Educator-Led School Tours

Our hour-long educator-led tours are a good option for groups with limited time to see the Newseum who want the content of a class, but delivered out in our galleries. Each tour introduces students to the First Amendment freedoms through guided exploration of objects and information in our exhibits.

For more information or to book a tour, please call the education reservation line at 202/292-6650 or write to educationprograms@newseum.org. Reservations must be made and final payment received at least one week before the tour date.

Tour Length: 1 hour

• Minimum number of participants: 7
• Maximum number of students per tour: 15 (Large groups will be assigned staggered tour times based on your group's window of availability.)

Costs:

• DC Metro Area: $11 per person, including admission to the Newseum
• Outside of DC Metro Area: $22 per person, including admission to the Newseum

Detailed descriptions of each experience are listed below.

The First Amendment and the Speed of News

Students explore their First Amendment rights with a focus on freedom of press. Visit a printing press, examine front pages from the past 500 years, and explore clips from historic radio broadcasts and newsreels. Through discussion and interaction with the exhibits, students learn how different technologies have shaped the way we receive news over time and brainstorm what new forms of communication the future may bring.

Grades: 3 – 5
Galleries Included: Today's Front Pages, News Corporation News History Gallery, Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery

The First Amendment, Social Change and You!

What are the five freedoms of the First Amendment? How have they shaped our nation’s history? And how can I use them to change the world for the better? This tour leads students on an exploration of the history and impact of the First Amendment, from the contentious debate over its adoption to its role in 20th-century social movements to the ways students use it in their everyday lives. Discuss the branches of government on our terrace with a Capitol view, see artifacts from First Amendment history and interact with clips of historic news footage.

Grades: 6 – 8
Galleries Included: Today's Front Pages, Cox Enterprises First Amendment Gallery ,Bloomberg Internet, TV and Radio Gallery

The Free Press and Democracy

This tour leads students on an in-depth exploration of what freedom of press means and the role it plays in democracies around the globe. Explore artifacts from First Amendment history, then investigate what it’s like to be a journalist in a country that doesn’t protect press freedom. The tour concludes with a look at one of the largest segments of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany, where students reflect on the history of the divided city through the lens of the role of the press.