New: Historic Site Visit Program student journals

About Education
The Historical Museum of Southern Florida (HMSF) is committed to serving South Florida’s students, teachers and adult learners through exciting and innovative programs. Bringing over 10,000 years of South Florida history to life, HMSF has been welcoming visitors since 1984. Over the past 23 years the Historical Museum has served over 500,000 students. The Historical Museum of Southern Florida is proud to be a founding partner with Miami-Dade County Public Schools in the creation of Museum Magnet Schools in Miami-Dade County, serving over 2,000 students annually through this partnership.

Educational Programming
All of our education programs are designed to provide age- and grade-level appropriate experiences, while focusing on different learning modalities. Critical thinking is elicited as students compare and contrast the past and present and are encouraged to visualize and discuss what the future may be like, based on patterns of the past.

All programs are correlated to state educational standards, focusing on the content strands assessed through the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The programs also address curriculum areas beyond social studies, including language arts, mathematics and science where applicable.

School Programs Include:

• Various on-site programs at the Historical Museum (PreK4-12)
• Historic site visits with a Historical Museum educator (3-12)
• Classroom visit programs (PreK4-12)

Adult Educational Programming
The Historical Museum offers a wide arrange of educational programs for adult learners, which offer something for everyone.

• Thursday Evening Programs: Panel discussions, lectures, performances and tours relating to the current temporary exhibit.
• Historic Tours: Led by HMSF historian Dr. Paul George or eco-historian Frank Schena, tours offer a dynamic way of seeing our community whether on boats, bicycles, coaches, or on two feet.
• Travel Programs: Travel to the Caribbean with the Historical Museum, book early to travel aboard Carnival Cruise Lines Freedom to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua and Nassau in our 2009 museum cruise.

Family and Children Programming
The Historical Museum offers a fun variety of programs for children and families to enjoy and learn.

• Family Fun Days: Art-making, music activities, storytelling and mini-tours of our exhibits for you and your family to enjoy every second Saturday of the month
• Tropical Explorers Camps (Teacher Planning Days, Spring Break, Summer, and Winter): From single-day, weeklong, to 11 week summer camps, children between 6-12 can enjoy fun filled activities, crafts, field trips, and more.
• Overnight Camp-Ins: An overnight learning adventure. Campers have fun while they learn about South Florida history.

For more information regarding Educational Programs and Educational Outreach, please contact the Education Department at 305.375.1492 or education@hmsf.org