Field Trips
Select from the following exciting programs, available March – November. During this time the Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Option 1: EXPLORE
School, Scout, and youth groups are invited to explore Old Sturbridge Village’s 200 acres and discover New England history. Whether your group is visiting for 3 hours or all day, curate your Village experience on this self-guided visit.
3rd–8th grade groups have the option to use our themed Make History Guides to explore the Village. Themes include Amazing Agriculture, Cooking and Eating, and Making It. Printed Make History Guides are available for free upon arrival at the museum. You can also download the guides below (for best results print double-sided on 8 1/2″ x 14″ paper)
Make History – Amazing Agriculture
Make History – Cooking and Eating
Recommended for K through 12th grades.
Students………………………………………………$10
Chaperones…………………………………………$15
Teacher/Youth Group Leader…………..FREE
* Minimum total fee of $100 required to qualify for the Student group rate of $10.
We welcome chaperones but ask that you please share this guide with all teachers chaperones attending the field trip.
Option 2: MAKE + EXPLORE
In addition to exploring Old Sturbridge Village, students and youth group members can participate in hands-on workshops in our Museum Education Center. Each class will participate in a 50-minute workshop focused on one of the following themes: cooking, agriculture, textiles, or printing. Each theme allows them to try out some of the activities they’ll see costumed historians doing in the Village. Through inquiry and analysis, students make connections and comparisons to life today.
Recommended for 1st through 12th grades. Minimum of 10 students.
Students…………………………………………….$15
Chaperones……………………………………….$15
Teacher/Youth Group Leader…………FREE
* Minimum total fee of $150 required
We welcome chaperones but ask that you please share this guide with all teachers chaperones attending the field trip.
Option 3A: TOUR + EXPLORE
Back by popular demand! This option is great for groups preferring a more structured tour experience. Classes will be divided in half to tour the Village with a museum educator. Tours are 2 hours long and themes include trades and households, early industry, or agriculture. When booking tours, please include your focus of choice in the notes section.
Recommended for 3rd through 12th grades.
Students…………………………………………….$18/20
($20 in May and June due to high visitation period)
Chaperones……………………………………….$15
Teacher/Youth Group Leader………..FREE
* Minimum total fee of $180/$200 required
We welcome chaperones but ask that you please share this guide with all teachers chaperones attending the field trip.
Option 3B: TOUR + EXPLORE PLUS
Can’t decide between a tour or a hands-on workshop? Do both in this option that combines a 2-hour tour with a 50-minute hands-on workshop for a 3-hour total experience.
Recommended for 3rd through 12th grades.
Students…………………………………………….$23/$25
($25 in May and June due to high visitation period)
Chaperones………………………………………$15
Teacher/Youth Group Leader……….FREE
* Minimum total fee of $230/$250 required
We welcome chaperones but ask that you please share this guide with all teachers chaperones attending the field trip.
Option 4: CONNECT + EXPLORE
These programs take place at 11:00 am in the Stephen M. Brewer Theater in our Visitor Center at the Main Entrance.
School, Scout, and youth groups, as well as their chaperones, are invited to a 45-minute experience in our theater led by expert Old Sturbridge Village historians and educators. Designed for large groups, this program focuses on connecting science and social studies curriculum standards through an interactive, themed stage show. Delve into the science of historic food preservation including salting, drying, brining, and smoking. Part show-and-tell and part learning laboratory, this program includes demonstrations, audience participation, and a whole lot of fun!
Recommended for 3rd through 5th grades.
This program is designed for large groups and requires a minimum of 50 students.
Teacher/Youth Group Leader………………..FREE
Chaperones……………………………………………….$15
Students…………………………………………………….$12
* Minimum total fee of $600 required
We welcome chaperones but ask that you please share this guide with all teachers chaperones attending the field trip.
Option 5: PARTICIPATE + EXPLORE
In this civics-focused program, students participate in My Voice, My Vote, a mock town meeting where they learn how local government functions. The program explores the essential question “How should our town care for its poorest citizens?” At the start of the trip, students begin with a short introduction at the Museum Education Center and then enter the museum to interview Villagers and gather different points of view. The program concludes in the Center Meetinghouse where students are joined by a costumed interpreter to debate and vote on the issue. This interactive program encourages students to think critically, form arguments, and back up their opinions using historical information.
This program requires pre-visit work to be done in class ahead of your trip. Click here to download pre-visit materials.
Recommended for 6th through 12th grades. Minimum of 25 students.
Students……………………………………………..$12
Chaperones………………………………………..$15
Teacher/Youth Group Leader………….FREE
* Minimum total fee of $300 required
We welcome chaperones but ask that you please share this guide with all teachers chaperones attending the field trip.
For more intensive experiences: Option 6: IMMERSE + EXPLORE
Cooking a 19th-Century Meal
Students work as a team to prepare a hearth-cooked meal using 19th-century methods and utensils. As they eat together, students compare and contrast historic dining customs and etiquette with modern meals. Allow 3 hours for the meal experience in addition to 1 to 3 hours exploring the Village.
Recommended for 2nd through 12th grades.
Students……………………………….Cost Varies
Chaperones……………………….$15 per day
Teacher/Youth Group Leader……..FREE
History Immersion
Recommended for 2nd through 12th grades, Old Sturbridge Village offers schools and youth programs multi-day, immersive educational experiences that are customized based on the group’s goals. Experiences may include dressing in 19th-century costume, roleplaying and performing, cooking over an open hearth or apprenticing in a trade shop. These hands-on, content-rich experiences provide a stimulating, multi-sensory immersion into the past. For details and pricing, call 508-347-0274, or email us at osved@osv.org.
