How to Book
Advance bookings are required for all programs.
To book, contact us at 780-427-1787, or for toll-free calling within Alberta dial 310-0000 first. For deaf or hearing impaired calling, please dial 780-427-9999 in Edmonton, or 1-800-232-7215 from other locations.
School programs are offered Wednesday through Friday, with both morning and afternoon slots available.
When booking a program:
- Preferred start times for programs are at 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., or 1:00 p.m.
- For groups larger than 35 students, please contact us regarding customized program options.
- As of September 2024, split programs (back-to-back hour-long programs) may be available for an additional $50 fee.
- Due to building capacity, we cannot host programs of more than 50 students.
Payment and invoicing will be dealt with at the end of the program. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, cheques, and debit. Cheques should be made payable to: Government of Alberta, Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site.
Kindergarten to Grade 7
Upstairs, Downstairs (Grades 4-7)
The Rutherfords welcome you into their home. Your students arrive as guests for one of Mrs. Rutherford's "At Home" tea parties, and settle in to discuss the war, the latest fashions, or the new movie at the Princess Theatre with a member of the Rutherford household. A mix-up brings the guests into the kitchen with the maid, and before Mrs. Rutherford comes home they will see parts of the house that the public is never supposed to see.
Explore life in 1916, upstairs and downstairs.Our role-played programs bring young guests face to face with the past as they meet costumed characters acting as if it is really 1916. Students are invited to act along with us to dramatize the past. Role-played programs are available for morning bookings only.
Grades: 4 to 7
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 15 students; Maximum 35 students
Curriculum Connections
Alberta: The Land, Histories and Stories;
- Canada: The Land, Histories and Stories; Democracy: Action and Participation;
- Canada: Origins, Histories and Movement of People
Hot Off the Press! (Grades 4-7)
Students become "reporters" and get the inside scoop on Alberta's news of the day as they meet members of the Rutherford household.
Your class will learn about war-time issues and how Alberta became a province, and have the opportunity to ask their own questions in a press conference. The reporters will leave with all the facts they need to write a newspaper article about what they've seen and heard. "Hot Off the Press" requires some advance classroom preparation. We will provide you with materials to aid in this process.
Our role-played programs bring young guests face to face with the past as they meet costumed characters acting as if it is really 1916. Students are invited to act along with us to dramatize the past. Role-played programs are available for morning bookings only. Call us for program options.
Grades: 4 to 7
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 15 students; Maximum 35 students
Curriculum Connections
- Alberta: The Land, Histories and Stories;
- Canada: The Land, Histories and Stories; Democracy: Action and Participation;
- Canada: Origins, Histories and Movement of People
Rutherford House Mouse (Preschool)
Explore this historic home of the Rutherford family... from the perspective of the Rutherford House Mouse. Rutherford Mouse is shy and he is hiding. Where could he be? While looking for our furry friend, children play games, listen to a story, make a craft, and learn about long ago.
Grades: Preschool
Total time: 1 hour
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students; Maximum 35 students
Young Ones and Yesterdays (Kindergarten)
Visit the home of the Rutherford family and discover what they did for family fun. Explore this magnificent house to see what is different from your own. Discuss how the Rutherfords opened their home to the community. During this multi-sensory adventure, the children bake cookies on the wood-burning stove, make a craft, and learn about families, communities, and traditions of long ago.
Grades: Kindergarten
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 15 students; Maximum 35 students
Curriculum Connections
- Being Together: I Belong
Edmonton in the Past (Grades 1-5)
Communities are a very important part of who we are. Discover how the community of Edmonton has changed over the last century. How has it stayed the same? How did the Rutherford family influence their community? As the students tour Rutherford House, they will make history come alive by following an old-fashioned recipe in the historic kitchen, by creating a traditional craft and imagining the sights, sounds, and people of Edmonton in the past.
Grades: 1 to 5
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 15 students; Maximum 35 students
Curriculum Connections
Citizenship: Belonging and Connecting; Communities of Canada;
- Alberta: The Land, Histories and Stories;
- Canada: The Land, Histories and Stories
Junior & Senior High
Rutherford House Tour (Grades 7-12)
Our basic tours include information about the Rutherford family and their political and domestic lives, a discussion of issues like WWI and the role of women, and an exploration of how the city and province grew and changed through the beginning of the 20th century.
Examine how the Rutherfords influenced the social, economic, and political environments of this new province. Set against the backdrop of this beautiful Edwardian-era mansion, this program can be adapted to include additional activities, such as baking cookies or playing croquet, for an additional charge.
