Discovery and Education Center

Exploration for all ages at your own pace

When your home school group or field trip finds itself on the grounds of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt NHS, stop in at our Discovery Center in the Carriage House between the home and stables. There are activities for each school level and many of them change each month, while some are there longer term. Explore, create, and show off your work and help others to do the same. Don’t forget, show off your work and inspire others to be creative!
Exploration for all ages at your own paceWhen your home school group or field trip finds itself on the grounds of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt NHS, stop in at our Discovery Center in the Carriage House between the home and stables. There are activities for each school level and many of them change each month, while some are there longer term. Explore, create, and show off your work and help others to do the same. Don’t forget, show off your work and inspire others to be creative!

Need to make a reservation

There is no reservation to utilize the Discovery and Education Center, just come on in and use the resources to learn and discover. It is available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily on days when the park AND park building are open.

 

Available Resources

Two FDR-themed activities will rotate throughout the year

The Four Freedoms Yesterday and Today: Read about the Four Freedoms. Then have students express themselves artistically using the materials provided to draw or write a description of how they would express one of the four freedoms in the 21st century. Prompts are provided in the art center.

Snail mail, Roosevelt style: Look at some examples of postage stamps designed or influenced by President Franklin D Roosevelt while serving in office. Using FDR as an inspiration design your own stamp while adhering to United States Postal Service rules on stamp design. To add to the experience, visit the postal service website to learn the basics of how stamps are created

 

Always available

Sustainability Scramble: Sustainability, what does it mean to you? Stop by and see if our definition matches yours, or if not how would you describe it? You also can take some of the resource cards down and move them to determine how you would categorize them. If you are with family, friends, or classmates perhaps a good natured debate may start. The right answer is the one that comes from you. Different people will have different answers. Talk about your choices and maybe discover a new perspective!

Healthy Parks, Healthy Kids Room — each month a new theme

Reading Nook: Stop in for a quick read. Pick up one of our books to read to your little ones, some you may recognize and others will be new to you. Reading aloud to the youngest children elps promote healthy brain development and has been shown to improve their language and listening skills.

Healthy eating plates: Use the variety of food available on our standing tables and put together healthy meals and figure out different combinations. Cards are available in more than a dozen languages and may help kids to spark an interest in a foreign language.

Maker Space: Have a seat with your preschooler in our mker spce and help them have a fun time creating while they work on their fine motor skills. Materials are available for use in the Discovery Center and each month has a new prompt to help get their creative juices flowing!

Travel Tips

• Parking for buses, vans, and Cars is available at the Home of FDR Visitor Center parking lot.
• Bring your lunches and beverages with you. There are limited covered areas to eat by the Home of FDR visitor center, but no covered areas at Vanderbilt Mansion or Eleanor Roosevelt NHS
• Give yourself atleast a couple of hours to be in the Discovery Center to engage in more than one activity.

What if there is stormy weather?

• During inclement weather, particularly snowstorms and hurricanes, your national parks may be closed. To check if we are open before you visit call us at 845-303-6256.

Need to contact us?

You can call us at 845-303-6256, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or email us at [e-mail]