Give your kids a one-of-a-kind adventure to Charlotte’s past! Join us at the Charlotte Museum of History as we explore the history of our region through a series of interactive journeys. Visit the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Homesite and our collection of unique artifacts that tell the story of Charlotte’s growth from a sleepy hamlet in the Carolina Backcountry to the major metropolitan city it is today. Your students will experience history up close and personal as they learn about the life of a backcountry patriot in early colonial Mecklenburg, join the American Revolution in Charlotte, learn how to survive on the edge of empire, and more!
We can schedule your field trip Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. We deliver most programs on-site at the Charlotte Museum of History, but we can also travel to your school for a nominal additional fee. Need a program delivered outside of our standard hours? Let’s talk about it!
Please email Mea Agazio, Education & Engagement Manager, at marianna@charlottemuseum.org for more information.
Ready to book your program? Give us a call at 704.568.1774!
We're happy to announce that we are now accepting field trip booking requests for the 2024-25 school year! Book your field trip today from the available options, or by visiting our Explorable Places profile.
| Field Trip Program | $8 per student |
| Self-Guided Visit | $8 per student |
| Field Trip Program + Craft | $12 per student |
| Discovering Charlotte: The CMH Experience (Rock House Tour + Siloam School Tour + Self-Guided Visit) | $12 per student |
| Chaperones | $5 per person |
| School Personnel (Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Bus Drivers, Administrators, etc.) | Free |
| Field Trip Program | $6 per Title 1 student |
| Self-Guided Visit | $6 per Title 1 student |
| Field Trip Program + Craft | $10 per Title 1 student |
| Discovering Charlotte: The CMH Experience (Rock House Tour + Siloam School Tour + Self-Guided Visit) | $10 per Title 1 student |
| Chaperones | $5 per person |
| School Personnel (Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Bus Drivers, Administrators, etc.) | Free |
| Activities Included: | This program includes interactive guided tours of the 1774 Rock House and Siloam School, and self-guided gallery activities through museum exhibits. |
| Grade-level: | Grades 1-12 |
| Duration: | 120 - 150 mins. |
| Description: | In 1774, the Alexander family moved into the Rock House. Today it is the last standing home of a framer of North Carolina's first Constitution and Bill of Rights, but what was it like to live here almost 250 years ago? By exploring the Rock House, Kitchen, Springhouse, and grounds of the historic Homesite, students will learn more about the early people who called Charlotte home, including members of the Catawba Nation, enslaved Africans, and the Alexanders themselves. |
| Activities Included: | This program includes a guided tour of the 1774 Alexander Rock House and Homesite. |
| Grade-level: | Grades K-5 |
| Duration: | 120 - 150 mins. |
Discover the learning goals of the Early Charlotte program, thoughtfully crafted to align with NC Standards in Social Studies. Click the link to access a downloadable version of the curriculum connections for grades K-5 and see how our field trips enhance learning across key educational benchmarks.
Early Charlotte (Grades K-1) Curriculum Connections - 2024 (PDF)
Early Charlotte (Grades 2-3) Curriculum Connections - 2024 (PDF)
Early Charlotte (Grades 4-5) Curriculum Connections - 2024 (PDF)
| Description: | The Siloam School, a restored 1920s-era schoolhouse located on our museum campus, was originally built to provide educational opportunities for Black students in Charlotte during the Jim Crow era. It served the Black community in the once rural Mallard Creek neighborhood, ensuring access to quality education. This program examines the Siloam School within the broader context of the century spanning from the end of the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting significant events, individuals, and initiatives in the struggle for equality. |
| Activities Included: | This program includes a guided tour of the Siloam School. |
| Grade-level: | Grades 3-8 |
| Duration: | 60 mins. |
| Description: | The American Revolution was won not only through battles and proclamations, but also through the stealthy spreading of ideas and military strategy throughout the colonies. Students will explore daily life for a Patriot in the Carolina Backcountry, and the many covert ways in which revolutionaries, spies, and double agents spread their contentious messaging of American independence by crafting their own secret messages using similar techniques. |
| Activities Included: | This program includes a guided spy-craft activity and a guided tour of the 1774 Alexander Rock House and Homesite. |
| Grade-level: | Grades 3-5 |
| Duration: | 120 - 150 mins. |
Click to download our Spies of the American Revolution Activity Bundle. Explore the engaging activities available through our Hornets' Nest of Rebellion field trip program, or use them directly in your classroom or at home!
Students will have the opportunity to explore CMH in-depth with a comprehensive field trip experience. They can dive into our exhibits with self-guided exploration, engaging with interactive gallery activities. The visit includes an interactive guided tour of two historic sites: the 1774 Rock House, the oldest building in Mecklenburg County, and the Siloam School, a restored schoolhouse built for Black students during segregation. This immersive experience allows students to journey through up to 2.5 centuries of Charlotte's history, from the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
Planning an offsite field trip can be challenging, but don’t let that hold you back from offering your students a unique learning experience! Our Outreach Learning Programs bring our educators directly to your school or organization, during and after school hours, providing engaging and customized educational experiences that align with your curriculum and learning objectives. Explore our outreach options to see how we can support your classroom goals!
| Description: | Hear about the people and objects whose stories we tell as our educators come to you. Suggested topics include Catawba Pottery, Spies of the American Revolution, the Siloam School, 18th-century Charlotte, or any of our current exhibitions. Educators will bring objects, images, and activities from our collection to your location as part of this program. |
| Activities Included: | This program turns your classroom into a museum with various objects from our collections, activities, and crafts relevant to your chosen program theme. All activities subject to change. |
| Grade-level: | All ages |
| Price: | Pricing varies. Please call the museum for more details. |
Explore Charlotte's Black history through professional development seminars, discussions, resources, and more to bring enriching learning experiences for students in the classroom and beyond!