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A group of people at the Nicollet County Historical Society Treaty Site History Center sit in rows of chairs, watching a projected black-and-white image of a Native American man; the screen reads, “TO MOVE THEIR VILLAGES.”.
School Field Trips
Plan Your Class Visit to the Treaty Site History Center
The Treaty Site History Center invites teachers to bring their students for an engaging, standards-aligned exploration of Dakota culture, treaties, and settlement in Minnesota. Our program brings the stories from their textbook to life through guided tours of our award-winning exhibit about the 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux.
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Field Trips at a Glance
- Grades: 5 and up
- Length: 60 minutes
- Cost: $4 per student · Free for Nicollet County schools, teachers, and chaperones
- Group size: 10+ (suggested 20 per guide)
- Not recommended for grades 4 and under
What Students Will Learn
Students observe exhibits that illustrate how geography, culture, and government decisions shaped Minnesota’s past. Guided by interpreters, they will:
- Explore how the Minnesota River influenced where people lived and interacted.
- Learn how Dakota values, Odakota (the Way of Being), reciprocity, and Hunka, guided community life.
- Examine the 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux from multiple perspectives and consider its long-term impacts.
- Connect local stories to broader themes in Minnesota’s settlement and statehood.
Aligned with Minnesota Academic Standards for Social Studies (history, geography, citizenship, and others).
The Experience
Students take part in a guided tour through the museum’s exhibits, where interpreters share stories that connect Northern Lights curriculum lessons to real people and places from Minnesota’s past. The tour focuses on Dakota life, the 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, and how geography and government decisions shaped settlement across the region.
After the guided portion, students may explore the museum independently.
Plan Your Visit
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Scheduling
Available Tuesday–Friday,
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Please schedule at least three weeks in advance. -
Group Size & Chaperones
Recommended 20 students per guide. Chaperone ratio: 1:5 for grades K-6, 1:7 for grades 7-12.
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Accessibility & Facilities
Indoor exhibits are fully accessible. Click for more accessibility information.
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Questions?
Contact Jessica Becker,
Executive Director
507-934-2160
director@nchsmn.org
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A long Native American ceremonial pipe with a decorated beaded cover is displayed in a museum case, with historical information panels and various artifacts arranged behind and below it.
Ready to schedule your field trip?