Group Visits

All inquires and forms can be sent to Site Manager, Morgan Bengel at Morgan.Bengel@ct.gov. 

Adult Groups

  • Admission is $10 per person.
  • By appointment only.
  • Hour long private tours are available upon request.
  • Tours include 30 minutes in the mine and 30 minutes above ground.  
  • Please submit a Group Visit Form. 

Student Groups

  • Student groups include all students first grade through college. 
  • By appointment only.
  • Admission is $7 per student and chaperone.
  • Admission is free for teachers and professors.
  • High school and college trips are individualized to fit the specific needs of each group.
  • All elementary and middle school groups can select an 1.5 hour program of their choice. 
  • Capacity is 60 students, divided into groups of 10. 
  • All activities and tours were developed using the Connecticut Social Studies Frameworks, 
    and Connecticut Next Generation Science Standards. 
  • Check out the Field Trip Guide. 
  • Please submit a Group Visit Form. 

Education Programs 

Daily Life at New-Gate (1st – 4th)
With this combination of tours and activities, students will learn more about life at New-Gate both as a mine and prison. Students will be asked to step into the shoes of the miners and try their luck at finding ore, and then transition to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the site as a prison. Through conversation and hands-on components, students will gain a better understanding of how humans engage with their natural environment, as well as their communities.

Perspectives at New-Gate (5th- 8th)
Engaging with New-Gate’s complex history, students will explore the site through the perspectives of the people that once lived there. Students will gain a better understanding of different viewpoints and how they contribute to the history we know.

Natural Resources at New-Gate (1st- 4th)
This program will give students the opportunity to learn about natural resources and the mining process at the site of a previously operational copper mine. Above ground, students will explore the renewable and non-renewable resources needed to build the prison. Through discussion and discovery the students will have a better understanding of New-Gate’s history and the natural resources that have shaped the site.

Ecosystems at New-Gate (5th- 8th)
In this program students will explore Old New-Gate through a scientific lens and gain a better understanding of ecosystems. Having the opportunity to study an ecosystem both above and below ground will emphasize the ways in which humans have and can influence ecosystems. As an animal that utilizes the mine and surface, bats will be the primary case study to fully understand ecosystems.