School Programs | Niagara Falls Exchange

C.E.D.A.R and Going Medieval are offered once per year. Our other programs are happening year-round.

C.E.D.A.R

First Nation | Métis | Inuit

Right now, across Turtle Island there are more than 617 First Nations, Métis and Inuit Communities; many with their own language, cultural practices and way of life. Join us as we journey through what it means to be “Indigenous” and why Cultural Education Directed at Revitalization seeks to impact our next seven generations.

Students will travel to five different hands-on workshops, all led by members of First Nation, Métis and Inuit Communities.

This program requires a minimum number of student registrations. Please book by November 2026.

2026 dates: December dates are to be determined
Grades: 3, 4, 5 and 6
Time: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm
Cost: $22 per student

Curriculum connections:

Grade 3 –Communities in Canada, 1780–1850
Grade 4 – Early Societies to 1500CE
Grade 5 – Interactions of Indigenous Peoples and Europeans prior to 1713, in What Would Eventually Become Canada
Grade 6 – Heritage and Identity: Communities in Canada, Past and Present

Going medieval

Travel back to the Middle Ages with Blackthorn Productions. Students become lords and ladies as they touch and try on medieval armour, learn an authentic medieval dance, explore medicine and the Black Death and ask their questions of costumed characters. Students will travel to five workshops throughout the museum to experience the medieval world firsthand.

This program requires a minimum number of student registrations. Please book by April 2027.

2027 dates: May dates to be determined
Grades: 4
Time: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm
Cost: $20 per student

Curriculum connections:

Grade 4 – Early Societies to 1500CE

Year-round programs

Museum Detectives

Explore the role museums play in our society and the “pieces of history” they display. Students are also invited to touch and hold history through the exploration of artifacts. They will uncover the “story” of these artifacts by working through a set of questions and uncovering the historical information they contain. Includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum, including collections storage, home to over 32,000 artifacts.

The program is a great introduction for Heritage Fairs and is also available as Museum Outreach!

Grades: 3 to 8
Time: 90 minutes
Cost: $6 per student
Curriculum Connections: Promotes Concepts of Social Studies/Historical Thinking - Continuity and Change, Interrelationships and Historical Perspective, gather information from primary sources, and interpret/analyze data

1812: Up close and personal

In small groups, students examine primary source materials and role-play the experiences of real people (soldiers, officers, First Nations, medical personnel, civilians), events of the War of 1812 period and the Battle of Lundy’s Lane. Using maps, illustrations, and source materials, they produce a dramatic presentation of the War through the perspective of the individuals who experienced the events. Includes a tour of the Gale Family War of 1812 Gallery.

Grade: 7
Time: 120 minutes
Cost: $6 per student
Curriculum Connections: Grade 7 – Canada, 1800-1850: Conflict and Challenges

World War I

Discover the Great War through primary source materials in the museum’s collection. Students will explore the museum galleries, analyze photographs and critically assess personal correspondence to immerse themselves in the wartime experience.

This program is available as Museum Outreach!

Grades: 10 and 12
Time: 120 minutes
Cost: $6 per student

Curriculum connections:

Grade 10 – History since World War I
Grade 12 – Canada: History, Identity, and Culture
Grade 12 – The West and the World

The Bridges of Niagara

Niagara has been home to many bridges over the years. Discover the science and history behind these local structures and whether or not they withstood the test of time. Students are challenged to build a bridge that meets the growing needs of the community.

Grades: 3, 5 and 7
Time: 90 to 120 minutes
Cost: $6 per student

Curriculum connections:

Grade 3 – Strong and Stable Structures
Grade 5 – Forces Acting on Structures
Grade 7 – Form, Function, and Design of Structures