Schedule a Field Trip
To schedule a school tour,
call 517-347-7300
or
Reservations
Schedule your field at least 2 weeks in advance. Early scheduling secures your priority dates and allows the Village enough time to secure the appropriate docents. Because of the amount of teacher planning involved, it is recommended that BIG Lesson Plans be booked a minimum of 4 weeks in advance. Accompanying parents and chaperones are considered tour participants, and are required to pay the Village fees. The only exception to this rule are parents and chaperones who actively participate in a BIG History Lesson. The Village does not charge for teachers or interns. Payment is due on the day of your program. Programs and prices are subject to change.
Because of the limited space in some of our buildings, teachers are strongly encouraged to limit the number of participants rotating between each building to the following:
Schoolhouse
30 participants Log Cabin, General Store and Farmhouse 15 participants Tollgate House 22 participants Although we do our best to accommodate larger groups, we appreciate teachers working with us to limit the size of groups of students and parents rotating between our buildings to meet these guidelines.
Shopping
A gift store featuring old-fashioned toys, candy, clothing and books on local history is located inside the Village General Store. Tour Feedback"We enjoyed the docents, the buildings, and the location and cost. This is a fabulous field trip for MI history enrichment. I visited for the first time in May 2012, then again this fall. Both seasons were enjoyable." "The Meridian Historical Village offers many options to immerse your students in historical Michigan. Visiting the Village with a tour from the docents brings the past to life! Students experience what life would have been like for children in Michigan more than a century ago with a hands-on visit to the authentic Schoolhouse, Farmhouse & Barn, General Store, Tollgate House, and Log Cabin. Students have the opportunity to take part in chores the way they were done in the 1800s, such as laundry, corn grinding, and drop spinning. My second grade students learn more in a three day experience at the VIllage than they ever could from textbooks in the classroom! "
|
Public Facilities
The Schoolhouse and the General Store are handicap accessible. Restrooms are located in the Schoolhouse. Lunch at the Village
Picnic tables are located throughout the Village from April through October. The Central Park township pavilion can be reserved by calling the Meridian Township Parks and Recreation Department at 517-853-4608. In case of inclement weather, the Schoolhouse can be used for groups of less than 40, with teachers and accompanying parents responsible for clean-up. Ages best suited for Docent Guided Building Tours
Our guided building tours are best suited for children ages kindergarten and older. While children of all ages are welcome in the Village, and are encouraged to enjoy our beautiful park like setting, we have found that preschool children are not quite ready to understand the historical context shared by our building docents. Preschools are encouraged to bring their students for a walk in the park, or perhaps a shopping trip in the General Store or Meridian Township Farmers Market (May-October), but our docent led building tours are not recommended for preschoolers. Hours
The Village is closed from December 15 through January 31. We prefer not to schedule any school groups in the Village on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. |