Located on a country road in rural Canterbury just 20 minutes outside New Hampshire’s state capital in Concord, Canterbury Shaker Village sits on nearly 700 acres, delighting visitors from across the region and beyond.
“The history here is just incredible,” said Executive Director Leslie Nolan, who said the property features thirty historic buildings and an extensive network of nature trails, ponds, and gardens for outdoor exploration.
Established in 1792, Canterbury Shaker Village is one of the oldest, most typical, and most completely preserved of the Shaker Villages. Subscribing to a revolutionary Christianity that shocked their contemporaries, the Shakers challenged nearly every mainstream ideal of American society, believing in communal ownership, pacifism, dancing in worship, equality of the sexes, celibacy, and living simply.
“They thrived here for 200 years,” explained Nolan, who said the last Shaker sister in residence, Ethel Hudson, died in 1992. “Our mission here is to preserve and interpret the legacy of the Shakers, while providing a place for learning, reflection, and renewal of the human spirit.”
This mission is achieved in multiple ways, including indoor and outdoor guided tours that begin on May 14. “On these tours, you will learn about how Shakers impacted agriculture, technology, modern architecture, and design in America,” said Nolan. “The Shakers were very creative and quite unorthodox.”
Another highlight from this year’s season includes Wilderness: Light Sizzles Around Me, an Exhibition by renowned artist Lesley Dill, that will run May 28 – September 11. Featuring a uniquely inspired selection of sculptures and two-dimensional works more than a decade in the making, the exhibition represents Dill’s ongoing investigation into the significant voices and personas of America’s past.
“This is a fantastic exhibit in our beautiful new gallery space,” said Nolan. “We are thrilled to show her work.”
On Thursday, June 23, Canterbury Shaker Village will host Simply Shaker Annual Fundraiser where guests will enjoy an open house, dinner, and celebration under a tent overlooking Turning Mill Pond. An accompanying online auction will also take place June 10 – June 20.
In partnership with New Hampshire Academy of Science, Canterbury Shaker Village will offer Introduction to Scientific Research Program on July 18 – 22 and July 25 – 29 for students, grades 8 – 10.
“This program takes place in our brand new STEM Lab,” said Nolan. “Here, students will learn about scientific planning, instrument techniques, and analytic approaches scientists use in an advanced ethically run research lab.”
In talking about their membership in the New Hampshire Heritage Trail, Nolan said she hopes Canterbury Shaker Village can inspire visitors to explore other member institutions.
“The Trail is a wonderful resource for the state, as each member museum works diligently to not just preserve history, but actively interpret and present it to audiences of varying ages and interests,” she said. “We invite you to experience all The Trail has to offer this season.”
In addition to Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury, member institutions on The Trail are located in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, Merrimack Valley, and Seacoast.
Featuring 18 member institutions throughout New Hampshire, the NH Heritage Museum Trail is active this holiday season, highlighted by a visit from Santa on Saturday, December 12 at the Aviation Museum of NH in Londonderry.
“He will arrive by helicopter at 11 a.m. to visit with children and take their requests outdoors to comply with Covid-19 safety guidelines,” said Executive Director Jeff Rapsis, who noted the event is free. “All children will receive goodie bags, and hot chocolate will be served to help keep everyone warm, too.”
Santa will also open the Aviation Museum’s annual holiday “Festival of Toy Planes and Model Aircraft,” which requires paid admission. The exhibit is made possible in part by support of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Cogswell Benevolent Trust. “The exhibit features a collection of more than 3,500 toy planes from all eras,” added Rapsis. “Santa’s visit and the exhibit offers fun for the whole family, and it will be arranged to meet all Covid-19 public health guidelines.”
In Exeter, the American Independence Museum will host Virtual Holiday Tea, which will also take place on Saturday, December 12, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. As part of the virtual event, which will feature colonial music, participant will receive several colonial recipes suited for a tea and a 1-ounce package of tea from Alchemy & Herbs in Exeter. Children will receive a half-ounce of tea with their ticket.
Tea selections include Bohea (a black tea blend similar to tea drank by colonists) and Liberty Tea (an herbal, no-caffeine blend that uses native herbal blends that allowed patriots to drink tea without purchasing English Tea). Tea pick up can be arranged at the museum at 1 Governors Ln., Exeter, or shipped for $3.
Other upcoming events on the NH Heritage Museum Trail include the Currier Museum of Art’s Veteran Creative Cohorts, which is part of its ongoing Arts for Vets program. During these virtual cohorts, veterans connect socially through art-viewing, creative art activities and guided conversations.
To learn more about Veteran Creative Cohorts, visit currier.org.
