Educator Resources

Professional Development

Join National Archives educators in Washington, DC, for Professional Development Opportunities.

Summer Institutes

Primary Sources and Project-Based Learning at the National Archives: A Summer Institute from Maryland Humanities and the National Archives

Annually, end of July
Hybrid format, on-site at the National Archives
Free, advance registration required

We will welcome K-12 educators to join us in Washington, DC, for a research experience focused on exploring the National Archives. Participants will choose a research topic and use primary sources from the National Archives' physical and online collections. Learn about the National History Day theme, and complete your own mini-research project to take back to your classroom. Explore free teaching resources including DocsTeach from the National Archives and Maryland Humanities' TPS Inquiry Kits. Participants will spend three days on-site at the Archives and will participate remotely mid-week.
Participants will receive complimentary lunch during on-site days as well as a $50 travel stipend.

Now accepting registrations for the Summer 2023 program!

Teaching Difficult Histories with Primary Sources and Portraiture

Annually, early August
On-site at the National Portrait Gallery
Free, advance registration required

How do we teach a balanced, comprehensive, and complex history of the United States? Get ready for the school year with three days of collaborative learning and idea generation on teaching tough topics. Come hear from historians and educators at the National Archives and the National Portrait Gallery as we explore themes of civil rights, immigration and migration, abolition of slavery, the ethics of medicine, and more. Through document analysis and reading portraiture strategies, we'll shine light on previously unknown stories and consider the pressures and motivations that shaped historical controversies. Educators will leave with ideas and ready-to-use activities as they head into the start of the school year.

Interested? Email education[at]nara.gov with "Difficult Histories Summer Institute" in the subject line!

By-Request Educator Workshops

Request a professional development session with National Archives Educators in Washington, DC for an interactive session modeling inquiry-based approaches to teaching with primary source documents.

Archives & Inquiry: Teaching Strategies and Resources from the National Archives

Free, by request only
On-site at the National Archives Museum

Educators may request a professional development workshop with National Archives Educators in Washington, DC, to visit the Rotunda, explore inquiry-based teaching strategies, and discover how to bring National Archives resources and programs into their classroom.
For groups of 10-25 participants.

For more information or to request this free program, email education[at]nara.gov with “Archives and Inquiry” in the subject line.

Presidential Libraries

Most of our museums have reopened with limited hours and timed tickets. Reopenings and continued operation rely on local public health metrics. Please check the website of the Presidential Library you are interested in visiting below.

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum (West Branch, IA)