The Society regularly offers school programs that focus on themes of exploration and discovery, immigration and cultural diversity, and the history of pre- and post-Gold Rush California. The programs are free of charge to California school groups, meet State Curriculum Standards, and combine interactive learning with hands-on activities. For more information, click on the appropriate link.

2008 Educational Programs

The California Missions focuses on the daily lives of the Catholic missionaries, Spanish soldiers and Native Americans who transformed the region into an agrarian society. One of the museum’s most popular education programs, California Missions, introduces students to the complex political and economic forces that fostered their rise and fall. The program includes first hand experience with adobe building materials and the tools used to prepare native food. Students also experience aspects of mission life by working together on reenactments of typical daily chores.

Mapping America’s West combines information about the history of cartography with activities that encourage students to see the connection between historic maps and the beliefs of the people who created them. This program covers early explorers, various methods of drafting maps, tools that improved their accuracy and how depictions of California have been refined over time.

Shake, Bake & Spin! The Aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire uses historic documents, retrieved relics, photographs, newspapers and film to trace how media “spin” was used to redefine and generate profit from the events of April 18, 1906. This new program includes a private tour of the exhibition marking the centennial of the great disaster. It also includes activities that demonstrate the scale of the damage as well as how biased reporting misrepresented the facts, slanting history and creating enduring misconceptions.

The Immigrant Experience gives students insight into the complexities of leaving one’s homeland and adapting to new societal norms. It explores the ways that cultural diversity had an impact on our history and encourages students to examine how the legacy of immigration affects us all today. This program uses diaries, portraits and artifacts from our collection to give students an appreciation for how diversity enriches California. Students learn how to trace their family histories and record their life experiences.

California Land and Water traces the rise of California’s agricultural economy, giving students an understanding of how California’s abundance of natural resources shaped our history. This program teaches students about California’s distinct geographic regions, the history of land use and migrant labor, settlement and urban development patterns as well as how these things continue to evolve and influence life in California today.

Educational Program Hours: Mon. through Fri. 9:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.

Contact: 415-957-1849 or