Tour Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home

Educational Field Trips & Group Tours

Hours Available for School Group (K-12) tours:         Wednesday-Friday     9am-3pm

Hours Available for all other group tours:      

Wednesday-Saturday      9am-3pm

Group Admission rates: $2.00 per student (K-12) and $5.00 per adult/senior citizen

If you do not have a group tour of 10 or more, regular admission rates will apply to your visit.

Regular Admission Rates:

Adults - $10

Seniors (62+) - $8

Students (K-College) - $5

Children 5 and under - free

You must book a tour of at least 10 individuals to get the group tour rate. Admission payment is due in advance or on the day of the tour. Payment must be in the form of a check from the school or school district for all school tours. Other groups can pay with cash, check, or card. The museum reserves the right to cancel tours if payment is not received by the tour date.

Field trips for students at Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home are structured to meet Georgia State Standards and are age appropriate. Each program is approximately 45 minutes to 75 minutes in length and includes a house/garden tour as well as (1) activity of the teacher’s choice that best fits your group’s needs. A list of available activities can be found in the field trip curriculum offerings packet located below.

Major Ridge was one of the most important people to live in Northwest Georgia. He was a wealthy Cherokee leader who advocated constantly for his people, ultimately becoming a signer of the Treaty of New Echota, which called for voluntary Cherokee removal to the west.  When Cherokees who refused to voluntary move were forcibly removed from their homes in 1838, nearly 4,000 of them perished along the Trail of Tears. We tell the story of the Cherokee and the Ridge Family.

The National Park Service website contains many useful resources for teachers, including a section on lesson plans, found at this link, Teaching With Historic Places

We look forward to serving your educational needs during your field trip to our site. You will find information about our programs in the forms listed below.

Find our Curriculum Guide here:

Find the up-to-date Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies here. These standards are met during field trips to Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home:

PLEASE REVIEW OUR TOUR POLICY:      

Admission rates *(Must be paid by check in advance or on the day of the tour):

School Groups:                                                           

$2.00 per Student (K-12)  

Chaperones- free        

Teacher/Group Leader/Bus Driver – Free     

Group Tours:             

$5.00 per Adult/Senior Citizen

                 

  • All group tours for the museum must be made at least 4 weeks in advance of tour date.

  • School group tours: admission must be paid by check from the school or school district in advance or on the day of the tour. Please make checks payable to Friends of Chieftains.

  • Other group tours: admission must be paid by check, cash, or card in advance or on the day of the tour. Please make checks payable to Friends of Chieftains Museum.

  • School tours are limited to one grade level to provide suitable activities. Exceptions can be made for smaller school groups or homeschool groups.

  • Leaders and chaperones must be 18 years of age or older. We require one leader/chaperone for every ten (10) students. Complimentary advance visit by teacher/leader is encouraged for school group/group tour planning.

  • The museum can only accommodate up to 60 students at a time. If your group is larger than 60 students, they will need to be divided and visit other museums or attractions in Rome, which we can help schedule, or they can go to Ridge Ferry Park for lunch/playtime while we have part of the group.

  • If you book a field trip during cold weather, please understand that some of your activities may be outside during the day, so encourage your students to dress accordingly.

  • The museum has public restrooms on the property, and they do have heat. There are also small restrooms inside the museum buildings, but we encourage school groups to use the public restrooms when possible.

  • You may want to include a cooler of bottled water or juice for your students on the bus—we do not sell beverages at the museum and do not have a water fountain.

  • A small picnic area (6 tables) is available for brown bag lunches. All group leaders and chaperones are asked to supervise placement of trash in waste receptacles. No food or beverages are permitted inside the museum.

  • Parking: On-site parking is available adjacent to the museum. Contact the museum for details.