Teens and Adults at The History Center
Field Trips and Educational Programming
If you are looking for a casual group activity, consider our Downtown Ithaca Walking Tours, available for private booking
Education programs at The History Center in Tompkins County bring local history out of the archives and into the hands — and imaginations — of students of all ages. These programs are shaped to after-school programs, cultural clubs, and life-long learning groups. They are intended to give visitors a closer look at The History Center, and the process of preserving and presenting local history.
Archival Workshops
Location: The History Center in Tompkins County Research Library at 110 N Tioga St. Ithaca, NY
Duration: 75 minutes
Capacity (Min-Max): 3-20
Cost: $150-250
Our archivist, Donna Eschenbrenner, offers small group archival workshops, with an introduction to the archives and research library, along with an in-depth look at an archival collection. Collection topics vary widely from Agriculture and Aviation to Womens Diaries. Preview the collections on https://thehistorycenter.catalogaccess.com/archives.
Fees start at $150 for smaller groups, from 3-6 people, with a sliding scale of fees up to $250 for up to 20 people.
For an opportunity to learn about The History Center's collections and interesting aspects of local history, email archives@thehistorycenter.net
-
Researchers are asked to sign in with our researcher cards once per year, giving contact information and signing on to payment expectations for non-Tompkins County residents.
Secure lockers are provided for researchers to store personal belongings while accessing archival materials. No bags, backpacks, notebooks, pens, or other personal materials may be on the table where work is being done.
Paper and pencils are provided. Pens and personal paper is not allowed.
Eating or drinking in the Research Library is not permitted.
Laptops and cellphones are permitted, and photographing materials, without flash, is encouraged.
-
The archives house over 2,000 family genealogy files, over 200 oral history interviews, 250 bound ledgers, 440 scrapbooks, 1,200 maps, more than 3,500 local history books, extensive manuscript collections, newspapers dating back to 1819, and dozens of regional photographic collections from as early as 1865. Find more on The Archives and Research Library
Guided Exhibit Hall Tours
Beginning December 2026 with The Power of Water
Duration: 40-60 Minutes
Capacity (Min-Max): To allow for easy navigation in the Exhibit Hall, tour groups should range from 3-12. Groups larger than 12 should divide into two tours.
Cost: $120
Guided Exhibit Hall Tours offer a private closer look at “The Power of Water: A Dam Good Exhibit.” With an experienced Docents, groups make their way through artifacts, displays, and histories. For tours, the Exhibit Hall is closed to the public for a full hour, allowing participants to experience the museum at their own pace. Participants are also provided an activity sheet and adult coloring page to complete at The History Center or at home.
Away from Tompkins County? Ask about a Virtual Presentation of “The Power of Water: A Dam Good Exhibit”