Explore the '60s at Bethel Woods

Come Explore the ‘60s at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts! This program will immerse students, teachers, administration, and chaperones into the cultural explosion of the 1960s. 

Explore the '60s at Bethel Woods

Program Details:
Drawing on the content in The Museum and our collections, we offer programming for grades 2-12 focused on deepening students' understanding of the lessons of the 60s and their relevance today. Take a trip with us through an immersive, three module process:

  • Module 1: Begin any Explore the ‘60s experience with a pre-visit traveling trunk to be sent to your school. This trunk will be customized for your content focus, bringing the '60s to life by creating understanding through hands-on exploration and arts based activities. Don’t forget to bring your artwork in the day you visit The Museum at Bethel Woods!
  • Module 2: Once you arrive at the museum, hang your art in the Event Gallery! Staff and volunteers will then guide the class on a deep exploration of The Museum, piecing together a collaborative puzzle of collected clues, ensuring a deep and meaningful, Common Core aligned learning experience – and a ton of fun! Once our puzzle is complete, participants create their own '60s masterpiece to bring back to the classroom!
  • Module 3: Now that you’re back at school, the post-visit action packet will prompt students and teachers to bridge current connections from the 1960s to now! Common Core Anchor Standards will be reinforced by activities that will focus on each participants' individual connection to the great decade, deepen their learning experience, and hone their skills!

Please register through our online form.  If you have any questions, please contact us at education@bethelwoodscenter.org.

*For an additional fee, a Teaching Artist can visit your school after your trip to the museum for class(es), parent engagement sessions, or professional development. Transportation and tuition assistance are available based on proof of need.

Content Focus Offerings

  • Artful Activism

    Explore the ‘60s: Artful Activism explores symbols of the 1960s, their significance and their meanings today. Students and chaperones think about how symbols can communicate messages through analyzing the museum artifacts and 1960s posters. Inspired and empowered by history, we then identify current issues individually important to us, and create artistic symbols that amplify our own proactive voices!

  • Woodstock Music and Art Fair

    Explore the ‘60s: Woodstock Music and Art Fair explores how community, cooperation and counterculture created and transformed a music festival into an event of peace and love. Through an exploration of the museum, group discussions and a button making art activity, students and chaperones interpret the three c’s and create their own story of the historic Woodstock Music and Art Fair and its relevancy today!

Planning Your Visit

  • Can my group buy lunch there?

    If your group would like to order lunch from the Yasgur's Farm Cafe for an additional $10 per person you must submit that lunch order at least 14 days prior to your trip. The café is not equipped to handle groups of ten or more without advance notice.

  • Do you offer transportation for Explore the '60s?

    Through grant funding from TD Charitable Foundation and First Niagara Foundation, Joan and Dan Silna , and The Williams Endowed Education Fund, Bethel Woods is able to provide a limited amount of transportation and school program admission scholarships to Sullivan County public school students. Discounted transportation is also available for students from surrounding counties. Funds are limited, so please contact us early in the school year to determine availability.

  • Is there a group minimum?

    During regular Museum hours, we have a minimum requirement of 15 students to run a program. Our programs can accommodate groups up to 75 students, not including chaperones. If you need to schedule on a day when The Museum is not normally open, there is a minimum requirement of 50 students. 

  • What is the chaperone policy?

    All groups should maintain a ratio of at least one chaperone per ten students. Chaperones are expected to play an integral role in the program, including assisting with the activities and maintaining the schedule. We ask that the adult visitors in your groups (teachers and parents) be participants in assisting with program. This includes monitoring student behavior at all times on site, mixing with the students during program activities to help guide projects, and facilitating positive behavior.

  • What is the cost of Explore the '60s?

    Explore the ‘60s is $10 per guest, including chaperones.

    Transportation and tuition assistance available based on proof of need.

  • When does Explore the '60s run?

    Programs generally run on Thursdays and Fridays, April through June and September through December. Groups can arrive as early as 9:00 AM for the program. Special arrangements can sometimes be made for groups who cannot get to The Museum within the typical 9 AM – 1 PM time frame. The program runs at minimum 4 hours with lunch.

Funding for arts and humanities, outreach and museum education programs has been provided by Bethel Woods members and donors and through generous gifts from foundations, individuals and agencies including: The American Gift Fund, the Tammy and Keith Anderson Foundation, the AT&T Aspire Program, the John N. Blackman Sr. Foundation, Annelise Gerry and Family, Robyn Gerry, Nellie and Robert Gipson, Humanities NY, IBM, Joan Kaplan, the William and Elaine Kaplan Family Foundations, Liberty Properties Inc., the Monticello Motor Club, New Music USA, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, Resorts World Catskills, the Rhulen Loughlin Family -- in memory of Trevor John Loughlin, Rolling V Bus Corporation, James and Kelly Schmitt and Stewarts Shops. Transportation and tuition assistance has been made possible in part by Dan and Joan Silna, and TD Charitable Foundation, and the Williams Endowed Education Fund at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.