The Bucks County Historical Society: Outreach Programs

Outreach Programs Overview

Our outreach programs aim to bring the museum into your classroom, daycare center, camp, or other educational setting through both Resource Kits (“Traveling Trunks”) and In-Class presentations. These programs draw on the rich collections of both the Mercer and Fonthill Museums, offer a variety of enriching hands-on/minds-on experiences, and help strengthen understanding and appreciation of American history, art and architecture. Programs are available in a variety of disciplines and topics. All are linked explicitly to Pennsylvania Academic Standards and reinforce curricula at a variety of grade levels. Check back to discover when new programs are added to our slate of offerings.

Please call to inquire about any subsidized programs that we may have available through School Works!

Mercer Museum Traveling Trunks

Mercer Museum In-Class Programs

Fonthill Museum In-Class Programs

Reserve Your In-Class Program or Traveling Trunk

Mercer Museum Traveling Trunks

Our traveling trunks are a great way to facilitate hands-on learning and add an exciting feature to your curriculum. Each traveling trunk includes materials to enrich the classroom experience with original and reproduction artifacts, lesson plans, and resource materials.

Traveling trunks are for use by teachers, homeschoolers, after-school programs, scout groups, summer camps, and other youth organizations.

Trunks are available for $75, plus a $50 refundable deposit for a three-week rental. The trunks are picked up and returned at the Mercer Museum.

To find out more about how you may check out a traveling trunk refer to our Field Trip Guide (PDF) or contact the Education Assistant at 215-345-0210, extension 123.

Field Trip Guide (PDF)

Animal Discovery (preschool-grade 1)

Bring the Mercer Museum’s popular “Animals on the Loose” exhibit to your site with this trunk full of animal-inspired activities and instructional resources.

The Lenape People of Pennsylvania and New Jersey (grades 1-9)

This trunk focuses on the Lenape, the indigenous peoples who once lived in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It examines their history and culture via hands-on experiences with original and reproduction artifacts, activities, books, and other resources.

PA Academic Standards: 8.2.3A,B,C, 8.2.6A,B,C, 8.2.9C,D, 8.3.6A,B,C, 8.3.9A,C

Archaeology (grades 3-9)

This traveling trunk helps students develop an understanding of the basic concepts of archaeology, how it helps us understand other cultures, and its significance to Henry Chapman Mercer and the Mercer Museum. The trunk contains hands-on objects, conceptual activities and lesson plans, and many resource materials.

PA Academic Standards: 8.1.3A,B,C, 8.1.6A,B,C, 8.1.9A,B,D

Colonial Life Resource Kit (grades 1-6)

This resource kit will help reinforce any curriculum focusing on American and local history. It includes period clothing, games and past times, tools of various trades and instructional materials.

PA Academic Standards: 8.1.3A,C; 8.1.6A,B,C; 8.3.3B

Mercer Museum In-Class Programs

Museum interpreters enrich and enliven classroom learning with one-hour presentations using original and reproduction artifacts at your school. A multi-class program (“Colonial Kids”) is also available (see below).

For single class programs the fee is $100 for a group of 35 students (max.) for a one-hour presentation; $25 for each additional hour. There is a $15 surcharge for locations outside of Bucks County, PA. Our multi-class program is $8 per student ($7 December—March).

To find out more about bringing an In-Class Program to your school please download our Field Trip Guide (PDF) , or contact the Education Assistant at 215-345-0210, ext. 123, or at mmeduc@mercermuseum.org.

Life on a Farm (preschool-grade 1)

Your group will experience what it is like “down on the farm” through fun hands-on experiences related to sheep shearing, wool processing, and more! Included in the experience is a craft activity and storytelling.

Quilted Stories (grades 1-6)

Discover quilting as a multi-cultural practice of survival, storytelling, and tradition with a variety of lessons designed to engage learners in the classroom.

