- Field Trips
- Virtual Field Trips
- In-School Programs
- Extended-Day Workshops
- Materials for Rent/Purchase (and other online resources)
- Plan Your Visit
- Financial Aid
The Tsongas Industrial History Center supports and encourages the teaching of industrial history using site-based, hands-on experiences for over 40,000 students in grades 3 through 12 annually. All programs are aligned with Massachusetts and New Hampshire State Curriculum Frameworks.
Our location within Lowell National Historical Park allows students to explore historic cotton mills, 5.6 miles of canals, gatehouses, and worker housing. We use these resources to engage students in such topics as labor history, immigration, economics, textile production, globalization, technology/engineering, and impacts of industrialization on nature and society.
Financial Aid financialaid
Financial aid for field trips is available. Please click on the links to apply for funds to support your trip.
The Tsongas Industrial History Center recommends applying for funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Big Yellow School Bus program and Local Cultural Council Grants.
Teachers we know have also had success applying for field trip money from Target Field Trip Grants.
The National Park Trust offers grants directly to Title I Schools for Pre-K through 12th grade classes to attend field trips with National Parks in Spring of 2023. The application deadline is February 17, 2023. Funds can be used for any field trip or bus costs at National Park sites. These grant funds could be used to pay for virtual or in-person field trips at the Tsongas Industrial History Center at Lowell National Historical Park. Get more information on the National Park Trust website.
Grade Chart
| In-Person Programs and Virtual Field Trips | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8 | HS | History & Social Studies | Civics | Science & Engineering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bale to Bolt | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
| Change In The Making | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
| Community Connections | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
| Engineer It! | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Exploring The Immigrant Experience | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
| Farm to Factory | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
| Industrial Watershed | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
| Power to Production | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| River as a Classroom | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Workers on the Line | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Yankees and Immigrants | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Change Over Time: Through Children’s Eyes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
| Citizens Respond to an Industrial Crisis | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
| Engineering a Better Future | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
| Human Impact on the Living Planet | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
| Mill Girls: Life and Work in an Industrial City | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
| Immigration, Culture, and Community | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||
| Same, Only Different | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
| Waterpower: Powering a Revolution | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
