Homeschool benefits and savings in Salt Lake County
The Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) lets homeschool families visit at its field trip rate: $4 per student from PreK through 12th grade and $7 for the teaching parent, booked at least three weekdays ahead. Each school year your family also gets one free self-guided visit on a Home Education Day; the next listed date is January 4, 2027. Other options include recreation and camp discounts.
Natural History Museum of Utah homeschool pricing
Who qualifies
Is actively homeschooled
The rate covers students who are homeschooled and the adults teaching them. Friends and relatives who are not homeschooled pay regular admission.
Has a letter of intent
Upload a photo of the homeschool letter of intent you filed with your school district. Families from outside Utah upload their own state's required homeschool documents instead.
Books in advance
Families of 10 or fewer use the homeschool discount request form. Groups larger than 10 schedule a self-guided field trip instead.
Not enrolled through a charter
For 2026-27, programs such as Open Ed (formerly My Tech High) and Harmony Education count as charter schools and must book through their school contact.
What the visit costs
Prices come from NHMU's homeschool page, which lists the field trip rate for homeschool families and its free homeschool programs.
- Student, PreK (ages 3-4) through 12th grade
- $4
- Teacher or parent
- $7
- Child age 2 and under
- Free
- Home Education Day visit, once a school year
- Free
- Teaching Toolbox kit, two-week loan
- Free
The homeschool rate is not offered on festival weekends, so pick a different date if your visit falls on one.
How to book a visit
- Before you book
Get your letter of intent
Have a photo of your district letter of intent ready: one gif, jpg, or png file under 2 MB.
- At least 3 weekdays ahead
Send the request form
Enter your preferred date, an arrival time between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and how many adults and children are coming.
- On the visit day
Explore on your own
Visits are self-guided. NHMU offers downloadable student activities you can bring along.
- January 4, 2027
Use the free day
Arrive between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. with a letter of intent for each school-age child.
What it includes
Included
- Self-guided museum admission
- Downloadable student activities
- Free Teaching Toolbox loans
Not included
- Friends and relatives who are not homeschooled
- Festival weekends
- Charter-enrolled students such as Open Ed
Who to contact about homeschool visits
The Field Trip Team answers questions about homeschool bookings, Home Education Days, and field trips.
801-581-6927 Field Trip Team questions
Salt Lake County My County Rec Pass
Who qualifies
Lives in Salt Lake County
The free pass is for county residents. For a child 17 or younger, a parent must come in with a valid ID that shows a Salt Lake County address.
Is 18 or younger
Youth ages 0-18 qualify. An 18-year-old can bring their own ID instead of a parent.
Has a registered pass
Free entry starts once you register your child for a My County Rec Pass. School enrollment is not part of the application.
What the pass saves
The prices are the youth (ages 3-17) rates in Salt Lake County's 2026 Recreation Fee Guide, which a My County Rec Pass holder does not pay.
- Daily pass, Tier 1 center such as Central City
- $2
- Daily pass, Tier 3 center such as Gene Fullmer
- $4
- Daily pass, regional outdoor pool
- $3.50
- Public skate session, ages 6 and up
- $5
- All County 30-day pass
- $22
- All County annual pass
- $135
The fee guide adds a $1 per month Facility Improvement Fee to paid monthly and annual passes and $0.50 to paid pool day passes; ask the front desk whether any fee applies to the free pass.
How to get the pass
- Before you go
Fill out the application
Complete the My County Rec Pass application and bring a parent's valid ID that shows your Salt Lake County address.
- At a county rec center
Get the pass
Bring the application in to have the pass issued. A parent must be there for any child 17 or younger.
- Each visit
Show the pass
Use it at any Salt Lake County recreation center, outdoor pool, group fitness class, or public-skating session. Children under 9 must stay with someone 14 or older the whole time.
- Each year
Automatic renewal
The pass renews on its own every year until your child's 19th birthday.
What it includes
Included
- County recreation center entry
- Outdoor pool entry
- Group fitness classes
- Public-skating sessions
Not included
- Paid programs and youth sports leagues
- Children who live outside Salt Lake County
- Anyone 19 or older
The pass covers drop-in access to county-owned facilities; registered programs such as classes, camps, and leagues still carry their own fees.
Who to contact about the pass
The county Parks & Recreation office runs the recreation centers and pools and answers questions about passes and fees, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
385-468-1800 Contact Parks & Recreation
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Utah
Give the local school board a one-time initial notification when withdrawing a child to homeschool or choosing not to enroll. A letter of intent may be used. No annual renewal is required; a notification or affidavit already submitted by May 7, 2025 need not be replaced.
Utah sets these rules:
- Subjects: Utah does not prescribe homeschool subjects, instructional hours, or curriculum materials.
- Testing: Utah does not require a statewide standardized test for homeschoolers.
- Records: Utah does not require routine attendance, portfolio, or progress-report submissions for home education.
- Teachers: No homeschool-parent license or credential is required.
Utah also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Utah Fits All Scholarship pays up to $4,000 for home-based students ages 5-11 and up to $6,000 for ages 12-18 in 2026-27, for approved learning costs.
- TheHomeschoolingCompany is an approved vendor for it.
Read the Utah homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Utah
Questions parents ask
- How does a homeschooled child qualify for NHMU's $4 rate?
- Your child must be actively homeschooled, and you show it with a photo of the letter of intent you filed with your school district. The museum does not give the rate without that letter.
- We homeschool outside Utah. Can we still use NHMU's homeschool rate?
- Yes. The request form asks out-of-state families to upload their own state's required homeschool documents in place of a Utah letter of intent.
- Can a homeschooled child get the My County Rec Pass?
- Yes. The pass is based on age and county residency, not on school enrollment. A parent with ID showing a Salt Lake County address signs up any child 17 or younger.
- Does the pass cover camps or youth sports leagues?
- No. The pass covers drop-in access to county facilities, and registered programs such as camps and youth sports leagues still carry their own fees.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Museum and arts visits can spark a new interest. We turn your child's interests into lessons and projects across their subjects. We are an approved Utah Fits All Scholarship vendor, so your Odyssey balance can pay for it.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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