Erie County Schools

Experiential Visits/Field Trips 

Hagen History Center staff and volunteers host engaging, interactive field trips for Erie County students at both the Erie and Girard campuses. The Erie-based tours will include experiences in the Watson-Curtze Mansion, the Wood-Morrison House, and the New Exhibit Building. The New Exhibit Building includes the original San Francisco office of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Architecture Gallery, and The Story of Us exhibit. Girard-based experiences are held on the Battles Estate and include tours of the White House and Yellow House. Contact Director of Programming and Visitor Experience Adam Macrino (amacrino@hagenhistory.org) to schedule a tour for your school or class.  

Funding available

The Hagen History Center has funding to cover student admission and bus transportation costs for both public and private schools. Please contact Adam Macrino (amacrino@hagenhistory.org) to schedule your field trip. Public schools can be funded by  participation in the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.  Private school field trips are funded by our Robert and Mary Margaret Scypinski Scholarship Fund.

 Please let Adam know if your school participates in the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.

School Site Presentations

Hagen History Center staff and volunteers will prepare and present interactive lesson modules at Erie County elementary, middle, and high schools. Staff also present at Erie County homeschool group venues. Teaching modules include original and facsimile artifacts and objects brought to the classroom for students to see and touch. Lessons include having students read and interpret handwritten letters and view vintage photographs, drawings, and posters. Presentations can be created by history center staff on specific topics upon request.

Online Teaching Resources 

Hagen History Center staff collaborates with local Erie County teachers to prepare and promote educational and interactive lesson plans for students. The lesson plans will be available for teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The lesson plans will closely align with the Hagen History Center’s exhibits and exhibit schedule. Lesson plans include modules on The Story of Us, the Watson-Curtze Mansion, and the Wood-Morrison House. Current and future lesson plans will be anchored by the archival collections of the Hagen History Center and will fulfill Pennsylvania State Academic standards. Lesson plans can be accessed here.

History-on-the-Go Program 

The Hagen History Center offers a traveling trunk program available for delivery to schools or for pick-up at the history center. The trunks include copies of prepared lesson plans and reproductions of artifacts from our archives including objects, textiles, and other materials from the collection for use by teachers in their classrooms. 

Volunteer and Shadowing Opportunities 

Hagen History Center offers Erie County high school students the opportunity to volunteer or intern to fulfill school community service credits. The history center also offers opportunities for high school students to shadow staff for their high school internship/shadowing courses.