Overview
Olympic History on the Move!
The Lake Placid Olympic Museum’s traveling trunk is a mini-museum packed with excitement, ready to journey straight into your classroom! Filled with artifacts, hands-on activities, and engaging lesson plans, this educational outreach program brings the inspiring history of the Olympic Winter Games to life. The traveling trunk is available for two-week rentals and may be checked out for free. Trunks may be picked up at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum or sent to your school for the cost of shipping.
A traveling trunk includes:
- A curriculum guide, activities, and lesson plans based on New York State Learning Standards
- Background information and supplemental activities
- Hands-on objects
Trunk Details
Mythical Mascots: The Legendary Tales Behind the Olympic Icons
Tasked with creating Olympic spirit and spreading modern Olympic values, mascots give the Games a festive atmosphere and help promote the host city’s history and culture. The lessons in this trunk encounter five different mascots: 1980 Lake Placid, 1984 Sarajevo, 1994 Lillehammer, 2010 Vancouver, and 2024 Paris. Trunk activities focus on building students’ critical thinking skills as they examine various forms of media and contemplate how the mascots have influenced the cultures they are a part of.
The “Mythical Mascots” traveling trunk is tailored for students in grades 3rd—5th and aligned with the New York State learning standards.
Corresponding subjects: social studies, English language arts, and visual arts.
Checkout & Return Process
- Reserving the Trunk
Once you submit the trunk request form, a museum staff member will check the trunk’s availability. If the trunk has not been reserved for that week, we make your reservation and send you a confirmation email to review. If the trunk is unavailable, our staff will email you the dates that it is available. - Reservation Period
Trunks are reserved for two weeks at a time; each additional week for a late trunk arrival is $25.00. - Delivery Methods
In-Person Pick-Up and Drop-Off
Please mark on the request form if you will do an in-person pickup and return for the traveling trunk. All pickups and returns are handled at the Olympic Center Box Office located at 2634 Main Street, Lake Placid, NY, 12946. The main entrance to the Olympic Center is at the corner of Main Street and Cummings Road, underneath a large outdoor balcony. Upon arrival to pick up or return a trunk, please let the greeter at the front desk know your name, and they will have a sign-in/sign-out sheet ready for you. Teachers are also welcome to send a friend or family member to pick up or drop off; just be sure they know the teacher’s name.Shipping
If you cannot make the trip to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, the trunk can be shipped to your school for the cost of shipping both ways. Depending on the trunk’s destination, shipping rates are usually $30–60 one way.The trunk weighs approximately 30 lbs and measures 30” x 15.75” x 12.25”. Please be sure you have adequate space in your vehicle and can physically manage the trunk, as our front desk staff cannot leave their stations to assist teachers outside the building. It is a Seward trunk with wheels for easy transportation.
Shipping Address:
Lake Placid Olympic Museum
2634 Main Street
Lake Placid, NY 12946 - Trunk Arrival at School
The traveling trunk includes a checklist, which teachers must fill out when they receive the trunk and before they return it. The checklist ensures that lost or broken items are accounted for. You are responsible for all items in the trunk. If an item is missing or broken upon arrival, you must contact the Lake Placid Olympic Museum at (518) 310-5326 or at [email protected] within two days of receiving your trunk. Before you use any of the materials in the trunk, it is suggested that you reference the inventory found in the Teacher’s Guide. The school will be invoiced if the trunk is returned with missing or broken items not reported. - Planning for the Shipping Return or In-Person Return
Your traveling trunk is reserved for two weeks and contains five lesson plans for you to complete with your students over that duration. This two-week period should also include the time it takes to return the trunk to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, whether shipping or returning it in person. If you are returning the trunk via shipping, please email [email protected] to alert them that the trunk is on its way to Lake Placid.
FAQ
How long is my traveling trunk reservation for?
Traveling trunk reservations are two-week rentals.
How does shipping work?
If you cannot make the trip to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, the trunk can be shipped to your school for the cost of shipping both ways. Depending on the trunk’s destination, shipping rates are usually $30–60 one way.
The trunk weighs approximately 30 lbs and measures 30” x 15.75” x 12.25”. Please be sure you have adequate space in your vehicle and can physically manage the trunk, as our front desk staff cannot leave their stations to assist teachers outside the building. It is a Seward trunk with wheels for easy transportation.
Shipping Address:
Lake Placid Olympic Museum
2634 Main Street
Lake Placid, NY 12946
What is inside the traveling trunk?
A traveling trunk includes:
- A curriculum guide, activities, and lesson plans based on New York State Learning Standards
- Background information and supplemental activities
- Hands-on objects
What is the traveling trunk policy for lost items?
You are responsible for all items in the trunk. If an item is missing or broken upon arrival, you must contact the Lake Placid Olympic Museum at (518) 310-5326 or [email protected] within two days of receiving your trunk. Before you use any of the materials in the trunk, it is suggested that you reference the inventory found in the Teacher’s Guide. The school will be invoiced if the trunk is returned with missing or broken items not reported.
Is there a late fee?
Trunks are reserved for two weeks at a time; each additional week for a late trunk arrival is $25.00 USD.
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