School Field Trips at The Heritage Society: Hands-On Texas History in Downtown Houston

Bring Texas History to Life with Interactive Field Trips at Sam Houston Park

Step beyond the history textbook and take your students on an unforgettable journey through time! Located in heart of Downtown Houston, The Heritage Society offers immersive, curriculum-aligned educational field trips where students explore authentic historic homes, engage with primary sources, and discover the diverse stories that shaped Houston and the Lone Star State.

📚 Educational Programs & Guided Field Trip Options

Our docent-led tours and interactive museum experiences cater to elementary, middle, and high school groups, aligning with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards.

1. Texas Governance & Industry Historic Houses Tour

  • Best For: 4th & 7th Grade Texas History, Social Studies

  • Overview: Trace Texas’s evolution from a frontier outpost into an industrial powerhouse. Students explore how six sovereign flags, land grants, independence, statehood, and major industries—including cattle, cotton, timber, petroleum, the Port of Houston, and railroads—built the region’s booming economy.

2. Black History & UNESCO Sites of Memory Tour

  • Best For: All Grade Levels, African American Studies, U.S. History

  • Overview: A powerful docent-led experience visiting three historic structures designated by UNESCO’s Slave Route Project, including the home of civil rights leader and former enslaved person Rev. Jack Yates.

3. Women’s Historic House Tour: A Journey for Equality

  • Best For: Women’s History, Social Studies, Civic Studies

  • Overview: Highlight the courage, leadership, and contributions of progressive, educated, and visionary women who helped build Houston’s community, arts, and business landscapes.

4. Immigrant Heritage & Early Houston Life

  • Best For: Elementary Social Studies, Cultural History

  • Overview: Discover how European immigrants and diverse communities brought unique architectural, agricultural, and cultural traditions that defined 19th- and 20th-century Houston.

🏛️ Explore Authentic Historic Structures

Each school tour includes guided access to select historic buildings spanning 1823 to 1905:

All field trip tickets include admission to current exhibits in the The Heritage Society Museum Gallery.

🚌 Plan Your School Visit

The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park

1100 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002

Tour Duration Approximately 1 hour (plus self-guided gallery time)Tour Schedule

Tuesday – Saturday Timeslots: 10:00 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m.

Lunch Facilities Students are welcome to bring packed lunches and enjoy outdoor dining under the shade in scenic Sam Houston Park following their tour!

ParkingBus & Vehicle Parking: Free parking available at 212 Dallas St. Additional paid parking at 1200 Bagby St.

📩 Book Your School Field Trip Today!

Give your students a hands-on history experience they’ll talk about all year.

  • Online Booking: Submit a request on our Group Tours & Field Trips Request Page.

  • Email Inquiries: Contact our Tour Manager directly at Tours@heritagesociety.org or info@heritagesociety.org.The Heritage Society provides immersive experiences for social studies learning in grade levels K-12. Our newly designed tours are based on on-level TEKS for grade K-8 and we encourage our high school groups to consider our curated tours for their more specified needs. The historic house tours last about an hour while the full package, available upon request, is bookable for 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday. Special requests may be considered for groups over 100 and Title I schools.

Pricing*:

·       Student: $7

·       Chaperone/Teacher: $14

* Title I schools may request a discount in pricing. There is also a grant opportunity through the Summerlee Foundation!

What your field trip fee includes:

·       Private guided tour of three historic homes

·       Educational video viewing (by request)

·       1 exhibit-based activity in the Museum Gallery (by request)

·       Connally Plaza for lunch time

·       Customized itinerary suited for your needs and your students’ success

Recommended houses by grade level:

·       K-4th grade: Old Place, St. John Church, and Staiti House

·       5th & 8th grade: Fourth Ward Cottage, Pillot House, and Staiti House

·       6-7th grade: Old Place, Kellum-Noble House, and Staiti House

These recommendations take into consideration the TEKS for each grade level, kid-friendliness of each house, and the experience of our seasoned tour guides. However, all our historic homes may be requested to ensure your students learn what fits closest to your curriculum. To determine curriculum compatibility, see the chart below. High school groups may find our Black History Tour, Women’s History Tour, and German American Heritage Tour of interest, depending on the class they attend our tours with.

TEKS can be found here:                                                                                                                                     https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-113

SEE TEKS CHART

The Heritage Society's student tours bring Texas history to life! On a guided tour, students can visit select historic buildings, a museum gallery exhibit, the General Duncan Store with a hands-on trunk for children, and Sam Houston Park.

We offer tours to the following groups and examples of educational curriculum are included in the “Tours with Educational Programs” by Grade section.

  • Elementary School Tours

  • Junior High School Tours

  • High School Tours

  • Student Photography Tours

  • Architectural Student Tours

  • College History Tours

  • Home School Tours

  • Scouting Tours

Let us customize your field trip for your learning goals. Typically, teachers will schedule 3 historic sites and the museum gallery as a learning experience. We also offer From Plantation to Emancipation Black History Tours, Women’s History Tours, and German American History Tours.

Many teachers plan to do picnics at Sam Houston Park or in the shaded plaza. Sam Houston Park also has historical markers, sculptures, and monuments that can used as teaching tools.

School busses can conveniently load and off load at 1100 Bagby Street and park at 212 Dallas Street (parking is free).


Tour Reservations:
Reservations are required for all group tours. Tours are scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. For tour information and reservations, please contact Julio at 713-655- 1912 or tours@heritagesociety.org.