Massie Heritage Interpretation Center

Savannah, Georgia

Usage: Active

Specific programs are designed for school age children and for adults interested in aspects of historic Savannah.

Participants:• Average daily traffic: 30-

60 visitors per day• Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm

• Elementary, Middle, High School Students

• Open to general public

Programs offered:

• Heritage Classroom: Step back in time to an authentic 19th century classroom

• Savannah’s City Plan: A unique exhibit that details the environment in which Savannah was created

• Victorian Era: The Victorian exhibit illustrates the architectural styles of the time period as created by prominent architects for Savannah

• Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage shows the original architectural styles in the history of western civilization and places them in context with Savannah’s architectural treasures

• The Debatable Lands: This exhibit informs visitors about the history of coastal Georgia and Savannah prior to General Oglethorpe’s arrival in 1733

Accessibility:

• Main Entrance: Locked: Must ring bell for attendant.• Walled perimeter

Accessibility: Modes of Transportation:

• Private car• Walk• Bike• Public Transportation• School Bus

Accessibility: Path of Travel

• No wheelchair ramp at building front

• Metered/on street parking

Accessibility: areas beyond entrance

• Wheelchair accessible ramp in rear of building

• No ramps or elevators to upper floors

• Narrow hallways• Floors are very slippery

when wet

Accessibility: signage

Signs in English only

Signs at exhibits are informational only

Guest book at entryway

Printed materials at entryway

Impressions: landscape

• Manicured landscape• Within a historic urban area

Mission and Philosophy

Massie Heritage Interpretation Center serves as a collection of teaching installations designed to facilitate instruction and to enhance learning for students in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. Through participation in programs at the Massie Heritage Center; students will gain a greater understanding of community, citizenship, and character. 

Mission is supported by appropriate program offerings

Program Examples

Field Trip ProgramsThe Massie Heritage Interpretation Center offers many field trip programs, which give students of all ages the opportunity to encounter their heritage in a variety ways. Students from lower elementary to high school can enjoy and benefit from the programs that Massie has to offer.

Savannah in the Civil WarGrades 4 - 12Through the use of artifacts, primary sources, and hands-on activities, students will examine the effects of the Civil War on Savannah, Georgia, and the entire nation. Students will become acquainted with the events and leading personalities of the war as seen through the eyes of Savannahians and national figures of the time. The program can be utilized as a starting point or enrichment activity in a study of the Antebellum Period, the Civil Ware, or Reconstruction. This is a flexible program that can be conducted either at Massie or at your school.2 hour program$4 per student

Savannah by the SquaresGrades 6 - 12This program is designed to give students an appreciation of the Historic Landmark District of Savannah. The program begins in Massie's City Plan Room where students are given an overview of the plan for the city of Savannah. Students will then be given a fully narrated tour of the squares on Bull and Abercorn Streets highlighting the people, buildings, and events associated with each square. This is a very flexible program in that teachers may have it customized to a particular set of squares.2 hour program$4 per student

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Risk Management

• Written plan exists• Emergency exit map posted in public areas• Staff training for emergency situations is thorough• Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, emergency phones are available throughout

facilities• Critical incident reports filed with the school board office• Security cameras in use• Campus police patrol• Main entrance is locked during operating hours and when closed• Motion detectors installed• One-way doors (open from inside only)

• Separate staircases for boys and girls used to evacuate quickly• Exit signs above all doors leading out• Fire escapes from upper floors lead to grassy area in back of facility

Risk Management: obvious hazards

• Many steep staircases• Wooden floors slippery

when wet• Metal fire escapes are

outdated and not secure

• Electrical wiring needs to be updated

Outdoor Spaces/Facilities• Small garden area used as staging area

(lines) for outdoor bathroom use (no indoor bathrooms available to guests).

Finance• Initial building project funded by endowment (1841).• School has been in continuous operation since 1856.• Operation expenses subsidized by the public school system.• Educational program grants, donations, and volunteer efforts

enable continued viability of Massie school.• Modest program fees ($3) offset additional costs.

Annual May day festivities held at Massie School

Program Facilities

Program Facilities

Program Facilities

Program Facilities