The Presidio Museum offers educational opportunities for professional educators, homeschoolers, and family groups.
Please see our General Rules for prices and also our Covid-19 Safety Policies. Read on to learn more about our offerings.
Programs below are listed from 100% live to 100% virtual.
Program 1: Morning Muster
An On-Site Live Field Trip
Approximately 2 hours
Accommodates 8-30 participants
$5 per child. Chaperones free
This field trip supports Common Core curriculum for Arizona 3rd and 4th graders, however it can be adapted to fit 3rd grade to 12th grade. You will work with Presidio Museum Outreach Specialist to create your program. You may begin with an optional virtual or in-person 30-45 minute age-appropriate presentation about the Presidio Museum and its history that would take place prior to your on-site visit.
You will schedule an on-site visit to take place after the optional presentation You will arrive and be given a brief recap of the history of the Presidio here in Tucson. Then your group will be broken into smaller groups and rotate through 4-6 stations that may include the following (based on volunteer and staff availability):
- Children’s chores of early Tucson settlers
- Tinsmithing activity and blacksmithing demo
- Games children played before screens
- The life of a Presidio soldier
- Calligraphy
The minimum grade level for the Morning Muster is 3rd grade.
Program Contact Ginger Thompson, Family Programming and Educational Outreach Manager: gingert@TucsonPresidio.com
Program 2: Friday at the Fort
An On-Site Live Field Trip
Approximately 4 Hours
Accommodates 50-75 Participants
$5 per child, chaperones are free
A Presidio Museum Outreach Specialist will make two appointments with your group. The first will be for an in-person or virtual visit at your location for a 30-45 minute age-appropriate presentation about the Presidio Museum and its history. The second will be for the on-site portion of the field trip. This field trip supports Common Core curriculum for Arizona 3rd and 4th graders.
For the on-site portion of your field trip your group will arrive at the Presidio and receive a brief recap of the history of the Presidio and Tucson. Then your group will be broken into smaller groups to rotate through several stations for approximately 4 hours. Stations may include the following (based on volunteer and staff availability):
- Children’s chores of early Tucson settlers
- Tinsmithing activity and blacksmithing demo
- Games children played before screens
- The life of a Presidio soldier
- Calligraphy
- How to make adobe bricks
- Tortilla making
Friday at the Fort is restricted to 3rd and 4th grade students. Spaces are limited and fill up quickly.
Program Contact Jean Baxter, Education Director: tbaxter559@aol.com
Program 3: History in the Field
Themed On-Site Live Field Trips
Approximately 2 Hours
Capped at 12 student participants (not including chaperones)
$5 per person. Chaperones must also register and pay to attend workshop.
Our Education Department offers monthly pre-scheduled themed events during the months of October-May. Themes change monthly so please look at our calendar of events for more information. These programs are open to the public but do require pre-registration. Themes may include:
Theme A: Archaeology
Ages restricted to 9 and up.
You will begin with a visit to the Museum’s excavated Early Agricultural period pit house. Then you will learn about the types of artifacts found in archaeological excavations of downtown Tucson. You will learn how archaeologists document everything they find by analyzing artifacts and creating maps. You will use your information to figure out what was going on in that area. You will share your conclusions with the group.
Excavation: An excavation activity in our dig site may be included depending on weather and staff/volunteer availability.
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Theme B: Early Peoples
Your group will time travel back to 400 C.E. to experience the daily life of the Hohokam. You will visit an excavated Early Agricultural period pit house and may engage in the following activities: using an atl-atl, using an early drill, and making a utilitarian basket or pot.
Theme C: How Did They Do That?
The bugs are collected and ground up to make a red dye
still used today in many of our products.
How did the people in 1775 (Indigenous and Spanish) build their homes and make their tools? Activities will focus on Presidio-era living practices that are being re-learned today and may include:
- Making adobe bricks
- Water harvesting
- Cochineal use and harvesting
- Native gardening techniques
Program Contact: Ginger Thompson,
Family Programming and Educational Outreach Manager, gingert@TucsonPresidio.com.
Program 4: Portable Presidio – A Day in the Life of a Presidio Child
Field Trip Format – At YOUR Site
Approximately 2 Hours
Minimum of 12 participants. Capped at 40 participants (including adults).
$5 per youth attendees. Chaperones are free.
This is similar to the Morning Muster program above but we come to you. You will make two appointments with a Presidio Museum Outreach Specialist. The first will be either an in-person visit (masked) or a virtual visit to give a 30-45 minute age-appropriate presentation about the Presidio Museum and its history.
For your second appointment two Presidio Education Specialists will bring a field trip to you. You must provide an open air site (i.e. playground).
Activities may include:
- Children’s chores of early Tucson settlers
- Tinsmithing
- Games children played before screens
- Calligraphy
- Art Through the Ages
Only two Presidio staff members will be on-site. Activity stations must be supported by school staff or parents. Tables and chairs must be supplied by school or homeschool. Presidio staff will need time to set-up and prep their parent/teacher helpers.
Program Contact: Ginger Thompson,
Family Programming and Educational Outreach Manager, gingert@TucsonPresidio.com.
Program 5: Museum in a Box
Week-long trunk checkout for up to 30 students
FEE FOR TRUNK: $60 a week each
In this program, you can rent an activity box that will have a teacher packet, materials, and supplies for the registered number of children (up to 30). Provided directions will help teachers/parents to run an activity with their participants. You may also choose to add an optional pre-scheduled virtual presentation with Q and A time with a Presidio Museum Outreach Specialist for no extra charge. Two themes are available. Please note that Theme 1 can be conducted without Presidio Museum staff, but Theme 2 requires in-person Presidio Museum staff interaction.
Theme 1: A Day in the Life of A Presidio Child
Kits available for rental include:
- Children’s chores of early Tucson settlers
- Tinsmithing
- Games children played before screens
- Calligraphy
- Art Through the Ages
This theme can be conducted without in-person Presidio Museum staff interaction.
Theme 2: Historic Hats of Arizona
Your group will identify the hats in the box and do further investigation on the individual who would have worn that hat. Your group will learn about the individuals from four different time periods:
- Early peoples (Before 1500’s)
- Spanish Period (1500’s – 1821)
- Mexican Period )1821 – 1854)
- American Period (1854-present)
And will learn about the roles of
- Women
- Military
- Workers and merchants of various ethnicities
- Religious individuals
**This theme requires an in-person presentation by a Presidio Museum staff member when the box is delivered.
Program Contact: Ginger Thompson,
Family Programming and Educational Outreach Manager, gingert@TucsonPresidio.com.
Program 6: Virtual Presidio
45-60 MINUTE ONLINE PRESENTATION WITH ACTIVITY SHEETS
Capped at 30 participants (including adults) per zoom call.
$50 for first presentation, $30 for any additional presentation at the same school in the same school year.
Program Contact: Ginger Thompson,
Family Programming and Educational Outreach Manager, gingert@TucsonPresidio.com.
Questions?
Contact Ginger Thompson,
Family Programming and Educational Outreach Manager, gingert@TucsonPresidio.com.