Berks History Center’s Educational Programs
Road Rambles
The Berks History Center’s signature annual event, the Road Ramble, is a self-guided driving tour where participants discover little-known facts about historical sites throughout the county. This event is a nod to the past, when Mystery Road Rambles were held in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Starting at the Berks History Center, participants ramble through a different region located in Berks County each year. The route narrative covers the history of local towns and notable historic sites, such as the Reading Fairgrounds, Madeira Air Field, Hopewell Furnace, the Daniel Boone Homestead, and the Knitting Mills.
Past Road Ramble routes have toured the following areas:
Fall 2020- The City of Reading
Spring 2021- Eastern Berks County, including historic Oley Valley and Boyertown
Fall 2021- Longswamp, Alsace, and Muhlenberg Townships
Second Saturday Programs
Join the Berks History Center on the second Saturday of every month in the Terrence E. Connor Auditorium for an educational presentation from renowned local historians and distinguished guest speakers. Presentation topics change each month and cover a variety of subjects, such as prominent Berks County industries, notable landmarks, famous Berks County residents, local lore, seasonal traditions, and unique events that formed the community that we call home. Examples of past presentations include: First Females in Berks County, German Heritage & Heirlooms, Pennsylvania’s Justice Bell, Christmas on Penn Street, Code Breakers: The Code Breaking Service Women of WWII, and The Ground Swallowed Them Up: The Underground Railroad.
The cost to attend Second Saturday programs is $5 for BHC members and $8 for non-members. The program fee includes admission to the BHC Museum. Fees are accepted at the door on the day of the event. Coffee, hot tea, juice and light refreshments are made available for participants at 9:30 AM.
Bus Trips
Interested in exploring unique historical sites throughout the county, commonwealth, and country? The Berks History Center is proud to offer community members a variety of single and multi-day bus trips that connect participants with their local, state, and national histories. Our bus trip destinations change every year and have included trips such as: the Oley Valley Barn Tour, the Historic Trappe Holiday House Tour, 1776 in Historic Philadelphia, The Other Mt. Vernon, and Christmas in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
To learn more about our current bus trips, visit our events page, or contact Education Coordinator, Vicky Heffner, at education@berkshistory.org.
#YourBerksHistory
Discover you local history with #YourBerksHistory, Berks History Center’s monthly television program on BCTV. In our show, we feature historic sites visits, interview special guests, highlight unique artifact collections, and share current happenings relating to the history of Reading and Berks County. Catch #YourBerksHistory the first Wednesday of every month at 7 PM on BCTV. Don’t have cable? No problem! You can watch #YourBerksHistory online at the link below.
Junior Historian Camp
Dive into history with hands-on learning at the Berks History Center museum! Join the BHC every June for our Junior Historian Camp, where participants learn everything Pennsylvania Dutch, including painting Distelfinks, weaving baskets, fracturs, music, food and more!
For more information, contact Education Coordinator, Vicky Heffner, at education@berkshistory.org.
Educational Improvement Organization
The Berks History Center is now recognized as an Educational Improvement Organization. Please inquire about assistance with busing and admission fee waivers for your school group.
Academic Standards
Berks History Center’s educational programs fulfill all four of the academic standards for history as set forth by the state of Pennsylvania for grades K-12:
- Political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups
- 2.A. – Identify historical figures in the local community.
- 2.A. – Identify the social, political, cultural, and economic contributions of individuals and groups from Pennsylvania.
- How societal change has influenced our history
- 2.C. – Identify how commerce and industry and social organizations have changed over time in Pennsylvania.
- 2.C. – Identify and describe how continuity and change have impacted Pennsylvania history.
- Examination of material artifacts
- 2.B. – Identify and locate historical documents, artifacts, and places critical to Pennsylvania history.
- 2.B. – Identify important buildings, statues, and monuments associated with the state’s history.
- Discussion about social relations among Berks County’s various ethnic groups
- 2.D. – Identify how conflict is impacted by ethnicity and race, working conditions, immigration, military conflict, and economics.
- 2.D. – Identify and describe how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the history and development of Pennsylvania.
BHC programs also reinforce the Language Arts component of the State Standards by helping students use reading, writing, speaking, and listening to learn and make sense of their world.