Living History Programs

MAC offers living history programs in the classroom and assembly hall, as well as for community groups and senior centers. If you require a more specialized program on the Victorian Era, MAC will try to customize one to fit your needs. MAC encourages schools and districts to plan a series of coordinated experiences for their students for maximum educational impact.

A Visit with Dr. Emlen Physick: Dr. Physick in costume presents a brief introduction to himself, his family, his estate, Cape May, and the Victorian Era, and answers questions about his personal life and the history and lifestyle of the Victorians. Lots of interaction is encouraged, with students asked to explain modern concepts to the Victorian doctor.

A Visit with the Physick Family: Dr. Physick brings his mother and aunt to pay a call. The ladies provide a window into the world of Victorian women, while the good doctor equally represents the masculine domain of the era.

A Visit With John Philip Sousa: A costumed interpreter and expert musician visits your class or band as John Philip Sousa, the Victorian March King.  Sousa tells of his life and music and places an equal emphasis on the value of being a musician. He plays an authentic Victorian Helicon, the ancestor of the Sousaphone and tuba.

The Temperance Tempest:  During the late Victorian Period, the issues of temperance and prohibition were as much “hot topics” in Cape May as they were in the rest of the country. This living history program presents a debate between a local saloonkeeper and a representative of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union that is moderated by Dr. Physick. At the conclusion, your class may question the participants before having to vote for one position or the other.

For specific information and to schedule programs, contact:

Museum Education Coordinator
Dr. Robert E. Heinly
609-884-5404, Ext. 134
rheinly@capemaymac.org