Museums and National Monuments

Museums and National Monuments can be rich sources of historical and archaeological information. Brunswick and St. Simons Island have a variety of museum experiences. Field trip to museums offer an interesting way of teaching history through archaeology.

St. Simons Island is also the site of Fort Frederica National Monument. The National Monument provides important facilities for cooperative education in historical archaeology. Together with Armstrong Atlantic State University and Glynn County Schools it has formed Partners in Education to offer students a hands-on learning experience in excavating artifacts in Shiner's Trench and studying, classifying and evaluating artifacts in the Archaeology Lab at Oglethorpe Point Elementary School.

You can use a visit to Mary Millers Doll Museum at 1523 Glynn Avenue (telephone 912 267-7569) as an introduction to cultural history. Dolls and other toys are more important than adults realize. What they are and how they are used tell us much about a society's values and its ways of teaching social mores to children. Follow up the museum visit with a class activity modeled on the one outlined in the artifacts page. Time needed for field trip: 2 hours.
A visit to the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum of Coastal History at 101 12th Street, St. Simons Island (telephone 912 638-4666) is another rewarding and enjoyable experience. Time needed: 2 hours.
Another wonderful destination is the Hofwyl-Broadfield Historic Site operated by the State of Georgia. More information on this site can be found at the National Registry of Historic Places website. Hofwyl is located between Brunswick and Darien, Georgia on U. S. Highway 17. This site preserves the remains of a working rice plantation, plantation house and slave quarters and graphically illustrates the development and decline of agriculture on Georgia's coast. Time needed: 3-4 hours.
Fort King George State Historic Site is located at the mouth of the Altamaha River near Darien, Georgia. It feature a reconstructed blockhouse and the ruins of a colonial-period sawmill. Time needed: 3-4 hours. Cumberland Island National Seashore is another possible field trip. The Seashore offers educational programs for school during the school year on a reservation only basis. Time needed: All day. More information on archaeological resources in our area is available at the Southeast Archaeological Center of the National Park Service.. Their web site is particularly valuable for the links they offer (one Especially For Kids).
The National Registry of History Places' Along the Georgia-Florida Coast offers a wealth of information on field trip destinations within reach of Glynn County schools. The National Park Service's Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island, Florida just south of the St. Mary's River (telephone 904 251-3537) was established in 1813. The plantation house, kitchen house and the ruins of 25 slave cabins survive. Time needed: 4-6 hours.
The archaeological experience In the Brunswick area, however, is a visit to Fort Frederica National Monument, on Frederica Road, St. Simons Island (telephone: 912 638-3639). Their Virtual Visitors Center offers a web-based tour and explanation of programs, facilities and activities for children. Glynn County Elementary school children studying history through archaeology typically cover classroom material over several weeks, tour the museum and grounds of the National Monument, and dig up artifacts in "Shiner's Trench." Time needed for field trip including viewing museum and Fort Frederica: 3 hours. The next page features an web-based tour of Fort Frederica.


	You can use a visit to Mary Millers Doll Museum at 1523 Glynn Avenue (telephone 912 267-7569) as an introduction to cultural history. Dolls and other toys are more important than adults realize. What they are and how they are used tell us much about a society's values and its ways of teaching social mores to children. Follow up the museum visit with a class activity modeled on the one outlined in the artifacts page. Time needed for field trip: 2 hours.
A visit to the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum of Coastal History at 101 12th Street, St. Simons Island (telephone 912 638-4666) is another rewarding and enjoyable experience. Time needed: 2 hours.
	Another wonderful destination is the Hofwyl-Broadfield Historic Site operated by the State of Georgia. More information on this site can be found at the National Registry of Historic Places website. Hofwyl is located between Brunswick and Darien, Georgia on U. S. Highway 17. This site preserves the remains of a working rice plantation, plantation house and slave quarters and graphically illustrates the development and decline of agriculture on Georgia's coast. Time needed: 3-4 hours.
Fort King George State Historic Site is located at the mouth of the Altamaha River near Darien, Georgia. It feature a reconstructed blockhouse and the ruins of a colonial-period sawmill. Time needed: 3-4 hours.	Cumberland Island National Seashore is another possible field trip. The Seashore offers educational programs for school during the school year on a reservation only basis. Time needed: All day. More information on archaeological resources in our area is available at the Southeast Archaeological Center of the National Park Service.. Their web site is particularly valuable for the links they offer (one Especially For Kids).
The National Registry of History Places' Along the Georgia-Florida Coast offers a wealth of information on field trip destinations within reach of Glynn County schools.	The National Park Service's Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island, Florida just south of the St. Mary's River (telephone 904 251-3537) was established in 1813. The plantation house, kitchen house and the ruins of 25 slave cabins survive. Time needed: 4-6 hours.
	The archaeological experience In the Brunswick area, however, is a visit to Fort Frederica National Monument, on Frederica Road, St. Simons Island (telephone: 912 638-3639). Their Virtual Visitors Center offers a web-based tour and explanation of programs, facilities and activities for children. Glynn County Elementary school children studying history through archaeology typically cover classroom material over several weeks, tour the museum and grounds of the National Monument, and dig up artifacts in "Shiner's Trench." Time needed for field trip including viewing museum and Fort Frederica: 3 hours. The next page features an web-based tour of Fort Frederica.