The Montclair Historical Society | Planning Your Visit

Tours of the Crane House are given to elementary school groups every Tuesday through Thursday during the school year. Recommended for children ages eight years old and up, the tours connect students' textbook reading with a real, early 19th century home where a family lived and worked. Tours begin at 9: 30 AM and last two to two-and-one-half hours. The program includes a slide presentation and orientation, followed by a tour of the Crane House. In Mrs. Crane's kitchen, students watch and participate in open-hearth and beehive oven cookery. Classes that choose to may also visit the Historic Country Store, which includes craft displays and a museum shop.

The Crane House tour is part of the curriculum for all third grade classes in the Montclair public school system. Other school districts are invited to schedule tours, as space permits.

You may book a school tour for your class in one of two ways: 1. Call the Montclair Historical Society (973-744-1796)during normal business hours (Mon-Fri from 9am to 5pm) and request a school tour booking form. OR 2. Download a school tour booking form here (insert PDF file attached to this email). Return the booking request form and we will confirm availability of your request and date selected. Elizabeth Rounds, the school tour coordinator, is in the office Thursday and Friday afternoons from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.

Tours are booked on a first-come first-serve basis. We suggest you contact us in late summer or early fall with your requested dates. A number of dates are reserved for Montclair Public Schools from January through May so we suggest a fall tour date if your school is from outside of Montclair. Up to 25 students can be accommodated on each tour. Fee for each school tour is $50, which is due before or on the day of the tour.

To learn more about what to expect on your school trip to the Crane House Museum, you may download our School Tour Fact Sheet here (insert PDF file attached to this email) or call to request at 973-744-1796.