Tours
Self-Guided Tours at the Museum
Visitors may take a self-guided tour of the museum through our six galleries during normal operating hours.
Masks are encouraged inside the museum and when unable to maintain a 6-foot distance from other guests
All tours are self-guided during this time unless a guided tour is scheduled in advance
Please wash/sanitize your hands upon entering
Maintain a 6-foot distance from other guests and staff throughout the museum
The Shaker Historical Society cannot guarantee that any visitor will not contract COVID-19 while on SHS premises. By visiting SHS, all visitors voluntarily assume all risks related to COVID-19 exposure and accept and agree to abide by these guidelines and all other signage posted on SHS premises.
Guided Group Tours at the Museum
Guided group tours are back at Shaker Historical Society!
We are excited to welcome back group tours for 2-25 visitors throughout the Shaker Historical Society Museum and Elizabeth Nord Library in 2023. Tours are suited for a general audience and can be customized to focus on academic or specific interests. Tours will be led by SHS staff and must be scheduled at minimum 10 business days prior to the tour. Tours last 60-90 minutes.
Your guided tour will cover approximately 150 years of local history, from the founding of the North Union Shaker colony to the development of Shaker Village as a garden community outside Cleveland to the civil rights movement in Shaker Heights. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view items from the archival collections of the Elizabeth Nord Library.
Tour Fees*:
$50: 2-9 guests
$100: 10-19 guests
$125: 20-25 guests
Tours are a great opportunity to learn more about your community, better understand the Shaker Heights story in regional and national contexts, and connect with your fellow tour attendees!
Ready to schedule a tour? Complete this form and a Shaker Historical Society staff member will be in touch in 3-5 business days to confirm your tour.
Questions? Please contact Julie Kaufman, Education and Outreach Manager, at education@shakerhistory.org.
Note: Advanced notice must be given to view specific archival items or for the tour to cover specific topics. Select objects may be unavailable due to archival conservation practices.
*SHS members receive 10% off of group tours and field trips. Please contact education@shakerhistory.org for more information.
Self-Guided Tours in the Community
If you are interested in learning about Shaker Heights at your convenience, please download one of our driving or bike tours:
We also offer self-guided tours of Warrensville West Cemetery as part of our collaboration with the City of Shaker Heights and the Shaker Heights Public Library Local History Department to preserve the second-oldest cemetery in Cuyahoga County. You can learn more about this collaboration here.
May 2022 Tour - Researched/developed in part by Liah Townsley and Dohwan Kim as part of the Humanities@Work Micro-Internship Initiative through CWRU's Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities