Programs for Schools and Teachers

field trips to the museum at bethel woods

The Museum at Bethel Woods provides students with an understanding of the scope of recent history. School programs support teachers and engage students through interactive and thought-provoking explorations of history. We offer several opportunities for school groups to connect with the resources in the museum. Learn More.

Through generous support from Guardian Angel Motorsports, Bethel Woods is proud to offer free transportation and school program admission to all Sullivan County, NY public school students. Discounted transportation is also available for students from surrounding counties, through the support of Rolling V Bus Corporation. For more information, contact Jodi Kane at 845-295-2521 or Jkane@BethelWoodsCenter.org.

Looking for a great way to inspire your students, but can’t find the funds you need to make it happen? Check out the Target® Field Trip Grants program.

Target is working with nonprofit organizations to spread the word about Field Trip Grants. This school year, Target will award 5,000 grants of up to $700 to help fund field trips to great educational destinations—like the Museum at Bethel Woods for example!

Want to learn more and apply for a Target Field Trip Grant? Visit Target.com/grants for details. If you have any questions about how to organize a fun, memorable field trip with us, call Jodi Kane at 845-295-2521.

world stage series

The World Stage Series for youth and families will feature several performances this year. The World Stage Series is an initiative with a goal to empower youth to be positive, engaged members of their community and the world, by fostering a respect for themselves and their talents, as well as exploring the diversity in the world.

April 12 - Cendrillon (Cinderella)
A School-Day Performance Presented by the Manhattan School of Music
In their third annual Amato Opera-in-Brief performance, students from Manhattan School of Music will present an abridged version of Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon. The opera is the story of Cinderella. The performance will be preceded by an introduction to opera and to this particular performance, and it will be followed by a Q&A session with the cast. This performance is targeted at grades K-6. More Information

April 14 - Kofi and Sankofa Drum & Dance Ensemble
A Community Performance
Prepare to be caught up in the rhythm of this engaging ensemble, who combine music with dance. This interactive performance is guaranteed to create a sense of community spirit, connecting the band with the audience and audience members with one another. Great for families, scout and other youth groups. More Information

May 3 - Othello
A School-Day Performance Presented by the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival
Bethel Woods is pleased to host Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s 2013 touring production of Othello. This dynamic, fully-staged 90-minute production is suitable for students in grades 6-12. After the play, the cast of professional actors will lead a group "talkback" as the actors discuss the artistic process, themes and characters in the play. We encourage students to voice their personal points of view and to ask questions about the play. More Infomation

Teacher workshops

Teaching the 1960s - May 4, 2013
Explore the dynamic decade of the 1960s at “ground zero for peace and love,” the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival. Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and National Council for the Social Studies present an intensive one-day teacher workshop that focuses on in-depth exploration of issues of the 1960s and ways to teach the decade in engaging ways in your classroom. The workshop will enhance teachers' content knowledge of the dynamic and multi-faceted period of the 1960s and will include an optional workshop component for applying this content knowledge to the classroom. More Information

To register for the conference, please complete the registration form and return it, along with conference payment, to Education & Community Outreach, ATTN: Teacher Workshop, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, P.O. Box 222, Liberty, NY 12754. Forms may also be scanned and e-mailed to Education@BethelWoodsCenter.org or faxed to 845.295.2444, attn: Education. Deadline for registration is Friday, April 26. All registration forms must be received by this date.

traveling trunks

The Traveling Trunks are suitcases filled with touchable objects, lesson plans, supplemental information and more. They are appropriate for a range of grade levels. All trunks are available for check-out from the museum for a period of two weeks. The Traveling Trunks are available free of charge.

MUSIC AROUND THE GLOBE
Bring the world's cultures to your students through this trunk, which features musical instruments from every continent. This trunk invites students to learn about cultures through their music. Accompanying lesson plans provide suggestions for connecting the trunks to lessons in music, social studies, language and art.

PERSONALITIES OF THE SIXTIES
This trunk presents objects related to multiple groups who helped define the 1960s. Groups include the Left, the Right, the Black Freedom Movement, Vietnam soldiers, and women. Through clothing, artifacts, literature and more, students will explore the complexities of these groups and will learn more about their roles in the development of the decade.

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN': TRANSFORMATION ON AMERICAN SOCIETY FROM 1945-1976
The newest of the trunks traces the broad range of changes in American society from 1945 (the end of WWII) to 1976 (America’s Bicentennial). This trunk explores the social, political, scientific, cultural and other changes during this 30-year period to contextualize the changes in the 1960’s. This trunk contains clothes representative of each decade, timeline panels outlining changes in society and much more!

Take a video preview of our Traveling Trunks

Download the Traveling Trunks Registration Form

See our event calendar for the most up-to-date information on upcoming events.