested followup activities, are available upon request.
Topics for Field Trip and Outreach Programs
- All About Owls
- Fantastic Falcons
- We Love Vultures!
- Hawks and Eagles of North America
- Raptor Adaptations
- Raptor Habitats
Junior Outreach programs (PK-1st) – $200 for the 1st program, $100 for each additional program on the same day. 25 students maximum per program.
These programs run between 25-35 minutes and are specially designed for young learners. Our educators bring in nests, feathers, photos, storybooks and a live ambassador bird (typically a kestrel or screech owl). We encourage participation as we mimic bird behaviors, ask group answer questions, and pass around touchable artifacts. Choose from “Owls are a Hoot” “Habitats are Home” or “Bringing up Birdie.”
Please contact Shari Stern directly at education@theraptortrust.org or 908-647-1091 to book.
Virtual Programs by The Raptor Trust
**Winter Virtual Program Promotion**
Receive 10% off your total when booking 2 or more virtual programs to take place between January 1st and March 11th of 2022.
Virtual programs are offered live via Zoom during regular office hours and include an introduction to a live bird on screen. Evening programs, without a live bird appearance, are available upon request. Programs may not be recorded without express permission of all parties. There must be a teacher, parent, scout leader, etc. on any call in-which students or children under the age of 16 are participating.
Raptor Conference Calls – $45 (up to 3 screens/logins permitted).
These personalized 20 minute meet and greet experiences allow you to meet one of our ambassador birds on screen and chat with a Raptor Trust educator about all things birds. $45 (up to 3 screens/logins permitted).
Group and Classroom Programs (topic of your choice) – $85 (Maximum 50 students)
These programs are customizable in time, topic, and can be presented with students seated in a live classroom or individually signed in via personal computers. Run time can be between 35-50 minutes. Presentations include slides with photos and videos, group participation exercises, a question and answer session and a live-on-screen introduction to one of our ambassador birds. Supporting materials for teachers, including additional readings, detailed program outlines, vocabulary lists, worksheets, and suggested followup activities, are available upon request.
Program topics for Group and Classroom Programs:
- All About Owls
- Fantastic Falcons
- We Love Vultures!
- Hawks and Eagles of North America
- Raptor Adaptations
- Raptor Habitats
Junior Teacher-moderated Class Programs (PK -1st) – $70 (Maximum 25 students)
These programs are specially designed for young learners and run between 25-35 minutes. Presentations include slides with photos and videos as well as group participation exercises and mimicking bird behavior using sound and body movements. Choose from “Owls are a Hoot” “Habitats are Home” or “Bringing up Birdie.”
Please call or email Shari Stern for more information and to schedule your program.
908-647-1091 Email: education@theraptortrust.org
The Raptor Trust is located at 1390 White Bridge Road, Millington, NJ. The Raptor Trust is home to approximately 50 resident disabled birds housed in large outdoor aviaries that can be viewed by walking along the trails. On-site store hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 1-4PM and Saturday 10-4PM. The surrounding area is full of other great environmental organizations. Make a day of your visit and check out some of our friends! See the links below for events going on at each location.A Few Things to Know When You Visit
Education Center
Gift Shop
Did you know that The Raptor Trust is close to a lot of fun things in Somerset and Morris Counties?
Events at SCPC Environmental Center
Events at NJ Audubon Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary
Events at Great Swamp Watershed Association