Museum at the Bighorns Building on Educational Programs and Community Partnerships

The Museum at the Bighorns has been working to reinstate school-based education programs and expand community outreach as part of a broader effort to reconnect local students with Sheridan County’s history through hands-on learning. The initiative focuses initially on third- and fourth-grade students and emphasizes interactive lessons that use local history and primary sources to bring classroom topics to life for students and adults.

During an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse, Executive Director Carrie Edinger said rebuilding the educational programs from such a long hiatus has taken some time. Edinger researched the programs that had been successful in the past and approached the museum’s responsibility to education from a 21st century point of view. 

C. Edinger 

Relationships with local schools is a key priority as the museum revives its education programs. Edinger said the museum has received $25,000 in funding through the Teaching with Primary Sources Great Plains Region program, which will allow staff to incorporate Library of Congress collections into lessons and develop activities tailored to each teacher’s curriculum for classrooms and museum visits.

In addition to school programming, Edinger said the museum is continuing to build community programs including Family Day events, Sheridan Recreation District and YMCA after-school and summer camp partnerships and Downtown Sheridan walking tours. 

More information is available by contacting director@museumbighorns.org or calling 307-675-1150.