School Tours at Historic St. Mary's City

Tour Reservations

Historic St. Mary's City is open for scheduled group tours from mid-March through the last week in November. Groups that visit in the fall and early spring receive discounted admission. The exhibits are closed on Thanksgiving Day. Please contact the museum by e-mail ( groups@stmaryscity.org) or telephone (240-895-4979 or 240-895-4980) for available tour dates and times. Tours proceed rain or shine. Hot and humid weather in mid-summer is a factor to be considered in planning a comfortable visit.

• Reservations may be made by e-mailing groups@stmaryscity.org or calling 240-895-4979 or 240-895-4980
  
• Guided tours must be reserved in advance; available on a first-come, first served basis.
  
• Call early to have the best chance of getting the date you desire; reservations can be made up to a year in advance.
  
• Tours are available Wednesday through Friday in the fall and Tuesday through Friday in the spring. The museum is open mid-March through November. Hours are from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Special arrangements can also be made for tours on Saturdays.
  
• Our staff is available to take your reservation Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please have the following information ready when scheduling a tour:
  
  • Desired date and time of visit (tours are offered Tuesday-Friday, mid-March through November)
    
  • Number and grade level of classes
    
  • Number of students participating
    
  • Number of teachers and chaperones
    
  • Name of school, address, and telephone and fax numbers
    
  • Any special accommodations that your group needs

Guided Tour Information

Guided tours last four hours which includes a 30-minute lunch break. Please allow extra time for check-in, travel to and from sites and restroom stops. Teachers are encouraged to pre-order goody bags for their students. Information about goody bags will be sent in the field trip planner.

• Guided tours will visit the four Living History Sites.
  
• One guide is assigned to each class.
  
• Tours can adapt to the needs of grades one through twelve.
  
• Tours complement the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program.
  

    Fees - Peak Season

• For school groups visiting during the peak season (April, May, and June, July, and August) the fee is $6.00 per student.
• One adult per 10 students visits free; all others pay $10.00.
  
• A $25.00 reservation fee (non-deductible and non-refundable) is required to hold reservation; on receipt of reservation fee a field trip planner packet with information to prepare teachers for their visit will be sent.
  
• Bus drivers receive complimentary admission.
  
• Rates are current at time of posting but are subject to change without notice.
  

     Fees - Fall & Early Spring Discount

• School groups visiting September through November and during March will receive a reduced fee of $5.00 per student and the reservation fee is waived.
• One adult per 10 students visits free; all others pay $10.00.
• These incentives will be available on a first call/first scheduled basis. If all the dates during the fall and March are filled up and your group has to schedule for April, May, or June then the peak season guided school tour rates apply.
• Bus drivers receive complimentary admission.
  
• Rates are current at time of posting but are subject to change without notice.
  

Self-Guided Tours

We recommend that you register for a guided program in order to get the most out of your visit; however, if you prefer, you may elect to participate on a self-guided basis. Classroom teachers are responsible for leading the self-guided tour.

Fees

• $3.00 per student.
• Minimum of 10 students required to receive self-guided rate.
• One adult per 10 students free; all others pay $9.00.
  
• Bus drivers receive complimentary admission.
  
• Rates are current at time of posting but are subject to change without notice.
  
  

Home-School Groups

Home school groups are encouraged to visit Historic St. Mary's City. The rates listed above for guided and self-guided tours are the same for home-school groups.

• A minimum of 15 school-aged students are required for a guided tour for home school groups.
  
• A minimum of 10 school-aged students are required to receive the self-guided tour rates.
  
• Smaller home-school groups may wish to consider visiting on the weekends when fewer groups are present.

Much of the tour takes place outdoors; tours proceed in all kinds of weather (just as life did in the 17th century). Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Water bottles are allowed but no soft drinks or food are allowed at the Living History Sites.

Lunch Facilities

A 30-minute lunch period is built into your tour. Groups must bring bag lunches. Picnic tables are located throughout the grounds; a limited number are sheltered. Location of lunch is dependent on individual group's tour schedule. In inclement weather, groups may need to eat lunch on their buses.

The Shop at Farthing's Ordinary

Groups may make arrangements to visit the museum's Shop at Farthing's Ordinary. Teachers are encouraged to pre-order goody bags for their students. Information about goody bags will be sent in the field trip planner.

Accessibility

Historic St. Mary's City seeks to provide programs for individuals of all abilities. With prior knowledge, we will work with you to accommodate those with special needs. Special assistants to the disabled are admitted free. For information about accessibility, please call the Education Office at 240-895-4979 or 240-895-4980 or e-mail groups@stmaryscity.org .

Have you heard about us but never visited? To assist you in planning your field trip, Historic St. Mary's City would like to offer you and one guest complimentary passes to visit the museum. A pre-tour visit will allow you to:

• Verify the travel time to and from your school.
  
• Become familiar with the four Living History Sites and the amount of terrain covered during the guided tour.
  
• Browse through our museum shop and decide whether to pre-order Goody Bags for your group.
  

Please call 240-895-4979 or 240-895-4980 or e-mail groups@stmaryscity.org to make arrangements.

HSMC's Field Trip Planner contains information that will help you get the most out of your visit. You will find directions to the museum, lesson plans to use in the classroom, background material for teachers, and more. Field Trip Planners for elementary and middle/secondary schools are available online (www.stmaryscity.org/Field-Trip-Planner.html) as portable document format (pdf) files.