GROUP Tours

aDULT tOURS

yOUTH tOURS

bUS tOURS

General Information

Thinking of bringing a group of eight or more people? Visitors of all walks and ages enjoy touring the Oberlin Heritage Center, including schools, summer camps, families, scouts, bicyclists, companies and nonprofits, senior living facilities, and special interest groups that want to see something new (or old)! Tell us your needs and interests and we will tailor the tour.

Group tours must be reserved at least three weeks in advance. Capacity for group sizes will depend upon the tour type and the availability of tour guides.

Tour Times: Schedule your group tour between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

Tour Fees: Groups tours are arranged for 8 or more individuals, or at that fee if fewer individuals are present.

  • Fees are dependent upon the experience requested by adult groups and families
  • $5 per student for college groups
  • $3 per child for youth groups (adult chaperones are free)
  • A non-refundable deposit of $50 (or full payment if your total tour fees are less than $50) is required to secure your reservation.

Group leaders might also be interested in our Outreach Programs where an OHC representative comes to you!

Please note that OHC has minimal restrooms (single-use occupancy) in its historic structures and these restrooms are not fully accessible. Additionally, access to restrooms is limited on history walks. We recommend that visitors, and especially groups, plan to use the restroom before their visit. For more information about OHC’s facilities, please visit Find Us /Accessibility.

FOR QUESTIONS, MORE INFORMATION, AND TO MAKE A RESERVATION, CONTACT: Museum Education & Tour Manager or call 440-774-1700.

Adult Group Tours

Public tours of the Oberlin Heritage Center’s buildings are scheduled year-round. The museum observes some holidays and typically observes an extended closure in the winter. Visitors are encouraged to check our Event Calendar to make sure the experience they want is available the day of their visit. 

Guided Tour Offerings

House Tours and History Walks

Any of the tours listed on our Guided Tour page are available to book as a group experience and may be tailored to your group’s needs and interests.

Team Building Challenges and Games

The Amazing Oberlin Race!

Like history, hiking, and a healthy dose of friendly competition? Friends and family can challenge each other to this fun new learning adventure. Two teams, ideally with two to four people per team, begin at the Oberlin Heritage Center and are provided the first clue leading them to a landmark in Oberlin. When a team figures out an answer, they send a text or a photo back and receive the next clue. There are fourteen clues in all and the race is 2 miles (assuming you make no false moves) and takes 90 minutes (if you’re quite clever, light on your feet, and don’t stop for ice cream).

Experience Fee: $30/non-member group; $20/OHC member group

Foiled Again! The Aluminum Mystery Experience

Do you enjoy mysteries? Do you like science or puzzles? If so, Foiled Again! The Aluminum Mystery Experience is perfect for your families, friends, teams, or clubs! Join us at the Oberlin Heritage Center and book this private mystery experience where your group will have a chance to help Professor Jewett solve the mystery of where his aluminum science notes went inside the Jewett House. Immerse yourself in the late 1800s as he helped his student, Charles Martin Hall discover the Aluminum Reduction Process. This teamwork-based activity is best suited for detectives over the age of 9. We recommend groups between 3-8 participants.

Experience Fee: $20/non-member group; $18/OHC member group

Youth Group Tours

Within reason, the Heritage Center staff is willing to tailor the tour length, content, and route to meet the needs of educators and their students. Tours are recommended for children aged seven and older but can be altered to meet the interests of younger children if enough planning time is allowed. Groups with very young children are encouraged to try the “Lessons in the Past” and “I Spy Oberlin” programs, or contact us to create a personalized tour.

A note to educators: Our tours meet state and national academic content standards within Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts subjects. A sampling of these standards includes history, geography, government, citizenship rights, science and technology, and communication. Students learn individual and community history, and make connections to national history themes that can otherwise seem impersonal and far removed from their daily lives. This helps make history more personal, relevant and fun. [Note: Some tours are also available as classroom programs]

Guided Tour Offerings

House Tours and History Walks

Any of the tours listed on our Guided Tour page are available to book as a youth group experience and may be tailored to your group’s needs and interests; however, we recommend the minimum age of 9 for our history walks, with the exception of the I Spy tour.

Onsite Education Programs

Lessons in the Past

Lessons in the Past is a 90-minute immersive program available for youth and school groups ages 7 and up to experience what a school day may have been like in the early 1800s. Participants will be welcomed to the Heritage Center’s pioneer-era one-room schoolhouse by a costumed interpreter who will give historic school lessons including reading, penmanship, arithmetic, and more. The program also includes an opportunity to try out old-fashioned games (outdoor and indoor options as weather permits). Maximum group size is 25 youth participants. Lessons can be tailored to meet specific standards, and additional tour options are available by pre-arrangement.

Step-on Guides for Bus Tours

Adult and youth groups may request a bus tour in lieu of a history walk for weather, time, or accessibility concerns. Additionally, OHC has an “Oberlin Highlights” bus tour which would include multiple stories and sites.

A step-on guide will provide the historic narrative. Optional stops at 2-3 locations may allow participants to depart the bus. OHC is able to provide this experience on any class of school bus as well as motorcoaches.

Please note that OHC cannot provide a bus or motorcoach – we can only provide the guide who will “step-on” to your bus or motorcoach. Pricing and availability for this specialty tour varies, so please contact Museum Education & Tour Manager with questions and requests.

OHC participates in the Twinkl resource directory for school field trips.