Group Tour Information
The Jane Addams' Hull-House Museum at the University of Illinois at Chicago welcomes prescheduled visits by groups of adults or elementary, high school, and college students interested in the history of the Hull-House social settlement and its surrounding neighborhood. The following information may be helpful to group leaders planning a field trip to the museum.
Planning a Visit
The museum offers guided tours for prescheduled groups of adults or students (from fourth grade through seniors). Maximum group size is 45; minimum size is 7. One adult per 10 students is required for elementary, junior high, and high-school groups. Teachers should plan on spending at least 45 minutes to an hour for an average tour. However, times and topics can be adapted for a group's specific needs. Teachers are encouraged to visit the museum in advance to preview the orientation and exhibits.
Museum Regulations
Many of the furnishings in the museum are original, and visitors are requested to refrain from touching any of the objects. Teachers and adult volunteers are responsible for the conduct of their groups and encourage and enforce proper museum decorum. Teachers, chaperones, and tour guides must stay with the group at all times. All groups must be accompanied by museum a tour guide. Instructors and professors are prohibited from lecturing or giving their own tour of Hull-House inside the museum. Disruptive groups will be asked to leave. Food and beverages are not permitted inside the museum. Photography is not permitted within the museum. If your plans change and you must cancel your reservation, please notify the museum staff as quickly as possible.
Scheduling a Tour
Advance reservations for group visits are required and may be made by calling the museum at (312) 413-5353. Please have available the following information:
- Name, address, and phone number of school or organization
- Name of accompanying teacher or group leader
- Size of group
- Age or grade level of students or group members
- Date and time of visit, including alternate choices
- Information on any special needs participants may have
- In addition, the museum encourages teachers, when scheduling a tour, to discuss the content of the course for which the trip is scheduled so that our guides can tailor their tours to the specific interests of your group.
Contents of Tours
All tours begin with a presentation. Two shows are available; teachers are encouraged to select the one most appropriate to their group's interests.
"Jane Addams and Hull-House" (approx. 15 min.) is an introductory slide show that provides an overview of the history of the founding and operation of the Hull-House socail settlement. It is appropriate for all age groups and is suggested for group's interested in gaining a broad understanding Jane Addams, the Hull-House settlement, and its relation to the Near West Side neighborhood.
"The Women of Hull-House" (approx. 25 min.) tells the story of the contributions of Jane Addams and other Hull-House women to the history of social welfare, education, progressive reform, women's rights, sociology, labor relations, international peace, and many other areas of American life. It is suitable for high school, college, and adult groups.
Arrival Procedures
Buses should pull into the turnout on Halsted Street immediately south of the museum. Buses may wait in the turnout while the group visits the museum.
Upon arrival, group leaders should ring the bell of the Hull Mansion; a guide will then escort the group to the Residents' Dining Hall for the slide presentation. The museum may not be able to accommodate late arrivals. Please notify us as soon as possible if there is a chance your group will not arrive at its scheduled time.
Facilities
The museum regrets that coatroom and lunchroom facilities are not available. However, groups may use the university cafeteria, in the Chicago Circle Center building, which is located directly behind the museum, or make plans to visit one of the ethnic restaurants located in the nearby Italian or Greek communities. The museum does not have public restroom facilities; restrooms are available in Chicago Circle Center. Please keep this in mind when bringing large groups. Automobile parking is available in two University lots directly across from the museum for a fee of $1.50 to $7.50, depending upon day of the week, time of the day, and length of stay. Buses may wait in front of the museum if the driver stays with the vehicle.
Pre-tour and Post-tour Suggestions for Teachers
Urban Experience in Chicago: Hull-House and its Neighborhoods, 1889 - 1963
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