Time travel with us and experience the past!
Our Philosophy and Future
In March 2010, the BCHS embarked on a new adventure in history with the creation of two family friendly spaces to explore Burlington County’s past in interactive ways. This evolution came from an extensive strategic planning process that now has BCHS poised to become a leader in history education in Burlington County and the state of New Jersey. We are changing how history is presented!
Exciting exhibit plans are in the works! Using innovative techniques for the interpretation of primary sources and artifacts pertaining to New Jersey history, it will not only expand public awareness of our historical resources, but also help to foster new advocates for the study and preservation of New Jersey history. This exhibit will make our historical collections accessible on a whole new level to a brand new audience.
Plan
The Children’s History Center is part of a master plan to forge a radical new direction for the Burlington County Historical Society. We are committed to:
• providing playful interaction with artifact and exhibit environments that help young visitors form meaningful connections.
• encouraging exploration and independent learning.
• making history accessible and relevant.
• creating spaces and programs specifically designed for families.
We are confident that CHC will strengthen family interactions in a playful learning environment.
Exhibit Goals
The Children's History Center will be
• Family friendly and multi-generational
• Interactive, experiential, engaging, and playful
• Inherently interesting and content-based
• A springboard for cultivating a child’s love of museums
• A place where kids say “Museums are great! I love museums!”
Messaging
• Families can be large or small... with deep roots in the past, even if we don’t know much about them.
• We learn a lot through play.
• How people live, and the houses they live in, have changed a lot since the 1800s.
• Eating is about more than satisfying our hunger. We use food to express our cultural identity, pass on traditions, signal our shared values, and separate ourselves from others.
• People of Burlington County have come from all over the world, bringing new foods and traditions with them.
• The museum is a place where I have fun, use my imagination, and explore on my own.
• Farms once covered much of the county... land that is now occupied by houses, stores, and schools.
• If I look in the right places, I can find evidence of who and what was here before me.
