Educational Programs

School Field Trips

We can customize a tour of the Two Rivers property to engage your students on the rich history of the property.  This can be tailored to K-12 as well as college level groups.

The cost for the school group (students, educators, and chaperones) on these special visit days is complementary, as we hope to provide this experience as a service to the greater Nashville community. The Friends of Two Rivers is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so if your school or any participant in the tour wishes to support our initiatives through a donation, we certainly would be happy to accept, although that is in no way a requirement to participate.

Students are welcome to bring their own lunch after the tour. There are no picnic facilities; however, we do have two large porches to enjoy if the weather is nice. Inside tables and chairs can also be set up in case of bad weather.

From Enslaved to Freedom – The Slavery Experience at Two Rivers

Enjoy a guided tour of the Mansion and the 1802 House, then return to the Parlor for a more in-depth discussion about the plantation system in the antebellum south and the lives of the enslaved persons at Two Rivers Mansion and other plantations. The mission of this tour is to give students a working vocabulary with which to discuss this difficult chapter of American History as well as provide an understanding of the lives of the enslaved persons who worked here. Program cost is $25 for adults and $15 for 15 and under.

Indigenous Peoples and the Frontier

 Two Rivers is most well known as a Civil War era home; however, this program will discuss the earliest inhabitants of the property — long before the big house was ever built. We will start with an in-depth look at the Mississippian Culture, whose ‘stone-box’ graves have been uncovered on property. From there, we will move on to the 1802 House, for an extended look at what life in early Nashville might have been like on the “Frontier”. A tour of Two Rivers Mansion will follow. Program cost is $25 for adults and $15 for 15 and under.

Irish Heritage in Antebellum Nashville

A unique program that incorporates stories and song to chronicle the oft overlooked Irish immigrant presence in Antebellum Nashville, from the city’s early days up to the American Civil War. This is ideal for a group of 25 or more. This program can be hosted at Two Rivers Mansion or at an off-site location in the Middle Tennessee area. This program also requires a two-month notice for booking due to its unique nature and scheduling requirements. Program cost is $25 for adults and $15 for 15 and under.

Art & Architecture of Two Rivers

Enjoy a guided tour of one of the earliest and best preserved of the ornate Italianate houses in Middle Tennessee, with particular focus on the Art and the Architectural elements of Two Rivers Mansion.

We will discuss Southern Portraiture and the role of both art and architecture in Antebellum Cultural History, as well as posthumous Portraiture and Photography in both the American Civil War and the Victorian Era. Program cost is $30 per person. The tour typically takes about 90-120 minutes.

For some further architecture information, visit the Two Rivers Mansion History section of our website.