Grades: 7 to 12
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students; Maximum 35 students
Curriculum Connections
Canada: Origins, Histories and Movement of People;
- Canada: Opportunities and Challenges
Upstairs, Downstairs (Grades 7-12)
The Rutherfords welcome you into their home. Your students arrive as guests for one of Mrs. Rutherford's "At Home" tea parties, and settle in to discuss the war, the latest fashions, or the new movie at the Princess Theatre with a member of the Rutherford household. But a mix-up brings the guests into the kitchen with the maid, and before Mrs. Rutherford comes home they will see parts of the house that the public is never supposed to see. Explore life in 1916, upstairs and downstairs.
Our dramatic programs bring students face to face with costumed characters acting as though it is really 1916. Students may bring along their own characters and improvise with us in our journey through the past. These programs are available for morning bookings; they are not offered in the afternoon.
Grades: 7 to 12
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students; Maximum 30 students
Curriculum Connections
- Canada: Origins, Histories and Movement of People;
- Canada: Opportunities and Challenges
A Mind to Murder (Grades 7-12)
Murder is in the air at the Edwardian-era estate of Beulah Mae Briggs, and students become detectives in this creative drama project. The investigators will interrogate members of our fictional household, explore the scene of the crime, and attempt to unravel a mystery of love, jealousy, money, and murder. Once the investigations are complete the detectives will come together to share their conclusions and make their accusations.
Our dramatic programs bring students face to face with costumed characters acting as though it is really 1916. Students may bring along their own characters and improvise with us in our journey through the past. These programs are available for morning bookings; they are not offered in the afternoon.
Grades: 7 to 12
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students; Maximum 30 students
Curriculum Connections
Canada: Origins, Histories and Movement of People;
- Canada: Opportunities and Challenges
Special Needs
Rutherford House is open to small Special Needs group programming on Mondays to accommodate longer program times if necessary. Most Rutherford House programs and tours are available and can be modified to meet your group’s requirements. Please give us a call to discuss what we can do for you!
Cost is $4.50 per student with additional activities
Minimum 10 students; maximum 35 students
Preferred start times for programs are at 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., or 1:15 p.m.
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, cheque, and debit are accepted. Cheques should be made payable to: Government of Alberta, Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site.
Payment and issuing of receipts will be dealt with at the end of the program.
Education Programs - Seasonal
Hallowe'en Howl (Grades K-3)
Don't be scared! This Halloween we are offering very special tricks and treats for your young ghosts and goblins.
Your little pumpkins will bake a ghostly treat on our wood-burning stove, hear a spooky story, and enjoy Halloween surprises as they explore this magnificent historic home. Learn more about the Rutherford family, their community, and the Halloween customs of their time.
Grades: Kindergarten to 3
Dates available: Oct. 28-31, 2018
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students, Maximum 35 students
Christmas Past (Grades K-4)
Discover the Christmas traditions of the Rutherford family and a bygone era.
Your class will learn why the Rutherfords did not have a Christmas tree, and what toys Cecil and Hazel played with. Learn about the Christmas Day tradition of a community hockey match.
Children will make a traditional recipe in the kitchen, create a craft to take home, and discover what customs have lasted a century and more.
Grades: Kindergarten to 4
Dates available: Nov. 18 to Dec. 19, 2018
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students, Maximum 35 students
Call Me Sweetheart (Grades K-4)
Valentine's Day isn't just about candy and hearts. It's a time to reflect on being kind to others in your home, your school, and your community.
Children will learn about old-fashioned manners, make cookies to share, and create a craft that is made to be given way to someone you care about.
Grades: Kindergarten to 4
Dates available: Feb. 3-13
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students, Maximum 35 students
Spring into Easter (Grades K-4)
The Rutherfords loved to garden, so springtime was a time of renewal and growth. It was also a time to reconnect with the community and to share garden space.
Learn how the Rutherford family said goodbye to winter and got ready for spring. Bake a spring time treat in the kitchen, take home a spring time craft, and tour Rutherford House while on an old-fashioned egg hunt.
Grades: Kindergarten to 4
Dates available: March 17-27
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students, Maximum 35 students
In the Good Ol' Summer Time (Grades K-6)
Celebrate the end of the school year and say goodbye to your school community the old-fashioned way.
Join the crew at Rutherford House for a game of croquet and explore this magnificent home. Learn about summers long ago filled with fun activities and historic pastimes. Enjoy the pleasures of a bygone era by making lemonade the traditional way.
Grades: Kindergarten to 6
Dates available: May and June
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cost: $4.50 per student
Minimum 10 students, Maximum 35 students