Historical Museum of Southern Florida: History Lesson Plan

Museums can be intimidating places. On the other hand, there is no better way to conduct a history lesson. If you try to interest your students in a visit to a museum, you will most likely be met with a yawn and exclamations of "oh,no.." or worse. Matters change, if you are lucky enough to have a hands-on museum like the Historical Museum of Southern Florida in Flagler Street, downtown Miami at your doorstep. No better way to teach your pupils about their local history than a visit to such a museum.

HMSF has a so-called 'family day' every second Saturday of the month. Admission is free and although visits by school classes can be arranged at any other time, a family Saturday is more fun, because additional attractions are on offer. They have, admittedly little to do with history, but a lot with making a museum visit a happy outing.

On this particular Saturday, a so-called cooking lesson was scheduled. A back room was decked out with a long table and two ladies in aprons taught children and parents how to make party snacks from dates, cream cheese and pieces of dried mango. The result were penguins, which could be eaten there and then. We didn't even have to pay for the ingredients.

Fortified and already giggling, we proceeded to the first floor, where the main exhibits relating to South Florida history are to be found. Again, on a family Saturday, children are encourage to not only touch but also use parts of the exhibits. Of course, pirates form an important part of Florida history and hats, swords etc. were available to put on and fool around with.As you can see, teacher was not above playing pirate either!

Equally, a normall roped off display of a Seminole village was open for children to enter and use and play with cooking implements. Another attraction was an original streetcar which once ran in the streets of Miami. Everybody could climb in and relive a Miami of a century past.

There was no problem to get the children to watch an informative movie shown in a small booth, explaining the lives and times as such Miami pioneers as Mary Brickell and Henry Flagler. After that it was on to admire the beautiful exhibits of Seminole art, dolls, dresses and beads as well as a huge picture of the famous Tequesta Circle.

If you can arrange a visit like that with your local museum, don't be surprised if your students ask, if not every class could be taught in a museum.If snacks are available, that is.