Plan A Field Trip Hopewell Furnace

Hopewell Furnace as a Classroom

Welcome teachers and educators! Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site offers a hands-on learning environment where students can explore history, science, social studies, and the arts while connecting to real-world skills and community life.

On-site educational programming for Spring 2026 is available on Thursdays from 10 am – 1 pm, March through May. See below for currently available dates.

Program options are designed for a maximum of 40 students per day. Larger groups are welcome to self-guide.

There is no fee associated with these programs.

Educational Program Overview

• Guided Tour (1 hour): Explore how natural resources, transportation, and community shaped Hopewell Furnace’s success, and consider what lessons this history holds for our communities today, OR Experience Hopewell Furnace through the eyes of a child. Students explore how children in the 19th century lived, worked, learned, and played, seeing the community from a youthful perspective while understanding the responsibilities and contributions that kept the village running.

• Hands-On Curriculum Activity (45 minutes): Investigate replica artifacts and tools from the 19th-century iron-making village, learning about the vital jobs children and adults performed through observation, critical thinking, and teamwork.

• For groups smaller than 20, we also offer the option of our Hands-On History: Molding and Casting activity (1 hour)

• Lunch Break (30 min) and time for restroom breaks, safety orientation, park film, and visitor center exploration

Additionally, a 15-minute window at the beginning and end of the visit allows for:

• Restroom breaks and transition time

• Safety talk and group expectations

• Optional 15-minute park film

• Exploration of the small visitor center

• Optional bookstore purchases (please notify us in advance so staff can assist; we encourage purchases at the end of the visit to avoid lost items or delays)

 

NPS

Available Field Trip Dates for Spring 2026 (updated 12/19/2025)

March	April	May
March 5 March 12 March 19	April 2 April 9 April 23 April 30	May 14 May 21

Booking a Field Trip

Review the information above, then e-mail us. Please provide your preferred dates from the above list, which program options interest you, and your contact information. We will be in touch to let you know if your requested date(s) are still available, get more information, and confirm your field trip.

Want more information or have any questions?
Please e-mail us.