Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

School desks at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

W. Parsons Todd valued preserving the history in his community for others to learn about. It's your turn to do the same with your school's history. 

First, you may need to learn more about the history of your school. Historians and history researchers use a few methods to gather information about a topic they are researching. See how many of the methods below are useful to you.

Archeologists study human history through the analysis of artifacts and physical remains.  A lot of information can be learned by looking at the physical evidence left for future researchers. 

At your school you may want to look around for the following: 

Written records left behind can be a wealth of information about a place's past. Archivists and librarians research and maintain written records for cities, states, buildings, etc. To learn more about your school you may try reading some of the following written records: 

Oral history is the study and method of gathering the the voices and stories of people. Typically this work is down with audiotapes or videotapes. To learn more about your school see who you could talk to who may know about your school's history.

As you see which research methods prove helpful for the information available about your school, remember to take notes. This information will be used in later activities in this Resource Kit.

Student Engagement: Preserving Your School's History

Five generations of the Macculloch - Miller - Post family lived at Macculloch Hall. From 1810-1947, this family experienced and participated the events of American history. Learn more about the descendants who lived at Maculloch Hall and their accomplishments by exploring the timeline below.

1812-1949: Who is living at Macculloch Hall?

While he never lived at Macculloch Hall, W. Parsons Todd is an important part of the Museum's history. Click through the slideshow images below to learn more about him. 

W. Parsons Todd

The people who work at museums have choices to make about what stories are told, what artifacts are displayed, and how people tour the spaces. Over the past 75 years,  Macculloch Hall Historical Museum has looked different. Click through the slides below to see past and present ways visitors saw the museum.

Interpreting Macculloch Hall Historical Museum: Then and Now

Pick one of the rooms from the previous activity and compare and contrast them in the Venn Diagram below. Students can write directly on the Venn Diagram using the text tools or download and print a PDF of the page to complete with a pencil. 

Student Engagement: Compare and Contrast MHHM Rooms 

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum has hundreds of objects in the collection. They cannot display all of them at once. It is the job of museum staff to pick the objects that tell relevant and engaging stories about the history associated with the house and those who lived in it. Click through the slideshow to learn about some of the key artifacts on display at the museum.

Key Objects in the Collection

Center Hall, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Student Engagement: Create your Own Museum Exhibit

Think about the role museums have to educate the public on the history of a community as you answer the following questions. 

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Established in 1950, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum has served as Morristown's community museum for 75 years. But how does one family's home go from a place to live to a museum for all? This Resource Kit explores the history of the building, the people who lived in the home, and how a museum was created. Students have the opportunity to research and design their own museum exhibit about their school's history

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

From Home to Museum: How do you Make a Museum?

Student Engagement: Preserving Your School's History

Guiding Question

Your Turn

Putting it Together