Field Trips
Teachers! An exciting experience awaits your students as they discover Prince George's County's colonial past at Darnall's Chance House Museum. The Museum has designed two school programs that reflect the Prince George's County school curriculum, enhance classroom lessons, and expand the learning opportunities of your students. Program 1 consists of role-playing and hands-on activities that allow each child to actively participate. Program 2 was designed with special needs groups in mind. Call us at 301-952-8010 and make a reservation today!

Program 1 (Available January-April only)
Trading Places: The Life of an 18th Century Farm Family
Darnall's Chance was built in 1742 by James Wardrop, a Scottish immigrant, who amassed a fortune as a merchant in the port-town of Upper Marlborough, Maryland. Mr. Wardrop owned a store, several warehouses and sailing ships. He exported local tobacco and other raw materials to Great Britain. In return, Mr. Wardrop purchased manufactured British goods he imported. Mr. Wardrop sold or traded these manufactured products to the Upper Marlborough community which encompassed people from all social and economic levels of society. Trading Places teaches students the importance of economic factors in the lives of an 18th century farm family.

Part 1: Establishing a Colonial Tenant Farm - Students will learn what kind of home and tools a colonial farmer needed to survive and what products a farmer produced. Children must analyze a colonial tenant farm and develop their own version of an 18th century farm complex.

Part 2: Trading at a Merchant Store - Role-playing as an 18th century tenant farm family visiting Upper Marlborough, children must determine the kinds and the quantities of homemade farm goods they must trade (barter) in Mr. Wardrop's store in order to acquire retail goods that they cannot produce on their own farm.

Program 2 (Available year-around, except November and December
18th Century Clothing and Hygiene
Using their own senses (sight, touch and smell), students learn how colonial Americans dressed and groomed themselves and what the similarities and differences are to their own 21st century clothing choices and habits.

Things You Should Know to Plan a School Visit

Program 1: Available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10 am-12 noon (January-April)

Program 1 Class Size: 10-40 students. The teacher will be asked to divide students into 2 groups prior to the visit. One adult must accompany each of the 2 groups.

Program 2: Available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10-11 am (Year-around, except November-December)

Program 2 Class Size: 8-15 students

Fee: $2 per child (teacher and chaperones are free). A non-refundable $10 deposit is required to make your reservation (this fee will be credited toward your final payment).

To Schedule a Program: Call 301-952-8010 several months in advance to book your visit. A confirmation letter and directions will be sent to you prior to your visit.

Cancellation: If you must cancel your field trip, please call the Museum as soon as possible at 301-952-8010. You will loose your $10 non-refundable deposit.

Accessibility: The first floor of the Museum is ADA accessible. There are no eating facilities at the Museum. However, next door to the Museum is Schoolhouse Pond where picnic tables are available.

Gift Shop: A gift shop is located in the basement of the Museum.

History Reward/Smart Kids Wanted!

Darnall's Chance House Museum has a program just for kids! If you enjoy learning about American history, then the Museum invites you to join our program. It's called History Reward and is open to 4-6th graders in Maryland. All you have to do is get an "A" in social studies this year. It's our way of encouraging children to excel in social studies and best of all it's free! Call the Museum at 301-952-8010 to register for the program.

Reward: If you get an "A" in social studies this year, the Museum will give you, your family and friends a free tour of Darnall's Chance. You will also receive a history grab bag full of fabulous toys, games and books about Colonial American history.