Because historical objects have a powerful presence, they can be equally powerful as educational tools. Historic sites and the professionals who staff them are uniquely qualified to deal with these objects and their context. By teaching students methods of interpreting artifacts and documents, youngsters can develop higher-level cognitive skills that will serve them well all their lives. "The Museum Connection" is an educational program designed to teach these skills. It consists of three distinct projects. The first set, which includes pre- and post-tests, has among others the following purposes: (1) to compare and contrast the use of rooms and appliances available in mid-nineteenth century homes with those in modern homes; (2) to describe a scenario of what life would be like if a "black-out" occurred; (3) to be introduced to the procedure taken in reading a historical document such as a will or an account book; (4) to role-play a tea-party of the time period; (5) to create and evaluate a family tree; (6) to be introduced to the Minerva Society; (7) to experience what school was like in the nineteenth century; and (8) to compare and contrast children's games of the past to present-day games. (BZ)