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. Member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
On Saturday, December 5 from 10am to 4 pm, the Millyard Museum in Manchester will host Holiday Open House 2020. “Although our annual Holiday Open House will look different this year, we are excited to be able to offer a fun, festive day,” said John Clayton, executive director, Millyard Museum and Manchester Historic Association.
Highlights of the day include free admission, discounts in the museum shop and safe, individualized crafts and activities for kids.
According to Jeff Barraclough, director of operations, the event also represents the last chance to see the exhibit “Manchester’s Urban Ponds.” “This is an incredible exhibit that highlights the surprisingly unique history of many ponds in Manchester,” he said.
He added that Holiday Open House 2020 is representative of what visitors can see at many museums along the NH Heritage Museum Trail. “This holiday season, museums across New Hampshire are working hard to provide fun, safe activities for people of all ages to enjoy,” said Barraclough, who is also president of The Trail. “This event is just a small example of the many events happening on The Trail that celebrate the season.”
For advanced registration, contact the Millyard Museum at (603) 622-7531 or history@manchesterhistoric.org. For more information, visit manchesterhistoric.org.
The Millyard Museum is one of more than 15 members of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, which was formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events. Member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
Those who love holiday traditions will take ‘sweet’ comfort at this year’s 30th Annual Gingerbread House Contest, hosted by Portsmouth Historical Society on the NH Heritage Museum Trail. “We are thrilled to keep our show free to enter and view, making it accessible to everyone,” said Kait Smith, Chair of the Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition.
This year, houses will be placed throughout both floors of Portsmouth Historical Society to ensure social distance between visitors. “We are also taking it to the streets this year and will have houses displayed in store windows throughout downtown,” said Meredith Affleck, Manager, Exhibitions & Programming. “Folks will be able to take a checklist around to the various retailers and have it stamped.”
Upon returning, she said people can turn the stamped list in at Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center to enter a raffle for a $100 gift card to Cure and a $100 gift card to Roundabout Diner.
According to Smith, this year’s contest has taken on special significance. “While the world certainly looks a little different this year, it was so important to all of us on the Gingerbread House Exhibit committee to ensure that this event takes place,” she said.
According to Jeff Barraclough, president of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, many member institutions have founds creative ways to celebrate the holidays. “We have events for all ages and interests,” he said. “We hope people from all over check out what’s happening on The Trail this holiday season and support New Hampshire’s heritage.”
To learn more about the 30th Annual Gingerbread House Contest, or to enter a house (registration ends November 9), visit portsmouthhistory.org/gingerbread.
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. 18 member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
On Saturday, November 7, the Millyard Museum in Manchester will host Millyard Walking Tour with John Clayton, which will take participants through the Amoskeag Millyard. “The Amoskeag Millyard is a mile of brick mill buildings that housed the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, a behemoth of American industry from 1831-1936,” explained John Clayton, executive director of Millyard Museum and Manchester Historic Association.
The tour will provide unique insight into Manchester itself. “To understand Manchester, you need to understand the history of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company,” he said. “For more than a century, Amoskeag was the largest textile operation in the world and shaped life in Manchester. Despite the passage of time, it still touches us in ways that people are amazed to discover.”
Preregistration is required for the 90-minute tours (10 a.m. or 1 p.m.), which will be limited to 30 guests (masks required) due to COVID-19. Tickets are $10 for MHA members and $15 for the general public. To learn more, or purchase tickets, visit manchesterhistoric.org.
The Millyard Museum is one of more than 15 members of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, which was formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events. Member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
On the NH Heritage Museum Trail in September, visitors can experience hundreds of years of history, highlighted by a virtual Around the World Flight Adventure at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire in Londonderry. “Using a flight simulator and streaming video, we’ll take people around the planet and back again,” said Executive Director Jeff Rapsis.
Designed as an online resource for students and teachers engaged in remote learning, Around the World Flight Adventure is open to anyone with a desire “to see the world’s great cities.” “You’ll learn about science, geography, history and culture along the way,” he added. “At a time when travel options are limited for most of us, it’s the ultimate field trip.”
Vietnam: The Real War — A Photographic History from the Associated Press
In Wolfeboro, visitors will have their final look at Vietnam: The Real War — A Photographic History from the Associated Press at the Wright Museum of World War II. Sponsored by Service Credit Union, the exhibit features 50 photos taken during the 1960’s and 70’s and runs through September 27. “These are images you won’t forget nor the stories that accompany them,” said Executive Director Mike Culver.
The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, The Wright features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the home front and battle field. To learn more, visit wrightmuseum.org.
