You've heard and read about Banning Heritage Week, our educational program that gives local 4th and 5th grade children the opportunity to experience life as it was in the late 1800s, helping them better understand and appreciate the foundations of our modern society. But did you know that the Museum also serves nearly 6,500 children in our Museum School Program? Each year children visit the museum for tours and special programs, where they are introduced to the historical aspects of Phineas Banning’s life and accomplishments in Southern California.

The School Program is presented on Tuesdays and Thursdays from October through June and has been specialized for 4th grade students. If you would like to schedule a school tour please call (310) 548-7777 to make a reservation. The School Program is very popular and fills quickly. Reservations will be taken beginning on September 12, 2005 at 9:00 a.m.

Under the skilled guidance of Museum Educator Cristina Lovett, Banning Residence Museum, together with nearby Drum Barracks Civil War Museum, continues several programs that have a positive impact on local children and our community.

Wilmington After School History (WASH) - This program brings history-related projects to the local elementary schools. Each Museum prepares nine different history projects to be presented to the children. With the combined efforts of our two Museums, children will have the benefit of nearly 18 days of history education during after-school hours. Participating schools include: Broad Avenue Elementary, Fries Avenue Elementary, Gulf Avenue Elementary, Hawaiian Avenue Elementary, and Wilmington Park Elementary.

Junior Docent Program - Teenagers have the opportunity to train as docents at Banning Residence Museum. In this program, the young participants attend a series of after-school and weekend classes that give them the education and preparation needed to guide public tours of the Museum.

The Banning Pediatric Access To History (PATH) Program - Will bring history-related projects on a weekly basis to culturally diverse pediatric patients at three South Bay hospitals: 1) Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach, 2) Harbor/UCLA Medical Center in Torrance and 3) Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Harbor City. Participants will include children who are receiving their care on an inpatient and outpatient basis for a wide range of pediatric illnesses such as chronic and life-threatening diseases (e.g., cancer, HIV and other blood-related disorders), acute illnesses (eg.,appendicitis) and accident-related injuries. This new program will serve approximately 3,900 pediatric patients annually.

Summer Day Camp - Similar to WASH, this on-site experience enables groups of children to visit Banning Residence Museum for a half-day program to learn about life in the 1880s and create an art project to compliment what they have learned.

Banning Residence Museum is proud to be able to extend our educational programs and give so many local school children the opportunity to broaden their horizons. It is our hope that these educational experiences will inspire many young people and help them gain fresh new perspectives about what they themselves can accomplish. At the same time, we are pleased to help instill in the children a sense of pride in their community, the locale that was the birthplace of so many of Phineas Banning’s extraordinary successes.

As members of Friends of Banning Museum, you too should feel very proud. It is because of your support and contributions that we are able to perform this service for the community.