Educational
PROGRAMS FOR GROUPS
Want to give your class or group a memorable journey through history? Fort Mifflin offers interesting, engaging educational activities for groups of all ages. Programs are easily adapted for outdoor learning in small groups! Call the office (215-685-4167) to discuss logistics. We can enhance classroom lessons in compliance with pandemic protocols.
School and Group Tours
March back in time and experience Fort Mifflin’s 190+ years of service. Our standards-based educational field trip tours bring the lessons of the classroom to life in a meaningful, memorable and FUN way! Our field trips are fun and informative for groups of all ages and intellectual levels, including elementary and home school groups, high schools, colleges, and adult groups. Our programs are designed to meet State and National curriculum guidelines. A Teachers Guide is provided in advance of your trip to the Fort.
Groups can choose from one of three Program Themes: Revolutionary War, Civil War, or Paranormal.
Please Note: We require a minimum of 20 people per group. We accept groups of fewer than 20; however they will be charged the rate for 20 people. We offer complimentary admission for one teacher/chaperone per 25 students. Either option requires an advance non-refundable deposit to secure the reservation. $50 for groups under 50; $100 for groups more than 50. Once scheduled, tours take place RAIN OR SHINE, so please have your students dress accordingly.
Click Below to Learn More:
GROUP TOUR AND EDUCATION PROGRAM
GROUP TOUR ONLY
A SOLDIER’S STORY: REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIER LIFE
A SOLDIER’S STORY: CIVIL WAR SOLDIER LIFE
BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS: CIVIL WAR MEDICINE
SPIRIT OF HISTORY
BOOK A SCHOOL OR GROUP TOUR
Fort Mifflin offers two field trip experiences:
Group Tour and Education Program:
Available at $8.00 per person (students and chaperones). Includes the following:
- A 45-60 minute guided tour of Fort Mifflin, led by a period-appropriate uniformed tour guide.
- A 45-60 minute period-themed Education Program of your choice (options below).
- A uniform and weapons demonstration followed by an (optional) cannon firing. The cannon demonstration is available for an additional $40.
- You can also extend your trip with time for small group exploration after the guided tour, a trip to our gift shop and lunch in either our riverfront picnic area or inside the Fort’s Casemates (underground bomb shelters)
Group Tour Only:
Available at $6.00 per person (students and chaperones). Includes the following:
- A 45-60 minute guided tour of Fort Mifflin, led by a period-appropriate uniformed tour guide.
- A uniform and weapons demonstration followed by an (optional) cannon firing. The cannon demonstration is available for an additional $40.
- You can also extend your trip with time for small group exploration after the guided tour, a trip to our gift shop and lunch in either our riverfront picnic area or inside the Fort’s Casemates (underground bomb shelters).
Groups who choose the Group Tour and Education Program option can choose from one of the following Education Programs.
A Soldier’s Story: Revolutionary War Soldier Life
Students will learn how late 18th century soldiers lived prior to the war, how they were recruited, what type of training they received, what items they were issued, and what conditions were like in the field, especially at Fort Mifflin in 1777. Of particular interest will be how these men survived what historians have called, “the greatest bombardment the North American Continent has ever witnessed.” A “volunteer soldier” will be recruited from the group and outfitted in a Revolutionary War soldier uniform and all of the equipment required by a soldier in 1777. Suitable for all students.
A Soldier’s Story: Civil War Soldier Life
During the Civil War, soldiers were fighting for many different reasons and we explore most of them. Union soldiers who both served as the Fort Mifflin garrison and Confederates who were placed here as prisoners after the Battle of Gettysburg. Students will learn how soldiers from both sides were recruited and trained, and what items they were issued. We will also discuss the conditions at Fort Mifflin and share with students the challenges these men had in surviving sickness, harsh environment, and isolation from their homes and loved ones. A “volunteer soldier” will be recruited from the group and outfitted in a Civil War soldier uniform and all of the equipment required by a Union soldier in 1863. Suitable for all students.
Blood, Sweat & Tears Civil War Medicine
Only available for the Civil War Program Theme: This program incorporates the main components of military medicine and its practices during the Civil War. We will investigate its impact during daily life here at the fort, at the main hospitals, or on the battlefield. Soldiers did all they could to avoid being interred at the Civil War hospital, and for good reason. Conditions at Civil War hospitals were anything but hospitable early in the war. Students will also learn about the treatment prisoners received, whether from the North or South, as well as the roles nurses and field surgeons played, by taking on these roles first hand playing the role of doctors and surgeons. This interactive program will help students learn about the role Fort Mifflin and other forts served during the bloody and costly “War Between the States.” Suitable for students grades 7 through 12.
Spirit of History
History Lives at Fort Mifflin, but do ghosts live here too? Take a guided tour through the Fort’s history, learning the spookier aspects of the Fort’s history and the spirits who may inhabit it. Students will also participate in a workshop, where they will be introduced to some of the equipment and techniques used by paranormal investigators. Come during the day or visit the Fort during twilight hours for a field trip unlike any other.
Interested in scheduling a group tour?
To book your tour/education program, contact us via email ([email protected]) or phone (215-685-4167).
Upcoming Educational Events
From Downtown Philadelphia South on I-95, take Exit 15 Island Avenue/Enterprise Avenue. At end of exit ramp, you will be on Enterprise Avenue. At stop sign turn left onto Fort Mifflin Road. Follow road, through short tunnel, to the first left turn. After left hand turn, follow signs straight into the Fort. Free Parking is on the left.
From Delaware County North on I-95, take Exit 13 – Valley Forge/West 291. Bear right and follow sign for Island Avenue. At traffic light (Hilton Hotel on left corner), turn left onto Island Avenue. At stop sign turn left onto Enterprise Avenue. At stop sign, turn right onto Fort Mifflin Road. Follow road, through short tunnel, to the first left turn. After left hand turn, follow signs straight into the Fort. Free Parking is on the left.
GPS USERS Please use 6400 Hog Island Road, Philadelphia, PA 19153 as Fort Mifflin’s address for best results. We recommend using the directions above.
Fort Mifflin Fort Mifflin & Hog Island Roads Philadelphia, PA 19153 215-685-4167 [email protected]
Staff
Lorrine Irby Office Administrator & Program Coordinator Elizabeth Beatty Executive Director Kevin Impellizeri Education Program Coordinator
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