Ashfield Historical Society Museum [MA]

Description

The Ashfield Historical Society Museum presents the history of Ashfield, Massachusetts via a document and artifact collection. Collection highlights include
music books from the Congregationalist Church Singing School of 1799; peddler's trunks from the mid 19th century; the "thunderbolt log splitter," a splitting wedge, powered by powder and locally invented in the 1930s; over 23,000 glass plate negatives of New England circa 1800; and local pottery. The museum also includes a farming equipment exhibit housed in a barn, an 1800s grocery store display, and a circa-1850 recreated shopkeeper's apartment. The museum is located within an 1830s structure, which originally served as a store.

The museum offers exhibits, period rooms, and archival tours. Appointments are required for all visitors. The website offers a virtual tour, historic photographs, cemetery records, and a local history timeline.

Norman Rockwell Museum [MA]

Description

The Norman Rockwell Museum presents the life and work of U.S. artist Norman Rockwell (1894–1978), best known for his observant depictions of American life. The collections includes Rockwell's personal collection of 367 of his works of art—finished pieces and sketches; his materials, personal library, prints, and other contents of his studio; and over 100,000 archival objects. Visitors can visit Rockwell's studio in its original building. This site possess the largest Rockwell collection in the world.

The museum offers 25–minute gallery orientation talks; audio tours, including an option designed specifically for children; interactive curriculum-based tours; student hands-on experiences; advanced art tours; in-classroom presentations and activities; a period room; art activities; a reading of Norman Rockwell's children's book, Willie was Different; slide presentation packets for rental; baseball with the U.S. Military All-Stars; lectures and performances covering a wide variety of expressive forms and artists; professional development programs for educators; and a student lunch option. Reservations are required for group tours. The website offers a 7-minute introductory video, an online exhibit, an interactive timeline, and a resource packet with activities and lesson plans. The museum also maintains an Internet presence on Facebook.

Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Description

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources is the official state preservation organization. The organization offers educational outreach programs to help instill a respect for and interest in preservation and items of historical importance.

The department offers interactive exhibits, a 7-part video series on architectural history, and a variety of educational programs. The website offers a teacher guide, activity books, and lesson plans.

Pamplin Historical Park [VA]

Description

The 422-acre Pamplin Historical Park commemorates Civil War history. The park location is that of the April 2, 1865 "Breakthrough," the battle which caused the evacuation of the Confederate capital at Richmond. The grounds include four museums, four antebellum homes, and living history sites. Constituting the primary draw of the park is the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, which presents the story of the common soldier involved in the Civil War. The three other museums cover plantation life; slavery in the United States (The Field Quarter); and the battle of April 2, 1865 (The Battlefield Center). The antebellum structures include the 1812 Tudor Hall Plantation house, once the headquarters of Confederate General Samuel McGowan (1819-1897), and the 1700s-era Banks House, Union Lt. General Grant's (1822-1885) headquarters following the battle. The park also offers trails among some of the nation's best-preserved Civil War fortifications.

The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier offers exhibits, life-size dioramas, films, interactive learning stations, an audio tour which makes use of the words of actual soldiers, and a multi-sensory battlefield simulation. The Field Quarter offers a film, an exhibit, heritage livestock, and reconstructed dwellings. The Military Encampment offers hands-on activities. The Battlefield Center offers a multimedia presentation and exhibits. The Banks house offers period rooms. The park also offers educational programs, Civil War Adventure camps, history day camps, interpretive trails, self-guided audio tours of the Breakthrough Battlefield and Tudor Hall plantation, guided battlefield and Tudor Hall tours, tours on a variety of subjects offered on request, interpreters in period costume, artillery and civilian skill demonstrations, and vending machines. Pre- and post-visit activities are available on the website.

Wells Fargo History Museum [CA]

Description

The Wells Fargo History Museum presents the history of Wells, Fargo & Co., a joint stock company for California banking and express business. Founded in 1852, the company was offering nationwide service as early as 1888. The museum collection includes a period Agent's office in a recreated historical building; an original Concord Coach, acquired by Wells Fargo in 1867; a 19th-century pocket watch; and two telegraph machines.

The museum offers exhibits and guided tours. The website offers a PDF listing educational standards covered during tours and a summary of tour topics.

The Center for Orange County History [VA]

Description

The Center for Orange County History seeks to preserve and share the history of Orange County, Virginia. To this end, the society offers a library with over 3,000 volumes, as well as maps, photographs, and information on families, buildings, sites, and events.

The center offers a library and archive. The website offers historical diary excerpts and a selection of historical photographs.

Wilderness Road State Park [VA]

Description

The 310-acre Wilderness Road State Park commemorates the route which Daniel Boone (1734-1820) carved along a buffalo trace through the Cumberland Gap and into Kentucky in 1775, effectively opening the western frontier. Items of note within the park are a visitor center and Martin's Station, a replica of a 1775 colonial frontier fort which is located in the position of the original.

The park offers an introductory film; exhibits; costumed interpreters; educational programs; living history discussions; a raid re-enactment; and The Indian Ridge Trail, a self-guided interpretive walk.

Frontier Historical Society [CO]

Description

The Frontier Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. To this end, the society operates a museum of local history.

The society offers museum exhibits and guided tours, guided walking tours of historic downtown Glenwood Springs, archives, slide shows, historical presentations, and traveling trunks for elementary education.