Museum - Education

The Museum’s mission is to educate, promote and instill interest in the area’s history. One way the Museum accomplishes this goal is through programs for adults and children. The Museum offers guided and special topic tours for school groups and may provide guided tours to adult groups. For more information or to schedule a school tour, contact the Museum Educator. (See Contact Information on right.)

School Groups

Visiting schools have choices for their groups:

• General guided tour of the galleries with free time to explore on their own.
• Formal special topic programs, which meet Michigan’s curriculum standards, designed by the Museum Educator.
• Programs designed for a topic of the teacher’s choice to meet their curriculum needs.
• Museum visits with minimal interaction with Museum staff.

For a list of the Special Topic Programs follow the link under Related Links.

The special topic programs for K-8 students meet Michigan’s curriculum standards. These programs generally last about two hours and are available any weekday. Suggested maximum of 60 students per program. All tours are free and the Museum offers limited school bus mileage reimbursement.

Home School Family Services

Home school students and their families are invited to the Museum two times a year for a special presentation of the school tour program. The program is free, but pre-registration is required. Contact the Museum Educator for more information or to be put on a mailing list. (See Contact Information on right.)

Girl Scout Badges and Program Day

Attention Girl Scout leaders! Does one of the badges have you stumped? The Museum staff offers select badges to be completed at the Museum for a fee of $5 per scout. Scouts will be guided by expert staff through all the requirements for the badges in 90-120 minutes. Badge programs can be scheduled for a Saturday or other convenient time. For a listing of badge programs offered follow the link to Girl Scout Programs under Related Links.

Each spring, the Museum offers a new and exciting Girl Scout Program Day for Brownie and Junior scouts. Participants explore a topic in depth during two hours packed with activities and fun. Contact the Museum Educator for information about the upcoming program day. (See Contact Information on right.)

Adult Groups

Adult groups can explore the Museum’s exhibits independently or they can request a guided tour of the galleries. Guided tours are free of charge! The Museum can even provide a room for a luncheon and can accommodate up to 30 adults. Contact the Museum Educator to arrange your group tour. (See Contact Information on right.)

Other Groups

The Museum at SMC is also available for general Museum visits or teachers can arrange a tour covering a different topic to meet the teachers’ other curriculum needs. There is no cost for Museum tours. The Museum is full of fun, interactive exhibits that students will enjoy while learning. Contact the Museum Educator at (269)782-1334 or jquail@swmich.edu to arrange a field trip