Back to School with Village Preservation!
September is here, and its back to school time! While children across NYC sadly gather their pencils and get their backpacks ready, and parents exuberantly ensure the children are out the door on time, Village Preservation is also gearing up for the start of another school year!
For 35 years, Village Preservation’s Children’s Education programs have offered a compelling way to spark curiosity and connection to New York’s past. We now offer five different courses thoughtfully customized to suit various age and skill levels. Elementary school classes, middle school, high school, and beyond can all find programs crafted just for them.
Our programming ranges from interactive lessons and walking tours to immersive art projects, all of which breathe life into student learning through hands-on experiences. We deeply engage young learners with the rich architectural, cultural, and historical heritage of our city. Led by qualified educators, these offerings align with New York State and City learning standards in Social Studies, English, Language Arts, and the Arts—ensuring they are not only educational but also curriculum-connected and meaningful for students and teachers.
Greenwich Village Past and Present focuses on the area around Washington Square Park from pre-European settlement to the early 19th Century (1st-7th grade).
Immigration in the South Village focuses on the area around Bleecker and Carmine streets from the late 19th to early 20th centuries (1st-7th grade).
Black History, Greenwich Village and Beyond covers pre-European settlement through the 21st century (5th-12th grade).
New for 2025: Our Lenape History Workshops explore the role of woman in Lenape culture and how different groups of people viewed and treated the land in the Village & Lower Manhattan (6th-12th Grade).
Second Birthplace Seminar This program explores how elements of Hip-Hop culture first came together in and around the Village between 1979-1984 when Black and Latino artists from across the city interacted with the alternative arts, culture, music, and education scene of this neighborhood (9th-12th grades & college level students).
Village Preservation makes sure these enriching programs are widely accessible. Qualifying schools can participate for free, while others can access them at a low, sliding-scale cost—making this a rare opportunity for schools balancing tight budgets with educational needs.
Sign up today — learn more about the program and register here.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council including New York City Council Members Erik Bottcher and Christopher Marte.