Field Trips

*Time frames estimated. Sites and experiences can be combined. Please consider the time needed for walking between sites, if needed.

Museum of Historic Annapolis and Annapolis: An American Story (45 minutes) – Experience dramatic stories of Annapolis and its diverse people – revolutionaries, visionaries, and champions in our nation’s continuing quest for liberty and justice – through colorful interactive exhibits highlighting more than 400 years of our American story. 

William Paca House* (45 minutes) – With a trained guide, students travel back in time to Revolutionary-era Maryland in the elegant historic home of William Paca, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Maryland. Discover the daily lives of those who lived and labored here as the colonies became a unified nation. 
*Option for first floor and historic kitchen only (30 minutes) 

William Paca Garden (30 minutes)– Embracing the philosophy of the Age of Enlightenment, William Paca designed his garden as an earthly paradise. Students will explore the two-acre English garden and learn how it was utilized by both the gentry and bound labor. Learn about native and heirloom plants while exploring the terraced landscape’s formal Parterres, naturalistic Wilderness with natural spring pond, practical Kitchen Garden, and medicinal Physic Garden. 

Hogshead (30 minutes) – Students imagine daily life of a working-class family in the 1700s at this unique historic site. Students handle every-day household items, compare children’s lives in the past to today, and learn more about the tradespeople of Annapolis. Combine your visit with a tour of the William Paca House to emphasize the differences between the gentry, bound labor, and the middling sort. 

Add-On Opportunities (cannot be booked individually) 

Maryland State House (45 minutes) – Walk in the footsteps of Maryland’s founding fathers as we visit the only state house ever to have served as the nation’s capital and learn about the principles of government, the resignation of General George Washington, the Treaty of Paris, and iconic Marylanders Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Matthew Henson.

Waterfront Warehouse (20 minutes) – The exhibit in this rare colonial warehouse spotlights City Dock history over more than 400 years. The large diorama provides a birds-eye view of daily life in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The Warehouse is an excellent complement to a program at Hogshead and the Museum of Historic Annapolis.  

We Hold These Truths: Maryland’s Signers and the Declaration of Independence (20 minutes) – Learn about the private and political lives of the four Maryland Signers of Declaration of Independence in this exhibit which includes unique personal possessions. Add on to the William Paca House tour for a deeper understanding of political history.

Tour with HA (45-60 minutes, maximum of 40 attendees): $7/student 

Half Day with HA (2-2.5 hours, maximum of 60 attendees): $12/student 

Day with HA (3.5+ hours, maximum of 120 attendees): $18/student (includes use of the Paca Garden terrace to eat a sack lunch/snack) 

• Title 1 Schools may inquire about discounted rates.
• Chaperones: 1 adult is admitted free per 10 students. Additional adults will be charged at the adult admission rate. 
• Maximum attendees includes all students, teachers, and chaperones.
• The Paca Garden Terrace can be reserved for students to eat a sack lunch or snack for an additional fee.  Please add 30 minutes to your requested tour time to accommodate. Due to size constraints, lunch may be scheduled in rotations.

A Day with HA (full day program, 3.5+ hours):
$18/student 

• 9:00 – 9:45: Museum Tour 
• 10:00 – 10:45: Waterfront Warehouse and Hogshead 
• 11:00 – 11:30: William Paca Garden 
• 11:30 – 12:00: Sack Lunch on the Paca Terrace
• 12:00 – 1:00: William Paca House  
• 1:00 – 2:00: Add-On Program 

A Half Day with HA (morning or afternoon program, 2.5 hours): $12/student  

• 9:00 – 9:45: Museum Tour 
• 10:00 – 10:45: Waterfront Warehouse and Hogshead 
• 11:00 – 11:30: William Paca Garden 

Can reserve the Paca Garden Terrace as space for students to eat lunch or snack for an additional fee.

A Tour with HA (45-60 Minute Program):
$7/student 

• 10:00 – 11:00: Museum Tour  

$3 supply fee applies per person. 

