Field Trip to the CSS Neuse Museum

Program Objectives

1.     Students should understand the importance of the CSS Neuse and how its story fits into the overall story of the Civil War in eastern North Carolina.

2.     Students should understand the importance of the technological advancements of the mid-nineteenth century regarding the advent of rifled artillery and ironclad development.

3.     Students should have a basic understanding of shipbuilding practices and the efforts it took to build the CSS Neuse.

4.     Students should clearly understand what life was like in Kinston, North Carolina, during the Civil War for the soldiers and sailors stationed there and for the civilians living in this area.

Field Trip Registration and Pre-Visit Activities

Registration Form: https://tinyurl.com/3eat97d2

Educator's Guide: https://tinyurl.com/pdtby3hs

1.     Teachers may use the Supplemental Lesson Plan: Life Onboard an Ironclad as a pre-visit activity or a stand-alone classroom lesson. Classes preparing for a field trip to the site should familiarize themselves with the two diagrams of the ship found in this lesson and the Glossary of Terms before their visit.

2.     Check out some of the videos on our YouTube channel.

On-Site Activities

The core on-site program lasts 1.5 hours and is customizable. Generally, groups will begin by watching the orientation film, followed by a grade-level-appropriate scavenger hunt, and then one to two activities, depending on the time and the size of the group. Please allow time for bathroom breaks, gift shop sales, and transitions between stations in your planning. Every effort will be made to satisfy your requests. However, staff reserves the right to alter planned programming due to unanticipated staff shortages.

1.     CSS Neuse Orientation Film – This film is 10 minutes long and gives an overview of the history of the CSS Neuse from design and construction through the recovery in the 1960s.

2.     Scavenger Hunt- Each scavenger hunt is colorful and full of graphics. The suggested K-2 scavenger hunt has items or images that the students must find in the museum. Our other scavenger hunt requires each group of students to read, answer questions, complete a word search, and more! Most groups spend 25-30 minutes completing the scavenger hunt. 

3.     Activities- Please review the Educator’s Guide to decide on the activities you would like for your students to participate in during their field trip. Most teachers select one to two activities, depending on the time and the size of the group. 

Homeschool Families 

The CSS Neuse Museum offers monthly homeschool day programs from September through April each year. Programs run from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Pre-registration is required. The activity fee is $2.00 plus tax per student. Ages 3 and under are free. If you cannot attend one of the homeschool day events, but you would still like to schedule a field trip to the CSS Neuse Museum, please email Rachel at rachel.kennedy@dncr.nc.gov. 

September Homeschool Day

Join us for our first CSS Neuse Museum Homeschool Day for the 2025-2026 school year on September 11, 2025! We will be showcasing some of our new scavenger hunts and some new hands-on activities! After everyone has registered, our team will assign each student to a group for the field trip. Make sure you include the Co-op or group you would like to be with on the registration form.

Registration link: https://tinyurl.com/2kzamtw9

Registration will close on September 8 at 11:30 pm.

If you have any questions, please email Rachel at rachel.kennedy@dncr.nc.gov

October 2025-April 2026 Homeschool Day Programs

Join us for our homeschool day programs for the 2025-2026 school year! After everyone has registered, our team will assign each student to a group for the field trip. Please ensure that you include the Co-op or group you would like to be with on the registration form. You can register for all the homeschool day programs at once or on a monthly basis.

Dates and Themes:

October 8- Espionage
November 5- NC Ironclads and Civil War Weapons
December 17- Victorian Christmas
January 15- Environmental Education
February 12- NC History
March 12- Women's History
April (TBD)- NC Government

For each of these programs, staff from other NC Historic Sites, other state agencies, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations will assist in creating engaging experiences for your homeschool student(s). We aim to include as many hands-on activities as possible. Each station will last approximately twelve minutes, and families will have the opportunity to rotate through several stations. Occasionally, we will also feature a guest speaker, with additional details sent out prior to the program.

The cost is $2.00 plus tax per student. Beginning in October, admission for adults will be free, but everyone will still need to register. Ages 3 and under are free.

Registration link: https://tinyurl.com/y49amdu7

Registration will close on the Monday preceding the event date, allowing us to organize groups and distribute the list. We will reopen registration after each homeschool day program is finished.

If you have any questions, please email Rachel at rachel.kennedy@dncr.nc.gov.

Homeschool Prom - The Friends of the CSS Neuse Museum plan and host an annual Homeschool Prom in March. This year marked their fourth year of offering a homeschool prom, and it drew 237 homeschoolers from all over North Carolina, as well as a few from Virginia.

The next prom will be on March 21, 2026. Registration will open soon.

Homeschool Graduation - The Friends of the CSS Neuse Museum plan and host an annual homeschool graduation ceremony. Additional details are coming soon!

Outreach

We also offer off-site visits to educators. If you are interested in discussing outreach options, please email Rachel at rachel.kennedy@dncr.nc.gov or call 252-526-9600 ext. 222.

Examples of past offsite visits to classrooms include:

-Presentation on the CSS Neuse and Shipbuilding Activity

-Presentation on Female Spies and Espionage Activity

-Life of a Civil War Soldier or Sailor