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.
Featuring 18 member institutions throughout New Hampshire, the NH Heritage Museum Trail is active in September, highlighted by the “Socially Distanced Outdoor Concert Series” at Woodman Museum in Dover. The series concludes on September 19 with The Bog Standard, a New Hampshire-based three piece group of musical folks who play acoustic songs about the sea, pirates and rebels.
“They are an amazing local band, that feature Irish, folk, sailing shanties — and with audience participation and ‘sing alongs,’ they guarantee a good time will be had by all,” remarked David Tompkins, executive director.
The 2020 Socially Distanced Concert Series is sponsored by Dupont Auto Service Center, DF Richard, Edward Jones and Martel Plumbing. To purchase tickets, which range from $10 to $15, visit woodmanmuseum.org.
In Canterbury, Canterbury Shaker Village features free Outdoor Tours on Saturdays and Sundays through September and October with no reservations required. Tours are for approximately 1 hour, and begin at 11 am and 2 pm. “The tours present an overview of Shaker history from the 1792 Meeting House up until 1992 when the last surviving Shaker, Ethel Hudson died in the Dwelling House,” said Executive Director Leslie Nolan.
Canterbury Shaker Village is comprised of 694 rolling acres with 30 historic buildings. To learn more about the free tours or other events, including a Casablanca film showing and yard sale, visit shakers.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.
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.
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.
With 17 museums from Portsmouth to Plymouth and several points north and west, the NH Heritage Museum Trail features two unique events on Saturday, October 26.
Canterbury Shaker Village At Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury from 3pm to 8pm, guests will be treated to traditional music performed by a variety of artists and groups and food from local Canterbury food and drink vendors. Musicians expected to perform include High Range Band, Liz Faiella with Lindsay Straw, The Wholly Rollers, Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio, Jim Prendergast with Hanz Araki and others. Food and drink vendors will include a seasonal selection from the Village’s own Creamery Café and Canterbury Aleworks.
“It is a wonderful outdoor event, marked by beautiful fall foliage and perfect for the entire family,” said Maggie Stier, interim executive director.
The Canterbury Shakers composed over 10,000 pieces of music at the Village and there will be special programming throughout the evening highlighting some of their work as well as a program showcasing the newly restored 1887 Hook & Hastings pipe organ in the Chapel of the Dwelling House.
Canterbury Shaker Village is a non-profit museum and historic site located 12 miles north of Concord, NH. It features 25 historic buildings, 700 conserved acres of fields, orchards, and gardens, and offers easy walking trails that encircle several ponds on the property. For more information about this event and to purchase tickets, visit shakers.org.
American Independence Museum In Exeter, the American Independence Museum (AIM) will host Ghosts of Folsom Tavern and Winter Street Cemetery Tour beginning at 3 pm with cemetery tours every half hour from 4-5:30pm. At this family-friendly event, Colonel and Mrs. Folsom invite guests to join them in their historic tavern to celebrate the waning light and autumn season.
“You will meet the Folsom family, tour their historic tavern and hear how they once hosted George Washington while enjoying seasonal refreshments,” said museum Executive Director Emma Stratton.
Afterwards, guests will make their way to Winter Street Cemetery to meet their colonial tour guide and see the Folsoms’ final resting place and gravesites of many of Exeter’s (in)famous and revolutionary residents.
Home to a world-class collection of 3,000 historic artifacts, AIM welcomes more than 5,000 visitors annually and distinguishes itself with educational school programs and events that make history fun and relevant. To learn more about the event, or to purchase tickets (which include tours), visit independencemuseum.org.
About The Trail
Comprised of 17 museums, the NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth, and Wolfeboro.
In October, the NH Heritage Museum Trail will feature several harvest themed events for all ages.
Millyard Museum
On October 12 and 13 at Millyard Museum in Manchester, visitors will have the chance to view fall foliage from the top of the 66-foot-tall Weston Observatory off of Oak Hill Ave. “This is a great family fun event,” said Millyard Museum Director of Operations Jeffrey Barraclough. “The Weston Observatory is normally closed to the public so this is the only weekend to get a unique view of New England’s fall foliage.”
On October 18, 19, 25 and 27, Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury will offer Spirit Encounters Tours. These evening tours will take visitors into some of the buildings and rooms at the 200-year old Shaker Village that help tell the stories of the Shakers’ involvement with the spirit world and the growth of spiritualism as part of the Shaker religion.
“The tour leaders share the Shakers’ own accounts of otherworldly encounters, and they make the tours a lot of fun,” said Interim Executive Director Maggie Stier.
On October 19, Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm in Tamworth will host Herbal Root Fest. At the event, Museum Educator and Herbalist Carol Felice will teach visitors how to recognize and harvest medicinal and wild edible plant roots.
“You will also create a delicious lunch and a medicinal remedy from what you collect,” said Museum Executive Director Cara Sutherland. “Participants will walk away well-nourished and with a supply of fresh assorted roots and a do-it-yourself handbook.”
Comprised of 17 museums, the NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth, and Wolfeboro.
In the Seacoast Region of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, visitors and locals alike will be treated to two unique family friendly events.
On Sunday, September 8 from noon to 4 pm, Woodman Museum in Dover will host its 23rd Annual Car Show. The event will will feature beer and food by Bad Lab Beer Co. in addition to pre-WWII motorcars, antique and classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles.
“This event is a hit every year,” said museum Executive Director David Tompkins. “It’s a great way to enjoy the museum and community.”
Community will also be the focus at nearby American Independence Museum’s Beer for History, sponsored by Donahue Tucker & Ciandella. Featuring beer, food by Sea Dog Brewing (also a featured brewer), colonial inspired music, games and more, the series takes place in the museum’s Folsom Tavern, built in 1775.
