Virtual field trips are being developed for the K-12/homeschool population. Subscribe to the Museum's newsletter to receive updates regarding programming.

Tour information/resources

 Information for teachers wishing to schedule a visit to the museum or schoolhouse:

Contact us by email or call 989-774-2380.

NOTE: Please schedule at least two (2) weeks in advance to reserve a time slot to avoid conflicting visits.

Suggested donations: 
Tours:  $0.50 per student and $1 per adult

We are able to accommodate two classes in one day. If your school has more than two classes per grade we can schedule additional days.

Thanks to a generous donation from the John R. & Constance M. Harkins Community Fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation we can continue to reimburse transportation costs!

Current programs:

*Students will be given time to explore the main galleries before or after programs*

Michigan Through the Ages (3-5th grades, 2.5 hours) 

Choose two lessons from the four options below. Programs consist of two 45 minute lessons, with time allotted for students to explore the galleries further on their own, and a primary/secondary source activity.

At this time, lesson options include: 

  • Fur Trade: Learn how the fur trade was Michigan's first major industry; interact with some of the objects that would have been used and traded; play an interactive fur trade simulation game.
  • Lumbering: Understand the process of lumbering in Michigan and its historical significance; interact with objects from the industry; learn what life was like in a lumber camp; create unique log stamps.
  • ยทScience of Sound: What's that sound? Come learn the difference between noise and music, and discover how sounds become a song. Students will explore soundwaves through sensory activities and learn about how humans hear. Students will learn about the transfer of energy into sound and create their own unique instrument to take home. 

To schedule a tour, fill out the Michigan Through the Ages registration form.


One-Room School (K-12th grades, 1 hour)

Our reconstructed, historic one-room schoolhouse, located on CMU's campus, is a great opportunity for students to experience a schoolhouse in the early 1900s, including completing lessons from the time period, playing vintage games, and learning about animals they would have seen walking to school.  

To schedule a tour, fill out the One-room School Program registration form.

Please note: Schoolhouse can accommodate up to 30 students at a time. Great for all ages!


Backyard Birding (1st-3rd grades, 1 hour)

Learn about the birds of Michigan and the adaptations that help them to survive in a variety of environments through hands-on activities including touching various bones and feathers, learning to identify birds during a birding activity, and more.  

To schedule a program, please complete the Backyard Birding registration form .

Please note: Can be combined with One-room Schoolhouse, doing slightly shorter versions of each. Please put a comment on the registration form.


Habitats (1st-3rd grades, 1 hour) 

Learn about the four components of habitat and see various Michigan animals up close (taxidermy specimens, some of which can be touched by students). Identify animals and the adaptations that help them survive. Students will test their knowledge in our habitat-matching challenge, compete for resources in a game of survival, and create an insect of their own.

To schedule a program, please complete the Habitats registration form.


Music in Motion (Preschool, 1 hour)

In the new "Feel the Music" hands-on gallery, students will learn about the musical concepts of pitch, quality, and strength through fun, interactive games that explore tone. They will also create their own unique instrument to take home.

To schedule a program, please complete the Music in Motion registration form.