Voted the Best Place to See by Condé Nast Traveler.

K-12 Field Trips

“Places Never Make People. People Make Place.”

Bring your class to the oldest preserved plantation house in the United States open to the public. Founded in 1738, Drayton Hall is a place where people formed enduring communities through times of turbulence and triumph, where individuals added their own relevance to customs practiced by many ancestral cultures, where revolutionaries considered their futures and took fearless action. Ongoing research is still revealing their stories today.

Drayton Hall’s K-12 educational programming offers the following for groups larger than 10 students:

  • Curriculum-aligned programs integrating social studies, geography, science, and language arts, which help develop analytical skills enabling students to synthesize and evaluate information.
  • Interactive, hands-on learning stations and engaging tours that encourage critical thinking, discussion, and problem-solving.
  • Dedicated staff who encourage participation and making connections to the students’ own experiences.

A Day in the Life at Drayton Hall

$10.00/student, 10 student minimum
All ages

Students will be introduced to Carolina, Quash, and other members of Drayton Hall’s enslaved community, examining the contributions of individuals and the significance of family and community at Drayton Hall and throughout the Lowcountry. Through hands-on exploration of tools, traditional African instruments, and other objects related to daily life, students will gain insight into lifeways and customs on a busy plantation and appreciate the role Gullah-Geechee culture played in South Carolina in the past and its influence today. Investigation of archaeological artifacts and analysis of primary documents (appropriate to grade level) add greater depth to students’ understanding.

The American Revolution

$10.00/student, 10 student minimum
3rd Grade – 12th Grade

Students will discover the significant role Drayton Hall and its residents played during the American Revolution. Walking in the footsteps of soldiers, students will consider the challenges and questions faced by people on both sides of the conflict. They will learn how William Henry Drayton helped lead the patriot cause in South Carolina, and how Samuel and Catherine Drayton risked their lives to achieve freedom. Interactive stations give students hands-on opportunities to discuss wartime choices made by enslaved people in the Lowcountry and learn about experiences of British and American soldiers who utilized Drayton Hall. Finally, students will examine archaeological artifacts related to the Revolutionary period at Drayton Hall and learn how archaeology enhances our understanding of life in the past.

*Student House Tour

$10.00/student, 10 student minimum
All ages.
Discounted to $5/student with program listed above.

Students study the history of Drayton Hall and those who lived on the property over time through several focused tour options including:

  • African American history and daily life on the plantation
  • The American Revolution
  • Architecture and preservation.

A trained educator leads students through Drayton Hall on this 45–60-minute house tour. *A student house tour may be added to any of the above-listed educational program offerings for a discounted rate of $5.00/student.

*Reduced pricing available for Title 1 Schools.  Please inquire through the reservation form below.

K-12 Field Trip Reservation Form