Unique among outdoor history museums, Strawbery Banke presents the unfolding story of life in a New England city over four centuries of change. Explore furnished homes, still sitting on their original foundations along well-traveled streets. Experience home life, entertainment, chores, play, and work. Learn from intriguing exhibits, and take in the sights and scents of period gardens. The skilled staff of historic interpreters and costumed roleplayers guide your students through daily life in times past, from the 1690s to the 1950s.

Availability: May – October

Group Size: Minimum 10 people; Maximum 400 students/day

Cost: $10/student and $10/adult chaperone (excludes workshop programs)

An add-on to the self-guided tour (offered in May & June, September & October), Time Travel Workshops provide students with an in-depth, immersive experience of a specific topic. Choose from several workshops.

Click here to view the workshop descriptions.

Availability: May-June & September-October

Program Time: 90-minute interactive programs (most groups should plan for 3.5 – 4 hours total)

Group Size: Maximum 15 students/workshop (multiple workshops available to accommodate up to 150 students/day)

Cost: $15/student and $10/adult chaperone (includes self-guided tour)

Trace the evolution of Thanksgiving in this active, fast-paced, and multi-sensory program. Discover how Thanksgiving transcended time, place and culture to become the uniquely American holiday we celebrate today. Try some old-fashioned cooking, create harvest crafts, and talk with costumed roleplayers. In small groups guided by a museum educator, find the common themes of this holiday over three centuries: charity, survival, gratitude, national identity, and the celebration of family and community.

Availability: November (weekdays only)

Program Time: 10 AM–12 PM (2-hour program; start and end times may be flexible)

Group Size: Minimum 10 participants; Maximum 96 students/day

Cost: $15/student and $10/adult chaperone

Step into the past using a book as your time machine!  Hear an amusing story of a colonial boy’s day in Williamsburg, VA.  Experience his life as you participate in kitchen chores in front of an open hearth, make old-fashioned toothpowder, dress up and simulate a stagecoach ride, and play an 18th-century school game.  Participants will visit three historic homes as they compare and contrast daily life 200 years ago to daily life today.  Topics include health & hygiene, school, entertainment, and daily chores.

Availability: March (weekdays only)

Program Time: 10 AM–1 PM (3-hour program, includes time for lunch)

Group Size: Minimum 10 participants; Maximum 72 students/day

Cost: $15/student and $10/adult chaperone