Skip to Main Content

American Heritage Center: Class Research Visits

A guide about the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center, where patrons can explore and conduct research in primary source collections.

Class Visits

We welcome instructors to bring classes to the American Heritage Center and our staff is eager to work with instructors to make every class visit an exciting and productive experience. To that end, we ask that instructors comply with the guidelines pertaining to scheduling classes or giving class assignments involving American Heritage Center resources that can be found here. University of Wyoming faculty can find additional information about instructional and other resources by visiting our Resources for UW Faculty page. Elementary, middle, and high school instructors who wish to bring their classes to the AHC can learn more by visiting our Resources for K-12 Educators page.

We offer the following services to instructors and classes:

  • Bibliographic Classes to assist students in learning how to use the reading room resources and conduct primary research.
  • Topics Classes to introduce students to collection material in our holdings relevant to a particular topic of interest
  • Research Classes to assist students in utilizing primary documents and other collection materials for personal or directed research.
  • Tours to acquaint students with the American Heritage Center, its various departments and its resources.
  • Course or Unit Development Assistance to provide assistance to instructors wishing to develop full courses or instructional units based on AHC collection materials.

Instructors wishing to bring classes to the American Heritage Center must schedule a time for their visit at least two weeks in advance. To schedule a class visit to the American Heritage Center, please complete our online form. Please note that due to space and staffing limitations, the American Heritage Center is unable to accommodate drop-in classes.

We look forward to working with you and your classes. We can provide your students with unique archival material related to a variety of topics. Providing broad access to those materials is an AHC hallmark. Our Digital Collections allow faculty and students to view archival collections from the classroom or home.

Getting Started

To take advantage of the the educational opportunities offered by the AHC's collections, start by determining the type of assignment and research topic you’d like your students to explore.

Once you’ve selected a topic and assignment type, contact the AHC Reference Department at ahcref@uwyo.edu or 307-766-3756. The Reference Department can help by scheduling a bibliographic instruction session to introduce your students to archival research. They can also assist in identifying specific collections relevant to your class. For best results, we recommend visiting the AHC yourself to review these materials and ensure their suitability. After you’ve finalized your assignment, identified materials, and reserved time for your students to access the AHC, you’ll be ready to proceed.

Please note that the AHC cannot accommodate walk-in classes. We require at least two weeks’ notice to schedule a bibliographic instruction session.

For more information on resources and services available to University of Wyoming faculty here.

The AHC welcomes visits by elementary, junior high, and high school classes. Start by identifying the type of project or research topic you’d like your students to explore, aligning it with the AHC’s archival collections.

Once you’ve selected a topic, contact the AHC Reference Department at ahcref@uwyo.edu or 307-766-3756 to schedule a class visit or tour or fill out our online form here.

Tours, typically lasting 20 to 30 minutes, provide an overview of our main storage area, the second-floor loggia, and the reading room. Additionally, we offer hands-on activities to help students learn how to engage with primary source materials, building their research skills. For grades 6-12, the AHC also supports participation in National History Day, offering students a chance to conduct archival research and present their findings.

Please note that all visits and sessions must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance, as we cannot accommodate walk-in classes.

For more information about resources and services for K-12 educators, click here.

Class Assignments

We welcome instructors to give class assignments that utilize the resources at the AHC. However, due to staff limitations and the unique procedures required for patron access and use of AHC collection materials, there are some guidelines to follow that can be found here.