Education

Our educational programs are designed to give today’s participants unique opportunities to engage with history. OCHS offers programs for all ages, both in-person and virtually.

Our Programs

Makerspace Experiences

Our hands-on history programs are perfect for school-aged groups!

Try your hand at historical crafts such as candle making, butter churning, weaving, and ice cream making!

Group program fees start at $50.

History Mystery Kit: Who Stole the Canandaigua Treaty?

Experience a new way to interact with artifacts and documents from the Ontario County Historical Society! The History Mystery Kit contains replicas from our collection and uses those items to solve a mystery.

Suitable for preteens and older, this kit makes for a great team-building experience for youth and adults. If you enjoy solving puzzles and mysteries, you’ll enjoy our History Mystery Kit!

For Teachers: Encouraging critical thinking, reading comprehension, and historical awareness, these kits are a fun new spin on a classic staple of museum education. A comprehensive facilitator’s guide is available with suggested modifications and compatibility with NYS standards.

Kits may be reserved for up to two weeks for off-site use with a $50 refundable deposit. Kits may be used independently on-site at no charge, or you can schedule a guided experience with an OCHS staff member. Call for availability and information on staff facilitation

Private Tours and Presentations

Are you looking for a program speaker for your group or organization? Schedule a presentation with an OCHS staff member. Our off-site speaker fee is $100 while our on-site fee is $50.

Presentation topics include:

Programming the Future: How a Loom Paved the Way for Modern Computing
Oral History Workshop
The 1873 Ontario County Trial of Susan B. Anthony
Ontario County 101: The Phelps and Gorham Purchase
The Remarkable Residents of Elm Manor
The Canandaigua Treaty
Historians and the Movies: A Love-Hate Relationship

Private Walking Tours start at $50 and are typically about 60 minutes involving walking and standing.

Walking Tours include:

Lakefront Walking Tour
Watering Holes Walking Tour
Cemetery Walking Tour
Trolleys, Trains, and Trails Tour

Nooks & Crannies Tours

Learn about the history of our building and organization while you’re guided through our archives and collections areas, housing over 80,000 items. The tour will feature unique artifacts revealing everyday life in Ontario County.

Due to the nature of our historic building, this tour is not fully accessible and involves several flights of stairs. Please contact us to discuss a modified tour.

Limit of 10 people, minimum 2. Fee is $10 per person. Scheduled upon request.

Internships

Internships are beneficial both to our organization and to students of history. Please contact us to see if we have internship opportunities available.