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. Contact the Museum Educator at (269) 782-1334 or amcleod@swmich.edu for more information or to schedule a tour.

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 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

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.

Classroom Activities

Name	Corresponding Museum School Program	Description
Mapquesters Activity	Keepers of the Fire; the Native Americans of Dowagiac, Michigan	This activity will introduce children to basic map reading skills and the relationship between highways in Berrien and Cass Counties and trails used by native peoples.
Make a “Birch Bark” Canoe	Potawatomi/Keepers of Fire	Students will learn about canoes made by Native Americans.
The Bark Covered House	Growing Up on the Frontier, Hard Work and Plain Fun	This activity will expose students to a primary source of information about life in early Michigan.
Under, Over to Weave!	Growing Up on the Frontier, Hard Work and Plain Fun	This activity introduces the technique of plain weaving. Students work individually to weave a mat of paper strips.

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. Call the Museum Educator for more information or to be put on a mailing list.

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.

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 badge 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.