Berkeley Plantation [VA]

Description

Berkeley Plantation is the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V (1726-1791), Governor of Virginia and signer of the Declaration of Independence, and William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) or "Old Tippecanoe", ninth President of the United States. The plantation lands were also the site of the first official Thanksgiving in 1619 and of the composition of "Taps" in 1862. The structure itself is Georgian in style and dates to 1726. Collections include 18th-century decorative arts, Civil War artifacts, and paintings by Sydney King.

The plantation offers house tours led by guides in period dress, period rooms, exhibits, an audio-visual program, self-guided tours of the grounds, and guided student tours. Student tour topic options include the life of children in the 18th century, William Henry Harrison, and Civil War Major General George McClellan (1826-1885) and Harrison's Landing circa 1862.

Sauk County Historical Society [WI]

Description

The Sauk County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Sauk County, Wisconsin. To this end, the society operates a museum, located within the 1903 Tudor Revival-style Jacob Van Orden Mansion. This structure contains a variety of exhibits dedicated to topics of local historical interest. Topics include Devil's Lake, Native Americans, pioneers, military, and architecture.

The society offers museum tours and archival access. Reservations are required for group tours, and the archives require payment for non-member use.

Wisconsin Historical Society

Description

The Wisconsin Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of the state of Wisconsin. To this end, the society operates the Wisconsin Historical Museum. Permanent exhibits include frontier and immigration history, as well as Native American life. The Native American exhibit includes an Aztalan-style house, which visitors are welcome to enter. Collections consist of more than 110,000 objects and 400,000 artifacts.

The museum offers exhibits, films, interactive audio-visual presentations, full-scale dioramas, workshops, storytelling, lectures, demonstrations, an activity-based self-guided tour, guided tours, hands-on activities, and educational programs in compliance with state educational standards. Reservations are required for school groups and for use of the lunchroom. The society also offers archaeology traveling trunks and outreach presentations for second through fourth grade students. The website offers an extensive state historical database, lesson plans, information on National History Day programming, virtual exhibits, an educational framework on historical thinking, educational games, a fourth-grade textbook, and exhibit-related teachers' guides.

Vincennes State Historic Sites [IN]

Description

The Vincennes State Historic Sites commemorate Indiana's early state history—with the city itself founded in 1732. Structures include the 1805 Indiana Territory capital building; a historic print shop; the birthplace of the author Maurice Thompson; an 1838 bank; Fort Knox II, hospital to the wounded of the Battle of Tippecanoe; the 1801 Jefferson Academy; and a prehistoric burial mound. Maurice Thompson (1844-1901) authored 1900's bestselling romance novel, Alice of Old Vincennes. Topics covered include slavery, military life, domestic life, historical sciences, the fur trade.

The sites offer period rooms, educational outreach programs, group tours, educational presentations, interpretive signage, educational programs, lesson plans, and summer camps.

Historical Museum at St. Gertrude [ID]

Description

The Historical Museum at St. Gertrude presents the history of North Central Idaho. Collections include more than 10,000 archival materials; 150 years of textiles; weaponry, some of which was used in the 1877 Nez Perce War; Nez Perce artifacts; a range of historic office machinery, including a 1902 Burroughs “Moon Hopkins” bookkeeping machine and an 1895 Dactyle calculator; world minerals; mining equipment; medical artifacts, including a 1900 fetal monitor and a tonsillectomy chair; and artifacts of Chinese immigrants. The museum also owns many of Polly Bemis' previous possessions. Bemis (1853-1933), originally from China, was brought to an Idaho mining camp as a female slave. Roughly 12,000 artifacts, some of which date to the 14th century, are on display.

The museum offers exhibits

Rancho de Guadalupe Historical Society [CA]

Description

The Rancho de Guadalupe Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Guadalupe, California. To that end, the society operates a museum, a historic jail, and a non-circulating library. Artifacts on display include Native American adobes and pieces representative of the cultures which succeeded the Chumash—the Chinese, Filipinos, Mexicans, Swiss, Italians, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese.

The society offers exhibits and library access.

Cannon Beach Historical Center and Museum [OR]

Description

The Cannon Beach History Center and Museum displays the history of Cannon Beach, Oregon. Exhibits include a hands-on reconstructed longhouse.

The museum and center offers acoustic concerts, monthly lectures, exhibits, a Spanish audio translation of the primary permanent exhibit, and field trip programs designed to meet state educational standards. The website offers coloring pages and an interactive quiz.

High Desert Museum [OR]

Description

The High Desert Museum presents the cultural, natural, and artistic histories of the High Desert, a region within southeastern Oregon. The site includes indoor exhibits, numerous wildlife enclosures, and a living history hall and 1880 homestead.

The museum offers a 15-minute introductory presentation, exhibits, period rooms, 30-minute to full-day guided tours, self-guided tours with pre- and post-visit activities, thematic school festivals, 30- to 90-minute outreach presentations, spring and summer camps, educator workshops, wildlife demonstrations and talks, 19th-century skill demonstrations, and a cafe. At least two weeks notice is required for group visits. Contact the museum for information on box or sack lunches.

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture [WA]

Description

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture presents exhibits and information of cultural, historical, and/or artistic note. Collections include more than 68,000 artifacts from Europe, Asia, and both North and South America. Artifacts are of regional historical interest, works of art, and/or related to Native American populations. In addition to these exhibits, the museum operates the Campbell House which interprets daily life circa 1900.

The museum offers exhibits, period rooms, an activity area, activities to be completed throughout the museum, summer camps, thematic tours, traveling trunks, educator's workshops, public lectures, and a small restaurant. Wheelchairs are available. Advance registration of group visitation is appreciated, and appointments are necessary for research library and/or archival access. The website offers teacher resources and podcasts.

Due to financial necessity, the Campbell House is no longer open to the public. School groups may still schedule tours of the building.