The Recruiting Serjeant
A class visit to The Recruiting Serjeant will give your students a first-person perspective on the life of a soldier in General George Washington’s Army. Alternately, you may wish to have our Museum Educator present the field trip from the perspective of an English soldier sent to the Colonies to fight King George’s war. From either vantage point, your visit begins with a lively discussion of the Colonial recruiting practices including having your students enlist in General Washington (or King George’s) Army. They’ll be paid an enlistment bonus in the form of a New York colony $3.00 note and then it’s off to prepare for battle. Outside on the lawn of the Museum (weather permitting) students will practice marching, learn the steps to loading and firing a musket, and perform a fearsome charge at an imaginary enemy. Back inside Van Cortlandt House, the class will be led on a tour where they’ll learn about General Washington’s occupation of the house in the fall of 1776 and his return at the end of the war as he stopped over night on his journey to formally accept Manhattan Island back from the King of England.
Van Cortlandt House Museum offers school field trips Monday through Friday from September through June. Field trips are designed to meet the New York State Education Department’s learning standards for the core social studies curriculum established for grades 1 – 4. What sets the school field trips to Van Cortlandt House apart from others? Your students will participate in reenactments and hands-on activities led by a professional Museum Educator in authentic 18th century clothing. We can also custom tailor your field trip to suit special needs or themes including day-long sessions.
School Field Trips can be booked according to your school’s schedule starting as early as 9:30 a.m. each day. Admission is $5.00 per student with teachers and chaperons admitted free of charge. Because our school field trips are popular, we recommend booking well ahead of time to ensure your choice of available dates.
For more information or to book a school field trip, you can email to: information@vchm.org.
Field Trip FAQ’S
How long do the programs run?
Field trips to Van Cortlandt House Museum run approximately 1 ½ hours depending on class size and how engaged students are in the presentation. The more well-prepared your students are, the more engaged they will be and the more questions they will ask.
Is there a place where my students can have lunch?
Your class is welcome to have lunch in the Herb Cellar/Classroom at Van Cortlandt House after their field trip is finished. During nice weather, your class is welcome to have lunch and play outside on the grounds of the Museum. Wherever your class eats their lunch, we ask that you do your part to help us keep our facility clean and ready for the next field trip by tidying up before you leave.
Do you have a gift shop?
Van Cortlandt House has a Museum Shop stocked with toys, games, books and educational resources inspired by 18th century life and culture. Sets of reproduction currency and coinage used in the Colonial era and equipment such as spy glasses and compasses are available for purchase. The shop also carries items such as pencils, postcards, popular Dover coloring books, and old-fashioned metal toy soldiers. We also sell cold beverages, packaged snacks, and hot coffee, tea, and chocolate.
Van Cortlandt House Museum offers school field trips Monday through Friday from September through June. Field trips are designed to meet the New York State Education Department’s learning standards for the core social studies curriculum established for grades 1 – 4. What sets the school field trips to Van Cortlandt House apart from others? Your students will participate in reenactments and hands-on activities led by a professional Museum Educator in authentic 18th century clothing. We can also custom tailor your field trip to suit special needs or themes including day-long sessions.
School Field Trips can be booked according to your school’s schedule starting as early as 9:30 a.m. each day. Admission is $5.00 per student with teachers and chaperons admitted free of charge. Because our school field trips are popular, we recommend booking well ahead of time to ensure your choice of available dates.
For more information or to book a school field trip, you can email to: information@vchm.org.
Field Trip FAQ’S
How long do the programs run?
Field trips to Van Cortlandt House Museum run approximately 1 ½ hours depending on class size and how engaged students are in the presentation. The more well-prepared your students are, the more engaged they will be and the more questions they will ask.
Is there a place where my students can have lunch?
Your class is welcome to have lunch in the Herb Cellar/Classroom at Van Cortlandt House after their field trip is finished. During nice weather, your class is welcome to have lunch and play outside on the grounds of the Museum. Wherever your class eats their lunch, we ask that you do your part to help us keep our facility clean and ready for the next field trip by tidying up before you leave.
Do you have a gift shop?
Van Cortlandt House has a Museum Shop stocked with toys, games, books and educational resources inspired by 18th century life and culture. Sets of reproduction currency and coinage used in the Colonial era and equipment such as spy glasses and compasses are available for purchase. The shop also carries items such as pencils, postcards, popular Dover coloring books, and old-fashioned metal toy soldiers. We also sell cold beverages, packaged snacks, and hot coffee, tea, and chocolate.