Groups

Activities for Groups

We offer a range of additional activities for groups, which are listed here. All activities, coaches, and group visits of 10 people or more must be booked in advance. Please use the form at the bottom of this page to book your visit. If you have any questions, contact us via email at [email protected] or by telephone on +44 (0)1225 460503.

Garden Tours

Our tours explore the garden’s main components;

• Our recently planted New American Garden.

• The Mount Vernon Garden, a reconstruction of part of George Washington’s garden in Virginia, created when the museum opened in the 1960s.

• The Arboretum, originally planted at Claverton in the 19th century.

• The original Italianate Garden designed by a Victorian owner of Claverton Manor, hidden below the Mount Vernon garden.

Garden tours tell the story of these stages in the evolution of our gardens. Tours last up to one hour with a maximum group size of 10 people. The tours are led by knowledgeable members of our volunteer teams. Tours are subject to availability and cost £5.50 per person, plus group admission, and must be booked in advance.

Museum Tours

We are able to offer guided Tours of the Museum collection outside of normal opening hours, subject to availability, and at a cost of £5.50 per person plus group admission. Tours last a little over 1 hour and are limited to a maximum of 10 people per tour, so larger groups will be divided into smaller tour groups with staggered start times. All tours must start before 10:45am or after 3pm and must be booked in advance.

Textile Tour

The American Museum houses a world-famous collection of textiles, embroideries, weavings, prints, including a collection of over 200 historic quilts and rugs. If your group has a particular interest in cloth, then this specialized tour will be just the thing. Conducted by a knowledgeable member of our volunteer team, you will learn about a wide variety of pieces in our period rooms, including fabrics, construction and social history. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour. Maximum group size is 10 people, but larger groups can be accommodated in back to back tours. All tours are subject to availability, at a cost of £5.50 per person plus group admission, and must be booked in advance.

Painting in America Tour

Before the Second World War American fine art followed European styles. We have good examples of such early American paintings in our period rooms. We also have an excellent collection of American folk art paintings made by decorative craftsmen turning their hands to portrait or landscape work. These artists were talented exponents of ‘limning’ taking likenesses quickly, making them cheap enough for ordinary people to afford. While this tradition originated in Europe, in the nineteenth century it was unique to America.

Tours last up to one hour with a maximum group size of 10 people, though we can accommodate larger groups in back to back tours. The tours are led by knowledgeable members of our volunteer teams. Tours are subject to availability and cost £5.50 per person plus group admission, and must be booked in advance.

Audio-Descriptive Tours

We also welcome groups who are blind or partially sighted. Specialised tours are arranged which last approximately 1½ hours. These include a dedicated guide and a selection of handling objects which enhance the descriptive tour. Wheelchairs can be accommodated. Maximum group size is 6 people, usually 3 blind or partially-sighted people and their helpers.

Collections up close: Curious about Quilts

We are also able to offer our Curious about Quilts sessions for those interested in an opportunity to view up close some of our quilts not on display and learn more about the history of quilt making in America. These sessions can be booked during normal opening hours, are subject to availability, and at a cost of £5.50 per person plus group admission. Sessions last approximately 1 hour and are limited to a maximum of 15 people per session, although larger groups can be accommodated with multiple sessions (allowing for approximately 1 between sessions for reset). All Curious about Quilts sessions must be booked in advance.