Thursday Tours

Thursday Tour Policies

Tours are for groups of no more than 30 that are older than elementary age students. Tours will follow a walking path around the facility where a guide will talk about various topics.

Elementary school presentations are conducted in an auditorium where special consideration has been given to this age group’s needs. These presentations are on the third Thursday of the month at 10:00 (see below).

General information for both tours and elementary school presentations can be found here.

Tours

  1. When are tours offered?
    Large groups (such as school groups with no more than 30) can book on Thursdays excluding the third Thursday of the month which is reserved for elementary school presentations. We only run one tour per day but the time can be somewhat flexible to accommodate school schedules. For these large groups, we ask that you stay at your bus/vehicles on your arrival and tour guides will meet you in the parking lot where the group will be divided into smaller groups for the tour. We would really appreciate it if large groups were already divided into groups of no more than 10 people and the members of your group know which group they are in.
  1.  Can I do a tour on days other than weekends or Thursday? Can we do a different time than is offered?
    No. It is very difficult for us to provide tours that are not on our assigned tour days or at different times. We are a working facility. Non-tour days and times are fully devoted to eagle care and facility maintenance. Therefore, we do not book tours other than what is described on this page.
  1. Can I bring more than 30 people for a tour on Thursdays?
    No. Due to staffing, care of eagles, and the comfort level of our resident birds, no more than 10 people on Saturday/Sundays or 30 people on Thursdays are allowed. Due to a large number of tours not following these policies, if you bring more than the allowed number of people, only the allowed number of people will be allowed to go on the tour and excess people may have to leave the property.
  1. What time should I arrive for my tour?
    Please arrive for your tour no more than 5-10 minutes early. As we are a working facility and do not have staff dedicated to tours, we must make sure all of our duties such as giving medication, caring for critically injured eagles, and feeding our resident population of birds is done on time. We will not be able to let you on the grounds if you arrive earlier than your tour is scheduled.
  1. What do tours cost?
    Tours are free but always appreciate donations and gift shop purchases as they help advance our mission.

NEW! Elementary School Presentations

  1. What are elementary school presentations?
    After two decades of only being able to offer tours, we have learned that our younger guests can benefit from a different learning environment. With our new education center opening, our younger guests will get to experience our stage presentation in leu of a tour of the facility. The stage presentation has been created to meet the needs of our younger guests and will include various ambassadors and interactive activities.
  1. When can elementary age school groups book stage presentations?
    With our new education center opening, we are currently reserving the third Thursday of the month for all elementary age students. Presentations will be at 10:00.
  1. Can elementary school students still book a tour?
    We prefer all elementary school students to be in the stage presentation.
  1. How many students can come to the stage presentations?
    Since we have a small auditorium for stage presentations, multiple groups will be booked together. Please call for availability 405-334-7471.
  1. How much are elementary school presentations?
    Presentations are free but we do ask for a donation equivalent to $1 per attendee to help advance our mission.

General Questions

  1. How do I book a tour or elementary presentation?
    All Thursday tours/presentations need to call the office 405-334-7471.
  1. When should I book my tour/presentation?
    We recommend that you book your tour as soon as you are interested in a particular date! Thursdays book up quickly at the start of each semester and during nice weather. Please be aware that drop in and last minute scheduled tours are difficult to accommodate for as we do not always have enough staff members present to provide a tour.
  1. When is the best time of year to see the birds?
    The best time to plan your visit is spring-mid summer and fall-early winter. We stop offering afternoon tours once the heat is a consistent 95 degrees and do not provide tours if the temperature is below 40 degrees. In the winter, we install winterizing panels on the enclosures to keep the wind off the birds and the workers. Unfortunately, these panels do limit the viewing of the birds. However, these decisions have been made to ensure the eagles are kept in good health and well-being.
  1. Do tours get to handle/touch the birds?
    No, due to permitting requirements, as well as the well-being of our birds, no birds are ever able to be handled by the public.
  1. I do not want a guided tour or presentation. I just want to walk around. Is that an option?
    No, we are a sanctuary and therefore do not allow people to give self-guided tours or walk around our facility without a staff member at any time. This includes before and after a tour is given.
  1. Will the GSEH ever cancel a tour or presentation?
    Unfortunately, at times it may be necessary for us to cancel a tour the day it is booked. As tours are conducted outside, rain or unexpected cold/warm fronts that drastically change the weather may make us call and reschedule. We may also have to cancel a tour if we get a call to rescue an injured eagle. We always call a few hours in advance to give you as much notice as possible. The GSEH has the right to cancel an event at any time.

Notice: The Grey Snow Eagle House may be photographing and or video recording the tours/events in which you are participating and or attending. By your presence in this area you acknowledge that you have been informed that you may be photographed and/or recorded as part of the program/event.  Further, by your presence here, you grant your irrevocable permission for your likeness to be included in social media posts and outreach items made by the Grey Snow Eagle House and Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma.