Dear OSV Adventures Family:
Welcome to Discovery and Exploration Adventures at Old Sturbridge Village! We hope you enjoy our program. The information below will help you plan for the program and ensure an authentic, safe, and fun experience for all.
Registration Packet
The Adventures Registration Packet will finalize your registration process. These documents will provide us with important information about your child. We ask that you read through it and complete and return the following forms. We have also included a checklist to make this process easy for you. The following forms are included in the Adventures Registration Packet:
The Medical Information and Release Form is necessary in the event of an emergency. Employees of Old Sturbridge Village are not licensed to distribute or administer medications of any type. This form also requests parental consent to publish photographs taken by Old Sturbridge Village or news photographers, and materials produced by participants. Photographs may appear in our Old Sturbridge Village Visitor magazine, brochures promoting our programs, website, annual reports, newspaper articles, etc. Children may not attend this program without signed parental consent. We ask that you complete this form in full - noting any special medical, physical and or social issues that we should be aware of - the more information you provide us with will ensure that your child has a safe and enjoyable OSV Adventure.
The Transportation Form is necessary to fill out only if anyone other than a parent/guardian is picking up a child on a particular day OR if you intend to take part in our extended (before and/or after) day care program.
The Family Agreement provides the guardian/parent and child with a general understanding of the expectations of Old Sturbridge Village from those attending an Old Sturbridge Village Adventure program.
The Before/After Extended Day Care/Lunch Enrollment Forms are only necessary if your child will take part in the before/after day care program and/or the lunch program.
These forms are all found in the Adventures Registration Packet. All forms must be completed each time your child attends an Adventure program. To complete your registration process, please return all necessary forms immediately, either by fax (508-347-0295) email (osved@osv.org) or by mail to:
Old Sturbridge Village
Discovery Adventures Office
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Age Verification
To verify your child's date of birth, a copy of their birth certificate, school ID, health/immunization records, or passport is required upon registration. It will be recorded as having been received to attend this program and for future registrations at Old Sturbridge Village. Please black out any private, non-related information. Please note: if you have submitted such a document for a prior program, there is no need to submit again.
Drop-Off/Pick-Up
Adventures hours are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Morning sign-in begins at 8:45 a.m. at the Museum Education Building. Afternoon pick-up is at 3:00 p.m. each day at the same pre-assigned location. Early drop-off and late pick-up may be arranged prior to camp by participating in our Extended Day Care program. Please do not drop your child off in the parking lot. We ask that you walk your child into the building each morning.
We will post a daily schedule of your child’s activities. We encourage parents to take pictures or videos of their child while they are in the Village. Please understand that for the participants to have a truly immersive experience, picture taking and contact with the children needs to be from a distance. The camp schedule is flexible in order to take advantage of special activities and events in the Village or to respond to weather concerns. At the end of the day, children will wait in the program spaces for their parent or guardian.
Clothing
Discovery Adventurers: On the first day of the program, each child is issued a 19th-century costume to wear throughout the session. Costumes are kept at the museum, and cleaning is provided by the museum. To complete the 19th-century image, please have your child(ren) wear plain white or gray knee-high socks and simple black, brown, or tan shoes (no sneakers or sandals). Young ladies may want to wear plain white or gray tights for the early spring program. Socks and shoes must be worn at all times. Many programs involve extensive walking, so wear shoes that are comfortable. Colored hair elastics and clips, watches, all jewelry, nail polish, make-up, tattoos, hair dyes, etc. are not permitted while costumed. We recommend that you leave these items and all valuables at home. The museum is not responsible for lost items.
Exploration Adventurers: Exploration Adventure participants do not wear 19th-century costumes. Socks and sneakers that are comfortable for extensive walking are recommended, and must be worn at all times. Have children dressed for the weather. We recommend that you leave personal, electronic and valuable items at home. The museum is not responsible for lost items.
Lunch
Discovery Adventurers: Each day we will provide a reproduction lunch container, a mug, and a beverage. To enrich the experience, please pack a lunch that resembles one of the 1830s using foods such as: breads, cheese chunks, homemade-looking cookies, seasonal fruit, plain donut holes, etc. (Modern-looking foods such as: candy bars, chips, and snack-packaged desserts are not allowed in the historical area.) Please wrap foods in wax paper. We will carry our lunches with us during the day, so please pack foods that can remain at air temperature. Lunch will generally take place in costume in front of the public. We appreciate your efforts to keep your presentation authentic. You may contact our office to pre-order an 1830s-inspired box lunch if you have not already done so. A beverage and a cookie from our Bake Shop will be served at the end of the day.
Exploration Adventurers: We will carry our lunches with us during the day, so please pack foods that can remain at air temperature. You may contact our office to pre-order an 1830s-inspired box lunch if you have not already done so. An OSV Drawstring Backpack will be provided to your child to carry his/her lunch and other immediate necessities. A beverage and a cookie from our Bake Shop will be served at the end of the day.
Medical Issues/Allergies
Our 19th-century agricultural environment contains many common allergens such as pollen, dust, bees, nuts, animals, etc. We are unable to alter activities to prevent exposure to these conditions. If your child is prone to life-threatening allergies and is likely to require medical attention in such an environment, you may wish to reconsider participation in this program. Please note that employees of Old Sturbridge Village are not licensed to distribute or administer medications of any type.
Visiting the Village
If parents wish to visit the Village during the program and are not Old Sturbridge Village Members, reduced admission tickets are available at a special rate of $8.00 from the Main Entrance (OSV Visitor Center). (Siblings age 3-17 are admitted at the youth rate, also $8.00). Children under 3 are admitted free. If you plan to visit often, you may find it more economical to purchase a Village Membership. Tickets can be purchased at the Visitor Center. We look forward to your visit. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at 508-347-0285 or email osved@osv.org.