PA Academic Standards: 8.1.3C,D, 8.1.6C,D, 9.1.3A,C,J, 9.2.3A,D,F,G,J,K,9.2.5A,D,F,G,J,K, 9.3.3C,D,F, 9.3.5C,D

Underground Railroad (grades 3-9)

Students explore the freedom struggle of African Americans before the Civil War in this program with resources that include interactive activities, hands-on objects and storytelling.

PA Academic Standards: 7.1.3A,B, 7.1.6A,B, 8.2.6A,B,C,D, 8.3.6A, D, 8.3.9A,D

A Civil War Soldier’s Life (grades 6-9)

Explore the hardships, daily routines, and pastimes of a soldier during the Civil War in this program featuring touchable objects, period images, and interactive learning.

PA Academic Standards: 8.2.3A,B,D, 8.3.9A,B,D

Fonthill Museum In-Class Programs

Museum interpreters from the Fonthill Museum will enhance classroom learning with in-class programs that focus on the artistic interests of Henry Mercer.

For a single class program the fee is $100 for a group of 35 students (max.) for a one-hour presentation; $25 for each additional hour. There is a $15 surcharge for locations outside of Bucks County, PA. Our multi-class program is $8 per student ($7 December—March).

To find out more about bringing Fonthill Museum's In-Class programs to your school please contact the Education Assistant at 215-345-0210, ext. 123, or at mmeduc@mercermuseum.org.

Henry's Harvest of Art (one-hour presentation, grades 3-6, max. 35 students)

In this one-hour in-class program students will use art to identify and tell stories of the past. Based on the artistic interests of Henry Mercer at Fonthill, this program involves storytelling, hands-on activities, American history, a craft activity and a lot of student collaboration. Students follow the development of Mercer's interest in American handicrafts, tools and culture and tile-making. Developed through a grant from the Challenge Cost Share Program, National Park Service.

PA Academic Standards: 9.1.3A,B,C,D; 9.1.5A,B,C,D; 9.2.3A,B,D,E,F; 9.2.5A,B,D,E,F; 8.2.3A,B,C

Henry's Harvest of Art (multi-class program, grades 3-6, min. 60/max. 180 students)

This multi-class program is based on Henry Mercer's artistic interests and includes several stations including art lessons, hands-on activities, American history and plenty of student involvement. Each station introduces a new art form from Fonthill's collections, and activities will focus on how each art form is used to illustrate a story drawn from history or folklore. Developed through a grant from the Challenge Cost Share Program, National Park Service.

PA Academic Standards: 9.1.3A,B,C,D; 9.1.5A,B,C,D; 9.2.3A,B,D,E,F; 9.2.5A,B,D,E,F; 8.2.3A,B,C

Reserve Your In-Class Program or Traveling Trunk

Please contact the Mercer Museum at 215-345-0210, ext. 123, or Fonthill Museum at 215-348-9461, ext. 10, or at mmeduc@mercermuseum.org to reserve an In-Class program or Traveling Trunk.

Confirmation and Payment:

You will receive a letter or fax confirming your reservation within several days. Please note that your visit is not confirmed until you receive this formal confirmation and invoice. If you do not receive a confirmation in a timely manner please contact us to ensure your reservation.

Payment for an In-Class Program is due on the day of the program. Payment is to be given to the Museum interpreter presenting the program at your school. Payment for the Traveling Trunks is due upon pick-up of the trunk from the museum. The $50 refundable deposit for the trunks will be mailed when the trunk is returned in good order to the museum.

Preparation and Set-Up for In-Class Programs:

To facilitate learning, our In-Class programs may require some special set-up in your classroom or other facility where the program is to be presented. Arrangements will need to be made before the day of the program to provide for this set-up. Program needs may include tables, floor space, the availability of an overhead projector, blackboard access, etc. The Museums’ Education Department will contact educators or their representatives to make these arrangements in advance, to help ensure that all goes smoothly on the day of the program.