Waterloo Region Museum

Education Programs

A field trip to the Waterloo Region Museum is a one-of-a-kind interactive learning opportunity for your class that brings curriculum to life and creates lasting memories.

Doon Heritage Village represents a rural Waterloo County community and shows what life was like - on the farm, in homes, in shops and businesses - in the year 1914. In this exciting era, the automobile was replacing the horse and buggy; electricity was lighting homes and factories; George V was King and Canada was at the crossroads of the 20th century on the eve of the Great War.

EDUCATION PROGRAM 2013 with current curricular links

General Information

Please discuss with your students as a minimum preparation:

• a definition of the term museum.
• the special consideration visitors to museums should show (for example, why not to touch objects unless asked to, and then carefully.)

Appropriate Clothing
Please ensure that students are dressed for the weather and for a variety of outdoor activities. Portions of many of our programs may take place in the museum galleries or the heritage village.  Most village buildings are heated but are often still quite cool early or late in the year.

Personal Protection
Doon Heritage Village is located on 60 acres of land, including environmentally sensitive forest and marsh land. We advise that on all outdoor school trips, you and your students take precautions against West Nile Virus.

Washrooms
Washrooms are located at the museum entrance and in the village.

Lunch
Please inform us if you will be eating lunch at the site as a lunch room is available for students. Group lunch catering is also available for an additional fee, and advance reservations are required. No food is allowed in the village or on the farm sites.

Admissions and Payment
Admission cost is $5 per student for 1/2 day programs and $10 per student for full day programs. One teacher/adult per six students is admitted free of charge. Additional adults are $5 per person for half day programs and $10 per person for full day programs.

Admissions should be paid upon arrival - VISA, MasterCard, Interac, cash or cheque - payable to the Waterloo Region Museum. Receipts will be issued. Schools can also be invoiced at the time of your visit.

Note student admission is higher for some educational programs such as the Groundwater Festival.

Please inquire about admission costs prior to making your booking.

Name Tags
Each student should wear a visible name tag.

Times
Program times may vary. Please discuss timing of your program at the time of booking.

At the End of Your Program/Day
Feel free to use the picnic areas for class activities or picnics but please do not re-enter the galleries or heritage village as you may interfere with other programs.

Visit Details

1. Upon arrival at the Waterloo Region Museum, the class will be met by one of our staff and given a general introduction to the site and their program. At this time, the teacher will be directed to pay admission

2. Following the introduction, each of the teacher/adult supervisors will be given a map with the locations they are to visit and the times they are to arrive at each. With most programs, there is not sufficient time to visit all buildings or exhibits at the museum.

3. Groups then leave the orientation area for the galleris are heritage village, escorted by one of our orientation staff members

4. At each location, one of our staff members will present the program and conduct student activities. Staff will also keep time for the program. Please stay on schedule where possible by going directly to your next program location. Do not visit locations other than those designated for your program as you may interfere with other programs in progress

5. Following your program, the groups may reassemble in the museum foyer prior to departure.