Join us for our first Home School Days of 2024 on January 26 and February 9! During these home school days, participants will learn about what life was like for New Englanders during the cold, long winter. What food and drink warmed their souls, and what clothing kept them safe from the chill? How did they stay entertained, and what work was necessary during this time of year?Home School Days offer you and your family the opportunity to explore the Village and participate in hands-on activities. Sign up for a workshop or explore the Village on your own using one of our many self-guides and scavenger hunts, available at both Museum Education and the Visitor Center.
Admission and Ticketing
On Home School Day, homeschoolers (ages 4-17) get in at the discounted rate $12 and one adult is admitted per home school youth at the discounted rate of $17. Additional adults above the 1-to-1-ratio are admitted at the full rate of $30. As always, members get into the Village for free.
Workshops are an additional fee.
details and program registration
Candle-making:
A Messy Yet Necessary Winter Chore
Candle-making was an important winter task for early 19th-century New Englanders. The process of making candles for the year often disrupted the normal organization of the kitchen for a little while, but it was a necessary inconvenience. Winter was the ideal time for this important chore, as the most economical way to make candles was with tallow (purified beef or mutton fat), which was readily available after winter butchering. In addition, the cold winter temperatures helped freshly dipped candles harden, making them burn brighter and more efficiently. In urban areas, commercial producers often sold candles made of tallow, bayberry, or spermaceti (which was derived from the heads of Sperm Whales).
Costumed historians are making candles in the Small House most open days during the winter. Be sure to also stop by For the Purpose of Illumination, an exhibit showcasing an assortment of early lighting devices like lard lamps, kerosene lamps, burning fluid, candles, and more. Old Sturbridge Village is currently open Friday – Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
