Cottonwood AZ (July 6, 2021) – New educational programs, following Arizona State Educational Standards, are now available for children and families visiting the Clemenceau Heritage Museum in Cottonwood. Every Tuesday and Wednesday morning, between 9:30 – 11:30, children age three to six are invited to experience their first museum visit during Merri Mornings for Kids at the Clemenceau. In addition to learning about history in the Verde Valley, they may learn about museum manners, what a museum is, what it does, and what to see. Drop in, self-guided visits allow for the child to wander at their own pace when accompanied by an adult. Summer play groups are encouraged as long as one adult is present for every five children in the group. Please call ahead of the group visit to provide the number of children attending as each child receives a booklet to help guide the visit and take home.
Saturday’s are family days at the Clemenceau Heritage Museum. All generations are invited to participate together in “All Aboard!” Learn the History of the Verde Valley Railroads. The highlight of this partially guided visit is the Verde Valley Railroad Diorama exhibit, a model railroad display of the working railroads present during the copper mining hey days. Discover the mining, smelting, ranching and railroad communities as the trains travel through Jerome, Jerome Junction, Clarkdale, Hopewell Junction, Clemenceau, Old Town Cottonwood and the surrounding hills and valleys of the nineteenth century. See the trains running! Hear the whistles blow! Meet the ‘engineers’ who operate them, then walk through the museum to see how Verde Valley residents lived, worked and played. Sit at the desks in the replicated classroom of the Clemenceau Public School just like kids did in the olden days. Look for the machines that the invention of electricity brought to the Verde Valley. See the kinds of barbed wire that ranchers used to fence in their cattle. Visit the museum gift shop to take home a new book to read about local history or a replicated toy to remember the visit. Many educational products are available to teach local history to children and their friends.
These programs are sponsored by member contributors making them free to the public. Each program includes a booklet for the visiting family to help guide their experience and includes puzzles and fun things to take home.
The Clemenceau Heritage Museum interprets the history of all Verde Valley communities. There is no charge to visit the museum. Contributions are gratefully accepted to continue the support of the museum’s educational programs. It is located at 1 North Willard Street -on the Mingus and Willard roundabout- in the historic Clemenceau Public School building. See them at www.clemenceaumuseum.com and like them on Facebook.
