The Brockville Museum offers a range of educational programs to accommodate your school or youth group. We can also customize most programs to meet your specific needs. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance to discuss options or to book your field trip.
Whether you’re looking to introduce your students to the role of a community museum or are looking for an unique opportunity to develop curriculum-based skills while exploring local history, the Brockville Museum has you covered! We offer a variety of programs for grades K-10. Also suitable for youth groups. Download our 2026-27 Youth Program Guide here. Ready to book? Submit a booking inquiry online.
NEW! Exploring Brockville’s Municipal Government (Grades 2-10)
Prepare your students for the October 26, 2026 Municipal Elections!
As the first community in Upper Canada to have a form of local self-governance, Brockville’s history is uniquely positioned to help students learn about municipal government and their role as citizens.
This program has two delivery options:
- Option 1: Hands-On Artifact and Primary Source Investigation (grades 2-10)
- Delivered at the museum, your classroom, or at City Hall, students will use hands-on investigation of museum artifacts and primary documents to prompt deeper exploration of how municipalities work to enact change in a community.
- Option 2: Scripted Dramatization (grades 4-10)
- Delivered exclusively at City Hall, the Council Chambers will serve as the backdrop for a scripted dramatization of the debate to acquire the land that became Brockville’s St. Lawrence Park, leading to a deeper exploration of the roles and responsibilities of local government in building community. Please note that in order to engage with the scripted dramatization, students must have grade-appropriate reading skills and be ready and willing to participate.
Participants will:
- Explore municipal roles and responsibilities with the help of artifacts and historical background in a group setting.
- Explore different perspectives regarding local civic issues.
- Read and use short texts, such as newspaper articles, speeches, images and graphics such as maps and marketing materials, to identify and comprehend key ideas.
- Investigate the credibility of various primary sources by considering perspective, bias, and context of these sources.
- Investigate the concepts of community and civic pride.
- Present information to an audience.
Details:
- 60-minute program
- 30 participants maximum (at the museum) | one class (at City Hall or your classroom)
- $55.00 per group
- Group leaders are free of charge
- Required ratio of adults to children 1:10
- Ages: 7-16
Museum Explorers (Grades K-6)
Get to know your community museum in this hands-on program. This hour-long program introduces participants to the Brockville Museum and how we preserve our community’s history and inspire its future, through hands-on exploration of museum artifacts and a museum scavenger hunt.
Participants will:
- Be introduced to the concept of community museums and what services they provide to the public.
- Handle museum artifacts in a guided setting.
- Explore the museum on a scavenger hunt in a guided setting.
Details:
- 60-minute program
- 30 participants maximum
- $55.00 per group
- Group leaders are free of charge
- Required ratio of adults to children 1:10
- Ages: 4 to 10
Do you have a group larger than 30 participants? The Museum is located across from Hardy Park, a beautiful green space with a playground and covered picnic area. Large groups can be divided into smaller groups, and they can move between Hardy Park and the Museum to ensure all children in your group can participate in the program.
Early Settler Games (Grades 1-5)
In this immersive ninety-minute program, students will learn about and try some popular cooperative games from the 1800s. They will also make their own ice cream treat using an old-fashioned recipe. This is an outdoor, seasonal program and participants should come dressed for the weather.
Participants will:
- Participate in a variety of cooperative physical games played in the 1800s that include movement exploration and cooperation in small group settings.
- Participate in a variety of cooperative word games played in the 1800s that encourage fair play and critical thinking skills in small group settings.
- Make and eat an ice cream treat using an old-fashioned recipe.
Skills to be developed:
- Teamwork
- Cooperation
- Hand-eye coordination
- Critical thinking skills
- Problem-solving skills
Details:
- 90-minute program
- 30 participants maximum
- $6.00/person or $55.00 minimum fee
- Group leaders are free of charge
- Required ratio of adults to children 1:10
- Ages: 6 to 10
Do you have a group larger than 30 participants? The Museum is located across from Hardy Park, a beautiful green space with a playground and covered picnic area. Large groups can be divided into smaller groups, and they can move between Hardy Park and the Museum to ensure all children in your group can participate in the program.
Uncovering Brockville’s Past with Primary Sources (Grades 2-8)
This program introduces students to different types of primary sources (oral histories, maps, photographs, diary entries, letters) from the Brockville Museum collection. Through investigation of thematic primary sources, students will be introduced to different research methods and be able to draw conclusions about Brockville’s past based on their research. They will learn how historical documents can be used to further their understanding of the present-day community.
- Module 1: Brockville’s Changing Waterfront (suitable for grades 2-6)
In this hour-long module, students will investigate how Brockville’s waterfront has changed over time from industrial space to recreational area using various primary sources. Archival photographs, documents, maps, and advertising will be used to understand this progression. Working together in small groups, students will be able to understand the impact of Brockville’s industrial history on the present-day landscape. - Module 2: Immigration to Brockville (suitable for grades 4-8)
In this hour-long module, students will learn about the experiences of immigrants to Brockville through investigation of a variety of primary sources. Archival photographs, documents (diary entries and letters), and oral histories will be used to learn about the immigrant experience in Brockville. Working together in small groups, students will be able to understand the challenges people faced as they moved to a new country. - Module 3: Three Brockville Soldiers (suitable for grades 9-10)
This program is ideal for teachers and students who want to put their understanding of the First World War into a local context. Students will learn about the wartime experiences of three Brockville soldiers through investigation of archival photographs, documents (diary entries and letters), and personal accounts. Working together in small groups, students will be able to understand the impact of WWI on the lives of those within the Brockville community. (Note: this program has no curriculum links).
Participants will:
- Investigate several types of primary sources in small group settings
- Use primary sources to draw conclusions about differences between the past and present
- Read, use, sequence and compare short texts, such as newspaper articles and letters, images and graphics such as maps and marketing materials, to identify and comprehend key ideas
- Investigate and explore concepts of identity, self, and sense of belonging in a variety of short texts written by Brockville’s early settlers
- Investigate the credibility of various primary sources by considering perspective, bias, and context of these sources
Skills to be developed:
- Critical thinking skills
- Information literacy skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Teamwork
- Cooperation
Details:
- 60-minute program
- 30 participant maximum
- Can be booked in-class or onsite at Museum
- $55 per group
- Group leaders are free of charge
- Ages: 7 to 13
Geo-History Challenge (Grades 7-9)
In small groups, students will use handheld GPS units and archival photographs to explore changes in the city’s landscape over the past 200 years.
Participants will:
- Identify the land-use characteristics of Brockville’s downtown and waterfront areas
- Analyze how Brockville’s physical features have influenced settlement
- Consider how human activities over time have changed how people use different spaces (such as parks)
Skills to be developed:
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Digital Skills
- Literacy
- Teamwork
Details:
- 75-minute program
- 30 participants maximum
- $55.00 per group
- Group leaders free of charge
- Required ratio: 1 adult to 5 students
- Ages: 12 to 15