Nurture Civic Awareness Through the Legacy of George Mason and Gunston Hall

A perfect destination for field trips for schools and youth groups, George Mason’s Gunston Hall stands as an educational gem offering enriching experiences to those interested in the nation’s foundational history.

With meticulously curated programs and age-appropriate interactive exhibits, Gunston Hall provides an immersive journey into the life and ideas of George Mason, a key architect of American Democracy and human rights.

Four programs engage young minds through suitable activities, fostering an appreciation for the complexities of governance and individual liberties. All are available for both in-person and virtual field trips for schools and youth groups

Travel back in time and foster an appreciation for life in the 1700s.

Now & Then: A Trip to Gunston Hall program allows Kindergarten through second-grade children to compare and contrast the past and present through reimagining family life, community, schooling and technology. At the end of in-person field trips, have recess (weather permitting) with 18th century children’s games.

Step Into the 18th-Century is for elementary school students from the third grade to middle school. Help your 21st-century students meet the challenge of imagining life in colonial and revolutionary Virginia. Invite them to explore the world of George Mason through an active examination of the spaces, people and activities involved in the Gunston Hall site – including his family, enslaved people and other workers.

George Mason and the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights program welcomes middle school students to learn about the pivotal role Mason played in creating the first declaration of rights in American history. Learn how George Mason’s 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights influenced the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Bill of Rights. Groups will examine how all people at Gunston Hall in the 18th century – wealthy individuals, enslaved people, indentured workers and tenant farmers did or
did not have access to the rights Mason helped create.

George Mason & the Battle Over Rights is a program that actively engages high school students in understanding Mason’s fight for basic civil liberties and preserving individual rights. Your students will be actively engaged as they examine primary sources, debate and explore. They will discover the influences upon Mason, his perspectives on rights and the 18th-century limits on who was protected by these rights. Students will also consider their own ideas about what human rights means to them.