Program Title: Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation
Ages: 4th and above
Time: 60 minutes - Two Hours (depending on program and grade level)
Maximum Group Size: 100
Description: Tour VMHC's signature anniversary exhibition to learn about the people, places, and events that paved the road for the American Revolution. Please Note: This exhibition will only be available for touring through December 2025.
Program Title: Virginia History Day 2026 Theme Workshop: Revolution, Reaction, Reform
Ages: 4th - 12th
Time: 60 - 90 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 50-60
Description: Recommended for the fall semester, as students are being introduced to Virginia History Day, this workshop will spend time in our galleries and classroom spaces. Students will learn tips and tricks for thinking about the yearly theme, preparing their Virginia History Day project, and conducting primary source research. Students do not need to have their topics chosen for this workshop! We can also host smaller, more customized library research workshops in the spring semester for students actively researching a chosen topic. Learn more about Virginia History Day here. Please Note: we do not offer this program in the summer. Book Here
Not interested in the above programs? No problem! Feel free to browse our regular program offerings below, or book a tour of a current exhibit, such as Our Commonwealth or Story of Virginia.
K-1st Grade | 2nd Grade | 3rd Grade | 4th - 5th Grade | Secondary | Custom
Program Title: Dressing the Past (2015 SOLS: K.1-K.3 // 1.1-1.3 and 2023 SOLS: Skills KG-K.5 // Skills 1, 1.4, 1.5)
Time: 75 minutes (please note: PreK groups have size and time modifications that will be discusses at booking.)
Maximum Group Size: 100 students (while we can accommodate up to 100 students at a time for our early elementary programs, we do recommend splitting over two visits for large groups if possible for a more flexible experience)
Description: Using clothes and replica artifacts, students will take a journey through time to look at items of clothing from famous Virginians and important periods in Virginia’s history. Participants will be able to draw conclusions about life in the past vs. present, and talk about why individuals and communities lived, worked, and dressed differently. Take a sneak peek with our paired resource packet: Dressing the Past or Book Here
Program Title: Marvelous Maps (2015 SOLS: K.1, K.3 - K.7 // 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6 and 2023 SOLS: Skills KG, K.4,-K.7 // Skills 1,1.4, 1.6-1.7)
Time: 75 minutes
Maximum group size: 100 students ((while we can accommodate up to 100 students at a time for our early elementary programs, we do recommend splitting over two visits if possible for a more flexible experience)
Description: Students will develop map skills and view primary and secondary sources by investigating a variety of maps to learn about basic map symbols, cardinal directions, and land and water features. Participants will also compare globes to flat maps, historic maps to modern maps, and local maps to national maps. Take a sneak peek with our paired resource packet: Marvelous Maps or Book Here
Program Title: Exploring Our Commonwealth (2015 SOLS: K.1, K.2, K.4-K.7, 1.1-1.3e, 1.5, 1.6 and 2023 SOLS: Skills K, K.1, K.4-K.7, Skills 1, 1.1, 1.4-1.7)
Ages: PreK-1st
Time: 60 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 50
Description: This gallery tour will encourage students to discover the people, places, jobs, and environment that make Virginia unique! They will be introduced to different regions of the state through hands-on replica artifacts, free play, and story time. Book Here
Program Title: Powhatan’s People (2015 SOLS: 2.1a, 2.1b, 2.1d, 2.1e, 2.3, 2.7 and 2023 SOLS: Skills 2, 2.5)
Time: 90 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 100 students
Description: Educators will take students through the museum, complete a craft and talk about archaeology with replica artifacts as they discuss the lifestyles of the Powhatan in comparison with the Lakota and Pueblo tribes. Take a sneak peek at our paired resource worksheet: Powhatan's People or Book Here
Program Title: The Voice, The Pen, The Sword (2015 SOLS: 3.1, 3.11 – 3.13 and 2023 SOLS: Skills 3, 3.9)
Time: 90 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 50-55 students
Description: Students will spend time in our exhibits learning about the diversity of population and perspective throughout Virginia history. We will analyze our system of government, and what happens when people don’t agree on the laws! In the classroom, participants will work together on an interactive activity that illustrates the process of creating and voting for different laws. Book Here
Program Title: 90 Minute Virginia Studies Visit (SOLS vary depending on topic of program)
Time: 90 Minutes
Maximum Group Size: 100 students
Description: Teachers have the option of a variety of experiences, including an introductory film, hands on artifacts, primary source workshops, and gallery tours for their hour and a half visit. The coordinator will reach out to confirm your schedule after receiving the booking request. Book Here
Program Title: 120 Minute Virginia Studies Visit (SOLS vary depending on topic of program)
Time: 120 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 100 students
Description: Teachers have the option of a variety of experiences, including an introductory film, hands on artifacts, primary source workshops, and gallery tours for their two hour visit. The coordinator will reach out to confirm your schedule after receiving the booking request. Please Note: We do recommend the two hour time slot if possible for your schedule. Book Here
Browse primary source workshop topics here.
Secondary
Please Note: All below classroom workshops can be paired with a gallery tour for larger groups or longer visits.
Program Title: Connecting the Docs...Primary Source Investigations (6th-12th Grade)
Time: 45-60 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 50-55 students
Description: Using manuscripts, images, and replica artifacts, students will explore a topic from Virginia’s past. Students will interact with a variety of perspectives surrounding a specific issue, as well as analyze the impact of changing types of media. Please explore our Collections in the Classroom or our catalogue of programs for more ideas and primary source kits. The coordinator will reach out to confirm your topic after receiving the booking request. Please note - this is primarily a classroom workshop, though you are welcome to extend your visit and pair with time in our galleries. Book Here
Program Title: Junior Curators (6th-12th Grade)
Time: 45-60 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 50-55 students
Description: Students will “curate” their own pop-up exhibit for presentation to the class. Please explore our online Junior Curator example located on our History Education Resource Page to learn more about the activity. The coordinator will reach out to confirm your topic after receiving the booking request. Please note - this is primarily a classroom workshop, though you are welcome to to extend your visit and pair with time in our galleries. Book Here
Program Title: Lessons Learned (9th-12th Grade)
Time: 45-60 minutes
Maximum Group Size: 50-55 students
Description: In this interactive analysis of African-American history, students use Virginia textbooks from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries to examine the tone and content of topics ranging from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in 1619 through Reconstruction. Please note - this is primarily a classroom workshop, though you are welcome to to extend your visit and pair with time in our galleries. Book Here
Civics Programming
Connect with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture's John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics to bring award-winning and engaging content to your classroom. Learn more here: John Marshall Center Resources
Our custom programs can be for all age-levels, whether it is from a desire to dive more deeply into a specific topic, learn more about a topic not listed above, or work more hands-on with our vast collection of primary and secondary sources. Custom programs may be reserved by contacting Education Coordinator, Cece D'Arville at cd'arville@virginiahistory.org or 804.342.9694.Email is preferred.
Teachers: Check out our Educator Resources page. You and your students will be able to use these online activities, source material, and lessons in the classroom or at home.