Plant A Seed (Grades Pre-K-5) – Plant an heirloom seed and decorate your label to take home. 

Craft Corner (Grades 2-6): Choose an option for a craft: create a stained-glass window, decorate a John Shaw flag, make a newspaper page.  

Rules of Civility (Grades 2-8): At age 16, George Washington copied into his notebook all 110 Rules of Civility. Those rules were commonly known and circulated during Washington’s time. Students will read a selection of the Rules of Civility and translate them to modern day speech. They will practice proper etiquette of colonial times with proper greetings, including bowing and curtsying.  

Create A Government (Grades 8-12): Led by an Historic Annapolis educator, students will work together to write a class Constitution and Bill of Rights.  

4th Grade – 

• Definitions of Freedom: What causes people to deny freedoms to others? Students will analyze the methods and motivations by which freedom was granted or denied for various groups in Colonial North America.  
• Slavery in Maryland: How did slavery shape Maryland as a colony? Students will analyze the impact of slavery on the development of Maryland. 
• Events Leading to the American Revolution: What causes revolution? Students will analyze causes of the Revolution.  
   

5th Grade –  

• Conflicts and Compromises at the Constitutional Convention: How and why is power distributed in the United States Constitution? Students will examine the distribution of power in the United States Constitution. 
• Conflicts over Slavery and the Civil War: How did conflicts over slavery result in Civil War? Students will identify slavery as the central cause of the Civil War.
• Contesting, upholding, and redefining freedom, rights and citizenship – Civil Rights: How has government evolved to expand the meaning of “We the People?” Students will evaluate civil rights in Maryland and the United States. 
   

8th Grade –  

• The American Revolution: What were the military and social factors that impacted the outcome of the American Revolution? Students will evaluate the relative importance of key factors that led to an American victory in the Revolutionary War. 
• Ratification and the Bill of Rights: How does the Bill of Rights reflect compromise and conflict between the government and its people? Students will analyze how the Bill of Rights resolved the issues over the ratification of the Constitution. 
• The Civil War: How does war impact and change society? Students will analyze factors affecting the outcome of the Civil War.  

Where do buses drop off?
Bus loading and unloading depends upon starting location, drop off occurs on Green Street or College Avenue. Buses can park at the USNA stadium.  

Where should cars park?
Please see Annapolis parking suggestions at www.annapolisparking.com.

How is the accessibility at your sites?
All our sites are in historic buildings. The Museum of Historic Annapolis is fully accessible with a ramp and elevator. The William Paca Garden terrace is also accessible. The William Paca House and Hogshead have multiple staircases.

Are there restrooms?

Yes, there are accessible restrooms in the Museum of Historic Annapolis and the William Paca House. There are no restrooms at Hogshead or the Waterfront Warehouse.  

Where can my group have lunch or snack?
The Paca Garden Terrace is available for groups to enjoy lunch or snacks brought from home or school. Additional costs may apply. Due to size constraints, lunch may be scheduled in rotations.

What is the etiquette?
Students and parents should be respectful of their tour guide by silencing cell phones and raising hands for questions. As many of our tours are conducted in historic buildings and contain historic artifacts, we ask that groups avoid touching cases, artifacts, and historic furniture. Backpacks, large bags, and food/drink can be left at the front entrance before the tour. 

How many students can attend?
We can accommodate groups of 10-120 students, depending on the program; one free chaperone is allowed per 10 students. Maximum attendees include all students, teachers, and chaperones. 

What is the price of admission for school groups?
Pricing is dependent on the length of the program. Specific pricing information can be found on this page. Payment is encouraged in advance. Please call 410-990-4514. Title I and group size discounts are available. 

How long does the program last?
Tours and programs range in length, program information can be found above under Sites and Offerings.

What resources are available for students and teachers?
Please visit our Teacher Resources page.

To book, please complete our Field Trip Inquiry Form. You will be contacted to finalize your reservation. 

If you require more information, please contact us at grouptours@annapolis.org.