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Education Program

Historic RittenhouseTown offers a unique interpretive program that teaches about life in an early American village. The program welcomes up to 3,000 students every year and is a great educational resource for students learning about American history. Historic RittenhouseTown accommodates groups of all ages. Please note the minimum and maximum requirements for each program option. The education program is offered only on weekdays.

Once you have selected your program from the list below, contact Ariel Wilson at awilson@rittenhousetown.org or 215-438-5711 to schedule your visit. Reservations should be made no less than two weeks in advance, though some exceptions can be made. A 25% deposit is required prior to the day of your trip and is refundable only if a cancellation is made more than three days in advance.

Click here to view some FAQs about scheduling a trip to RittenhouseTown.

A-Historic Tour

Groups will meet with an experienced guide in our Visitors Center for an interactive discussion of RittenhouseTown’s importance to American history. They will learn about early American dress and view a working model of an eighteenth century paper mill as well as an early American kitchen. They may also view a real David Rittenhouse clock and an exceptional timeline. The group will then leave the Visitors Center for a walking tour, which includes interpretation of the site of RittenhouseTown’s paper mill, the 1707 Rittenhouse Homestead, and the site’s exceptional bake house.

Price: $2.50 per person
Minimum: 10 people not including chaperones. If you do not have the minimum and would still like to participate, you will be charged a flat rate of $25.

Maximum: 20 people not including chaperones

Start time: 10AM (unless other special arrangements have been made)

Duration: Approximately 1 hour

B-Historic Tour and Hands-On Papermaking Experience-

Our Most Popular Program

papermaking Like William Rittenhouse, North America’s first papermaker, participants will use early techniques to make their own paper. This is great way to teach students about what happened at RittenhouseTown, as well as early American occupations and resources. Each papermaker leaves with their own piece of paper. This option includes everything described in section A.

Price: $5.00 per person
Minimum: 10 peopleper day/session, not including chaperones. If you have 5 to 9 people in your group and would still like to participate, you will be charged a flat rate of $50.
Maximum: 45 people not including chaperones

Start time: 10AM (unless other special arrangements have been made)

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

C-Historic Tour, Hands-On Papermaking and German Colonial Cooking

pancakes Our cooking program is an interactive experience in our original bake house. Participants will work with an interpreter using Colonial tools to prepare ingredients for an authentic, Colonial German dish. This hearth-cooking experience is great for teaching about early American ways in the home. This option includes everything described in section A and B.

Price: $10.00 per person
Minimum: 25 people per day/session, not including chaperones. If you do not have the minimum and would still like to participate, you will be charged a flat rate of $250.
Maximum: 50 people not including chaperones

Start time: 10AM (unless other special arrangements have been made)

Duration: Approximately 3 hours. Includes a break for lunch.

D-Historic Tour, Hands-On Papermaking and Colonial Printing

What happened to the paper once it left RittenhouseTown? Participants will learn about Colonial printing by using a reproduction printing press. This option includes everything described in section A and B.

Price: $10.00 per person
Minimum: 25 people per day/session not including chaperones. If you do not have the minimum and would still like to participate, you will be charged a flat rate of $250.
Maximum: 50 people not including chaperones

Start time: 10AM (unless other special arrangements have been made)

Duration: Approximately 3 hours. Includes a break for lunch.

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