Royal Arts Foundation- Belcourt Castle [RI]

Description

The Belcourt Castle was the home of built in 1894 by the famous American architect Richard Morris Hunt. It was designed as Louis XIII style hunting lodge to be a summer cottage during the Gilded Age. The mansion contains historical furnishings and memorabilia.

The Castle offers guided group tours for students that include showcase the Tinney family's (the current owners) antiques and the variety of architectural styles of the home. The tour covers the history of the Gilded Age and the home's illustrious residents O.H.P. Belmont, a representative of the Rothschild Banking empire and Congressman, and his wife Alva Vanderbilt, the former wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt.

Walton House Museum [OH]

Description

The Walton House Museum presents the daily life of people in the Dayton, OH area between circa 1850 and the early 20th century. The 1838 Walton House holds period rooms displaying domestic life between 1850 and the early 1900s, in addition to fan, buttonhook, and patterned glass exhibits. The grounds contain a flower and perennial garden and a medicine garden. The latter consists of medicinal herbs ordered by a doctor in 1844. Gardens which produced herbs for local doctors were common between 1820 and 1850.

The museum offers exhibits, period rooms, gardens, and guided tours for students.

Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Museum [NY]

Description

The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Western New York. The society's headquarters is the only permanent structure created for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. Society holdings include more than 100,000 artifacts. Highlights include the largest collection of Pan-American Exposition artifacts, the Pierce Motorette, pacemaker prototypes, and the Red Jacket Peace Medal. Other artifacts can be classified as relevant to the Iroquois, War of 1812, Erie Canal, U.S. Presidents, industrialization, glass, ceramics, paintings, textiles, aviation, or immigration.

The society offers exhibits, 30-minute exhibit tours for students, outreach presentations, and research library access. Four weeks advance notice is required for student tours. A fee is charged for use of the library by non-members. The website offers virtual exhibits, slide presentations and videos for rental, resource kits for rental, and a Buffalo timeline.

Trolley Museum of New York

Description

The Trolley Museum of New York presents the history of rail transportation and the effect thereof on the Hudson River Valley. Collections include 21 subway, rapid transit, and trolley cars from throughout the United States and Europe. These cars date from between 1897 and 1952. The museum is located on the foundations of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad Yard's engine house.

The museum offers exhibits, a film, the opportunity to view restoration work in progress, a one and a half-mile trolley ride, and picnic sites along the trolley route.

McClain County, Oklahoma Historical and Genealogical Society and Museum

Description

The McClain County, Oklahoma Historical and Genealogical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of McClain County, Oklahoma. To this end, the society operates a museum of pioneer life. Collections include historic furnishings.

The society offers exhibits and research assistance. Donation is required for requested research.

Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum [CA]

Description

The Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum is located within an 1889 Queen Anne Victorian residence. The site was once home to Alvin and Willella Howe, both physicians. Graduating in 1886, Willella Howe was one of Orange County, California's earliest female doctors. After Alvin Howe was accused of performing an abortion, he left the area. Willella divorced him and married a local rancher, Edson Waffle. The house has been restored to a circa 1890s appearance.

The house offers period rooms.

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill [KY]

Description

The 3,000-acre Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is the largest restored shaker community within the U.S. The site serves as both a nature park and outdoor living history museum. Interpretation topics include Shaker theology, farming techniques, and mid 19th-century life in Kentucky. Highlights include 14 original Shaker buildings, heritage animal breeds, and heirloom crops. The Shakers were a religious community who believed in racial, ethnic, and gender quality; and practiced celibacy. This Kentucky community was active between circa 1805 and the 1860s.

The site offers exhibits, self-guided tours, guided tours of the Centre Family Dwelling, craft demonstrations, costumed interpreters, talks, music performances, seasonal narrated riverboat rides, hands-on activities, naturalist programs, guided hikes, self-guided hikes, outdoor activities, restaurants, and a snack shop. Music performances, talks, and guided tours are available in April through October. Wheelchair access is limited.

Boston Fire Museum [MA]

Description

The Boston Fire Museum presents fire safety and the firefighting history of the greater Boston area. Collections include historic firefighting vehicles and equipment, fire alarms, and historical photographs. Highlights include Ross thawing devices and a circa 1792 Ephraim Thayer pumper. The museum is located within an 1891 firehouse.

The museum offers exhibits and group tours, and is open during the winter months.

Mine Au Breton Historical Society [MO]

Description

The Mine Au Breton Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of the Mine Au Breton, a lead mine, and the surrounding area, near Potosi, MO. To this end, the society operates the Mine Au Breton Historical Society Museum, Austin-Milam-Lucas Store, and Mine Au Breton Heritage Park. The museum presents information on mining, domestic life, weaving, and transportation. The Austin-Milam-Lucas Store holds exhibits on quilts, mining, and historic furnishings. The park contains an earthen oven for baking bread.

The society offers exhibits and tours of the James Long Home, Austin-Milam-Lucas Store, Mine Au Breton Historical Society Museum, Mine Au Breton Park, and Perry Cemetery. Tours are by appointment only.

National Ranching Heritage Center [TX]

Description

The 30-acre National Ranching Heritage Center presents the history of ranching and ranchers in the United States through a succession of changing exhibits. Topics addressed include daily life, vocational and craft skills, equipment, and the West. The outdoor museum contains more than 30 historic structures, including residences, a schoolhouse, ranch buildings, a bunkhouse, a blacksmith shop, a granary, a stable, a carriage house, a sheep hospital, barns, and a railway depot. Several of these structures survived Native American raids. The center also possesses a collection of fine art works depicting Western themes.

The center offers exhibits, summer youth classes, and self-guided tours. Reservations can be made by school groups for picnic areas. The website offers pre-visit suggestions, a virtual tour, curricula, video and audio podcasts, and children's materials for use on site.