How to Book a School Tour

Our educational programming adheres to Florida's Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) and also employs an interdisciplinary approach to education that emphasizes historical, archaeological, and scientific awareness as well as critical thinking skills. We offer tour options for all grades designed for school groups, home schools, and other educational organizations.


PLANNING AND SCHEDULING YOUR VISIT:

Step 1. Choose the tour plan which best suits your needs. Choose at least two possible tour dates and times (Fridays only due to limited operations).

Step 2. To schedule a tour or for more information, please contact Arcadia Staff at arcadiamill@uwf.edu or (850) 626-3084 ext. 101. Please note that emails receive a faster response. We prefer that reservations be made with two weeks' notice. The earlier the better!


Fees: 
School tours at Arcadia Mill are $2.00 per student, or a $20.00 flat fee for groups with less than 10 students. One adult per every ten students is admitted for free; every additional adult is $2.00.

Tour Times and Lengths: Tours may begin no earlier than 9:30 a.m. and no later than 2:30 p.m. Tours last no longer than 1.5 hours.

Capacity: Tours will accommodate up to 75 students or 3 classes per day.

Picnicking: Arcadia has a beautiful, shaded picnic area that all scheduled tour groups are welcome to use. Arcadia Staff must be notified of picnicking prior to the day of your tour. 


TOUR OPTIONS:

Historic Boardwalk Tour & outdoor Discovery Pavilion

K-12th Grade 
All educational visits to Arcadia Mill include the Historic Boardwalk Tour and outdoor Discovery Pavilion. During the boardwalk tour, students learn about Arcadia's rich history while observing the archaeological remains of the mill facilities. Guides also discuss the abundant variety of plants and trees that thrive at Arcadia. In the Discovery Pavilion, students learn about water power and observe working replicas of 19th century mill technology.


Classroom Activity Options

Tour organizers must choose a classroom lesson with options of Science, History, and Archaeology. 

K-2nd Grade

Science: We All Need Trees
Students learn about different products made from trees and will participate in a hands-on matching game involving everyday items that are made from specific parts of a tree.

History/Archaeology: Soil Storytelling
Students learn about soil layers, archaeology, and Florida history with an interactive story told by the Florida sunshine. Students add to the story by placing 3D printed artifacts on the magnetic soil strata wall.

3rd-5th Grade

Science: The Mighty Water Molecule
Guides discuss how important water was to Arcadia Mill, and explain how the water cycle occurs constantly all around us. Students will travel through the water cycle as a water molecule in a role-playing activity.

History/Archaeology: Finding Facts in Artifacts
Guides discuss archaeology and studying artifacts through scientific methods and historical research. Students will analyze a real artifact to find clues about the lives of Floridians in the past.

6th-8th Grade

Science: A Splash of Power
Students are taught how energy changes forms in a water-powered mill facility, then experiment with controlling water to create the most power to win a race.

History/Archaeology: Historic Trash Talk
Guides discuss how archaeologists gather data to analyze artifacts. Students play the role as a lab assistant by weighing, measuring, and analyzing artifacts including their historical context through primary source documents.

9th-12th Grade

History/Archaeology: Becoming Dr. Jones
Ever wondered about how archaeologists learn their profession? Guides will walk students through the experiences of archaeology and history students as they prepare for careers. Students will receive promotional material provided by the University of West Florida.