Ladd-Gilman House
In Exeter, Curator Jen Carr will take visitors through a virtual tour of the American Independence Museum’s Ladd-Gilman House (c. 1721), home to former New Hampshire Gov. John Taylor Gilman, beginning in 1794. “It’s a chance to learn more about New Hampshire and the American Revolution,” said Carr, who noted the tours began in August and run through September.
Each 45-minute guided tour ends with a Q & A with Carr. “All tours take place on the Zoom platform, so be ensure you have the app or software downloaded prior to the tour start time,” she added.
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. 18 member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
Although not yet able to welcome visitors in-person, some museums on the NH Heritage Museum Trail have recently released online exhibitions.
At the Museum of the White Mountains in Plymouth, Trail Clubs: Connecting People with the Mountains explores the 140-year history of trail clubs and their role in the development of the White Mountains. “Our region’s mountain trails have served as a destination for visitors and residents seeking to challenge themselves or for scenic beauty, spiritual refreshment and fellowship,” said Director Cynthia Cutting. “This online exhibit explores this fascinating history.”
Originally shown in 2015-16.Trail Clubs: Connecting People with the Mountains represents an effort by the museum to revisit and reexamine past exhibits.
At the American Independence Museum in Exeter, Curator Jennifer Carr takes people back nearly 250 years through several online exhibits, one of which focuses on how Americans memorialize what is important to them. “In Commemoration and Memorialization, we take visitors through some items in our collection to reveal the ways in which people throughout history commemorated the past,” she said.
One highlight from the exhibit includes a shingle from the Old Courthouse in Plymouth, New Hampshire where Daniel Webster made his first argument. “We take people around New England and through time in our exhibit,” added Carr.
To view Trail Clubs: Connecting People with the Mountains, visit plymouth.edu/mwm. To view Commemoration and Memorialization, visit independencemuseum.org.
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. 18 member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
Now through November 28, Millyard Museum in Manchester will host Manchester’s Urban Ponds: Past, Present, and Future. The exhibit, said Director of Operations Jeff Barraclough, investigates “the surprisingly unique history of many ponds in Manchester.”
“There are images and memorabilia from Pine Island Park, ice harvesting tools recovered from Maxwell Pond and photos of the Hermit of Mosquito Pond,” he said. “We also have recently discovered film footage of ice skating at Dorrs Pond.”
The exhibit also highlights the work of the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program, which has organized 116 clean-up events since 2000. “1,066 volunteers have spent approximately 3,618 hours collecting 2,394 bags of trash,” said Jen Drociak, acting coordinator of the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program.
Over the past 20 years, she said the program has also worked on numerous on-the-ground restoration projects. “These include Maxwell Pond dam removal, Black Brook restoration and water quality improvements and stormwater mitigation efforts at Dorrs Pond, Crystal Lake and Nutts Pond,” she added.
According to Barraclough, the exhibit underscores not only the mission of the museum, which is to tell the story of Manchester, but the intent behind many member institutions on The Trail. “Many museums on The Trail help to tell the stories of where they are located,” explained Barraclough, who is also president of The Trail. “For us, we explore Manchester, but Trail museums help tell the story of so many cities and regions.”
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. Member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
From now through July 16, the American Independence Museum is hosting its annual American Independence Festival, presented by Newburyport Bank, with several virtual twists. “Due to COVID-19, we needed to re-imagine the Festival, which historically attracts thousands of visitors to downtown Exeter,” said Emma Stratton, executive director of the American Independence Museum, a founding Trail member.
Noting this year’s re-imagined Festival features more than ten different events and/or programs, Stratton said one virtual highlight includes a virtual Presentation on July 11. “We will have our traditional opening salute and the premiere of a video on the history of the Festival,” she said. “We will also have a reading of the Declaration of Independence by Greg Gilman, a direct descendant of the man who read it to the town of Exeter in 1776.”
Another virtual highlight includes a community-wide reading of the Declaration of Independence that will air on July 16, the day the Declaration of Independence arrived in Exeter. Other events include three lectures, town-wide scavenger hunt and more. “We are excited at the chance to welcome visitors from far and wide this year through a virtual platform,” added Stratton.
According to Jeff Barraclough, president of The Trail and director of operations at the Millyard Museum in Manchester, the American Independence Museum’s foray into the digital realm demonstrates capacity by many member institutions. “As a result of the pandemic, museums across the region have had to find new ways to reach their audiences, whether through virtual tours, social media, or developing online educational resources,” he said. “Although I know people will miss being at various events in person this year, many of our museums can reach people across the country now.”
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. Member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
For more information about the American Independence Festival, visit independencemuseum.org.
For many museums on the NH Heritage Museum Trail in the Seacoast Region, July marks the beginning of an eagerly anticipated 2020 season.
