Bringing Students to Museums is a Perfect History Lesson

Bringing students of all ages to a museum is arguably one of the best practices in learning. Museums, like schools, are places of learning and teaching. History would not have a space to be recognized if not for museums. But how is museum learning a good equivalent to classroom learning? 

If you didn’t learn at least one thing while visiting a museum, then that institution is not doing its job. Museums have a duty to supply their visitors with information that they might not be able to find in a textbook or by word of mouth. Sometimes you need to see or experience something in order to learn from it. As a student of history, working towards my degree called for a lot of sitting, listening, and notetaking. And of course I was able to learn things this way, but the things I remember most were the times that I could touch an artifact, learn from a new person, or take my time in researching. Sometimes a change in scenery is all one needs to refresh their learning. 

Lyons students visit the museum in June, 2025.

The museums of old were stuffy and inaccessible institutions, meant only for the wealthy and elite with time to kill. But the role of the museum is changing. Modern societies are asking for a more inclusive and interactive space when they come for a visit, and museums are accepting that challenge. There is a change in the air which opens museums to a broader audience, especially to younger generations. Students want to get involved in museums, but school field trips seem to be on a decline. In my short professional experience, we are lucky to see a handful of visits a year, and they are growing fewer in number. This isn’t because people aren’t interested, they just might not know that they have the opportunity to visit. 

We are always looking to see more schools come to visit. Whether that be public, private, or homeschool groups: there is something for everyone to learn and enjoy when they step out of the classroom and into a real world learning space. And the learning doesn’t stop with young students, we also love to host lifetime learners of all ages! If you, or someone you know, is interested in bringing a group to the museum, please visit WayneHistory.org/groups.