Welcome!
We are looking forward to your field trip to the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater with Mount St. Helens Institute! This website contains all the information you will need to know about your trip and the Trip Planning page lists all the things you need to do before your trip. If you still have questions, please email us at learn@mshinstitute.org.
Mount St. Helens Institute, founded in 1996, connects people of all ages to Mount St. Helens and our natural world through educational programming designed to enrich visitors’ appreciation and understanding of the Pacific Northwest’s youngest and most active volcano. We offer both day and overnight programs.
We run our programs out of the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater which is one of the visitors centers designed to showcase the awe and wonder of Mount St. Helens and the surrounding area. The center closed to the public in 2007 and we have been running programs out of it since 2011.
Meet our Staff
Our staff are carefully selected for their experience and passion for working with youth and families. All staff receive a criminal background check before they are hired and references are thoroughly examined.
All staff are trained in educational content, safety and risk procedures and policies, CPR and First Aid, defensive driving, food safety, and managing group dynamics.
Complete this pre-field trip survey to let our education team learn about YOU and what makes you excited about your upcoming field trip with us. Tell us a little more about yourself or your class so we can better tailor our field trip to meet your needs.
Watch the video below of The Bush School students in 2022 singing "Old St. Helens". Excited about your upcoming field trip? Share your ideas with Mount St. Helens Institute education staff by emailing learn@mshinstitute.org.
This seal recognizes our continued efforts to support programs that put the safety and well being of our students and staff before all else.