Portsmouth Historical Society
On July 10, Portsmouth Historical Society (PHS) will reopen its Welcome Center and Gift Shop and feature two new walking tours (groups of 6 or less).
Offered every Sat at 3:30 through July, “The Portsmouth Path of President Washington” will be led by walking tour guide Jeff Thomson. One of the stops along the way is the Tobias Lear House. “Tobias Lear was President Washington’s personal secretary,” said PHS’s Robin Lurie-Meyerkopf. “Since many folks may not know that George Washington spent time on the Seacoast in 1789, we thought this would be an interesting addition to our walking tour line up.”
Offered every Sunday at 3:30 through July, “Gay” Old Times: Stories of Portsmouth’s LGBTQ Community will explore the hidden history of LGBT clubs, organizations, and people that impacted the NH Seacoast.
In Portsmouth, Strawbery Banke Museum reopens July 1 with “Emerging Renewed — An Interpretive Tour of the Historic Waterfront Neighborhood of Strawbery Banke.”
Featuring daily tours beginning on the hour and half-hour through October 31, the re-imagined experience will take visitors through four outdoor sites that explore the resiliency of the historic waterfront neighborhood over time. In the program, small group tours (10 individuals or fewer) will meet costumed role-players, discover architectural and landscape details and learn about the history of the site from the 1600s through efforts in 1958 that created the museum.
In Dover, the Woodman Museum also opens on July 1 with five available reserved tours daily from 10am to 3pm, Wednesday to Sunday for groups of 10 or fewer.
One highlight in 2020, according to Executive Director Dave Tompkins, is a season long exhibition that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Woman’s Suffrage Movement. “It explores the role of NH Suffragette Marilla Ricker, local Dover and other women from around the state who contributed to the 19th Amendment, which allowed women the right to vote,” he said.
The Woodman, founded in 1916, is a traditional early 20th-century style natural science, history, and art museum with exhibits for all ages. To learn more, or check for hours (The Woodman is closed July 4 and 5), visit woodmanmuseum.org.
About The Trail
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. 18 member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
For members of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, the 2020 season will represent a welcome departure from day to day protocols forced upon staff due to COVID-19. “We are all looking forward to reopening soon,” said Jeff Barraclough, president of The Trail and director of operations at the Millyard Museum, one of its founding members. “It’s been a spring none of us will ever forget.”
With members in the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Region, The Trail features everything from historic villages, working farm and research submarine to museums that focus on World War II, aviation, American Revolution, boating and Industrial Revolution.
“COVID-19 has certainly delayed openings for us, but the season is still on,” added Barraclough, who said each member institution has enacted “rigorous protocols” to ensure visitor safety.
At the Millyard Museum in Manchester, he said extra precautions have included the implementation of a regular cleaning and disinfecting schedule and designating a one-way traffic flow throughout the museum. “We are also limiting the number of guests in the museum at any one time and temporarily removing some ‘hands-on’ features of our exhibits,” he said.
According to Mike Culver, executive director of the Wright Museum in Wolfeboro, member institutions have a responsibility to “help bring communities together again.” “However that is going to look in 2020 given social distancing restrictions, all of us on The Trail want the public to know that we are all in this together,” he said. “Our state’s heritage is still something to cherish and celebrate, especially now.”
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions. Member institutions are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
Recently, Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth joined the NH Heritage Museum Trail as a Seacoast region member. Welcoming more than 100,000 visitors annually, Strawbery Banke Museum interprets the waterfront neighborhood of Puddle Dock from 1695 to 1955 through 32 historic buildings, eight gardens, costumed roleplayers, traditional crafts people and professional staff.
Formed in 2014 as a way to share resources and better promote their respective collections, programs and events, The Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes regions with 16 members in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
“There is always strength in numbers,” said Strawbery Banke Museum President and CEO Lawrence J. Yerdon. “Each of us knows that partnership is essential to the success of our museums, whether collaborating along geographical, thematic or mission-driven lines.”
For Jeff Barraclough, president of The Trail, this expansion “could not come at a better time.” “In the coming months, we plan to roll out a Trail Passport that will incentivize people to visit not just one museum, but all museums on The Trail,” he said. “We are thrilled Strawbery Banke Museum has elected to join our collaborative.”
Yerdon said he looks forward to working with other members “to increase visitation everywhere along ‘The Trail.’ As the NH Heritage Museum Trail continues to build awareness among the traveling public, it makes sense to collaborate on initiatives like the joint Trail Passport,” he added. “By leveraging our individual marketing efforts into a larger collective initiative, members can better promote one another and NH’s unique and rich heritage.”
