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School Group Visits

Planning Your Visit

School Group Visits

The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum offers guided school field trips which fit the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks Standards. Study outside the normal classroom can improve students’ knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ability to retain information. RJD Docent-Guided Visits are hands-on and minds-on, engaging students with activities like games, puzzles, writing, and discussion. School teachers wanting to lead their students through the RJD may do so by scheduling a Self-Guided School Trip.

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rotch jones duff house and garden museum
school group visits rotch jones duff house

Teacher Support Material

Teachers are invited to visit the Museum before their field trip so that they may better prepare for the experience. When scheduling your visit, request a Free Pass to take advantage of this option.
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Growing Ideas, Cultivating Connections

Download teacher support materials

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Learning History at Historic Places

Download our teacher support material

rotch jones duff house and garden museum
rotch jones duff house

Planing Your Visit

School Group Resources

Growing Ideas, Cultivating Connections – Recommended for Grades 3, 4, 5

This science-based program focuses on the importance of the Honeybee. It fulfills an important part of the Life Science and Technology and Engineering requirements in the Massachusetts Science Curriculum Frameworks for 5th grade. Volunteer teachers and beekeepers guide students through several hands-on stations and instruction that teach about the life cycle of the honeybee and how honeybees benefit human beings, pollinate plants and contribute to food production. The program takes place outside, under a tent, and is available May through October.

Click here for teacher support material

Learning History at Historic Places – Recommended for Grades 4, 5, 6

The Rotch-Jones-Duff whaling mansion provides an authentic setting for students to learn about 19th century New Bedford. The program explores the shore side of the whaling industry, how this entrepreneurial economy was impacted by sound Quaker business practices, and domestic life through the stories and activities of the families and individuals who lived and worked at the house. This program is available year-round.

Click here for teacher support material

Planning Your School Visit
  • Guided School Programs take place at the RJD (396 County St.)
  • Group Fee: $6 per student; minimum charge $100 per visit; New Bedford public schools are free of charge. Donations are accepted. No school group will be turned away due to inability to pay; please inquire when booking.
  • Transportation: Groups are responsible for their own transportation to and from the museum.
  • Maximum group size: 45.
  • Chaperone ratio: 1 to 10 is requested; a minimum of 1 to 15 is required. Chaperone Guidelines are sent to upon confirmation of your tour date.
  • For more information, or to schedule your School Group Visit, contact us
  • Teacher Previews: Teachers are invited to visit the Museum before their field trip so that they may better prepare for the experience. When scheduling your visit, request a Free Pass to take advantage of this option.
Scheduling & Availability
Three weeks advance notice is requested, but we will do our best to accommodate your desired time frame. Guided School Programs are 1-hour in length, and are available between 9am and 3pm. See the specific program descriptions for availability and recommended grade levels.
Accessibility
The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum is a historic house. We have made all reasonable efforts to equip the house and grounds to be accessible to the public. The second floor of the house is not handicap accessible and may only be reached by a staircase. The first floor is accessible to the public via a ramp while our wheelchair lift is under repair. The grounds and garden are fully accessible and can be accessed via the accessible entrance on Madison Street. There is a handicap parking space on Madison Street.