SCHOOL TOURS

The 1890 House Museum loves school groups! Consider a visit to the museum as part of your American history curriculum.

Admission is $5 for students, teachers, chaperones, and/or bus drivers. Request information at info@the1890house.org.

TOUR OPTIONS

The 1890 House Museum offers a unique view into life in the late Victorian era. It tells the story of the Industrial Revolution, family life, and showcases the architecture of the period.

The 1890 House was the Wickwire family’s home from 1890-1973. During the tour, you will explore the house to see how people lived, how they furnished their home, and how they dressed, entertained, and played. You will also hear stories of the industrial revolution, including how the Wickwire brothers made their fortune, and how they had to take on US Steel and the railroads after both tried to block their progress.

The museum’s unique architectural style – ‘Chateauesque’ – is uncommon. Hear about how this feature helped the Wickwire home to become a museum in 1975.

We offer two levels of school tours:

• Grade School (Elementary) 
• Middle to High School (Jr./Sr. High)

Our younger guests will learn about life in the Victorian era. The museum has several toys, games, and artifacts to show how people lived. An optional scavenger hunt can get them more involved as they look for the items. Each item will have an accompanying story to further connect the student to the history. The industrial and/or architectural components of the tour can be included at educator’s request.

For our middle to high school guests, we will provide a comprehensive tour with an expanded component of the industrial aspects at the educator’s request. While many laborers were striking at their workplaces, Chester Wickwire’s employees were not, and actually bought Chester an expensive gift. When US Steel tried to block access to raw materials, the Wickwire Brothers cleverly avoided this block by buying an iron ore mine and smelting their own product. Students can also learn about some of the quirkier aspects of the Victorians, and learn about hair wreaths, memento mori practices, and taxidermy. Be sure to ask about our resident spirits! An elevated scavenger hunt can be included for this age group to increase engagement.

Please contact info@the1890house.org for more information or to schedule your tour date.