“George Washington had a beer here, so you should, too,” said museum Executive Director Emma Bray.
Beginning on Thursday, September 26, Beer for History kicks off with von Trapp Brewing, known for brewing Euoropean-styled lagers.
Other featured breweries in the series include Throwback Brewery, Sea Dog Brewing, Tilton Brothers Brewing, and Bad Lab Beer Co.
“Both events highlight the diversity of programs and events on The Trail,” said Jeff Barraclough, director of operations of Millyard Museum, one of several institutions that founded it. “It’s been a great 2019 and we look forward to a strong fall.”
The NH Heritage Museum Trail is made up of 17 museums with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Portsmouth, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
For more information about these and any other events on The Trail, visit nhmuseumtrail.org.
There are many ways to experience Wolfeboro, but perhaps none more unique than The Museum Loop, highlighted by a boat or trolley ride.
On the tour, featuring three museums on the NH Heritage Museum Trail, visitors ride to or from The Libby Museum in New Hampshire Boat Museum’s antique “Millie B.” Visitors then ride back in a trolley in the opposite direction.
A day loop pass is valid for 1 day in August and includes a boat ride, return trolley ride and entry to New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM) and The Libby Museum. A summer loop pass includes the aforementioned plus admission to Wright Museum of World War II and non-Trail member The Clarke House Museum.
“As summer comes to an end, individuals are anxious to pack in as many activities as possible,” said Wright Museum Executive Director Mike Culver when discussing the popularity of The Museum Loop. “This is a fun way to do that.”
NHBM Executive Director Martha Cummings agreed and added, “This is a unique way to experience Wolfeboro and multiple types of history in one day.”
The tour takes place every Thursday and Friday (weather permitting) at 9:30 a.m. through the end of August. For more information, visit nhbm.org, or call (603) 998-3286.
The NH Heritage Museum Trail is made up of 17 museums with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
Located in the Lakes Region on the NH Heritage Museum Trail, Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm in Tamworth features everything from getting to know farm animalstointeractive farm tour, self-led history-based activities and more.
One of the most popular summer activities at the museum, however, may be The Country Doctor Tour at the Captain Enoch Remick House.
“This brief guided tour features the doctors’ authentic 19th and 20th-century medical tools and equipment, visitation and treatment areas and one-of-a-kind historic apothecary that predates the earliest local pharmacy,” said Museum Marketing Coordinator Dawne Gilpatrick.
Tours take place from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
After these tours, visitors are welcome to help with light-duty farm chores, some of which include gathering eggs, feeding the pigs and giving hay to the goats.
“You can also meet the small dairy herd and watch as a cow is milked by machine,” she added.
On Thursday, August 22 in the ongoing Plants of Field & Forest Program, participants are taken on a tour of the museum property to learn how to identify naturally-growing plants and their benefits.
Other activities at Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm include indoor exhibits and a Color from Plants Fiber Dyeing Workshop on August 31.
“The museum is a special way to spend a summer day,” said Gilpatrick. “We offer an opportunity for all generations to get an active feel for rural life, past and present…While we may be a present-day farm, many people tell us they feel as though they’ve stepped back in time–it’s a bit of Remick magic.”
For more information about Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm and its activities, visit remickmuseum.org.
Comprised of 17 museums, the NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth, and Wolfeboro.
Featuring 17 member institutions from Portsmouth to Plymouth and several points west and north, the NH Heritage Museum Trail features numerous events for all ages in early August.
On Saturday, August 3 in Exeter, American Independence Museum will express its appreciation for residents in SAU 16 with Free Admission Day. Sponsored by Kennebunk Savings, the day will provide free admission to residents who live in the towns of Exeter, Brentwood, Kingston, Newfields, and Stratham as well as town employees, including teachers, with valid ID.
“We are so grateful for the support of Kennebunk Savings,” said Museum Executive Director Emma Bray. “This is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to visit us and see all the new enhancements in our museum.”
For individuals who may live closer to the state’s center, Saturday August 3 features Changemakers, a dance performance that concludes Arts Week at Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury. Arts Week is a two-week long event that engages visitors of all ages in the creative process.
“We will have dance, art, sculpture, even a performance by aerialists,” noted Maggie Stier of Canterbury Shaker Village, “and children get free admission from 10 – 4 on August 3rd for Shaker Saturday activities.”
A dance collaboration between Ballet Misha and Nsquared, Changemakers takes place at Canterbury Shaker Village’s Education Center at 5:30 p.m. Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended.
On Wednesday, August 7, The Libby Museum in Wolfeboro will hold its final Live Animal Show.
According to Executive Director Alana Albee, Live Animal Shows are one of the “most popular” events at the museum.”
“It’s a chance to learn and get up close to exotic and local animals,” she said. “Our first event this summer included a 6 foot Australian Python, an African Frog and a distant relative to the raccoon, a Guatamuny.”
Held in partnership with Wildlife Encounters, the free event begins at 2 p.m.
For more information about these events or the many others on the NH Heritage Museum Trail, visit the website.
Comprised of 17 museums, the NH Heritage Museum Trail is divided into the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley and Lakes Regions with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth, and Wolfeboro.
In July, the NH Heritage Museum Trail will feature numerous family-friendly events in its Merrimack Valley branch.
On Saturday, July 20, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester will hold Twilight at the Currier 3rd annual summer block party. The entire museum will be open at no charge.
The free, family-friendly event, open to all ages, will include both indoor and outdoor activities related to the exhibition, Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar. There will be a community art project based on guitars, face-painting, an LED hoop performer, many food trucks, and a beer and wine tent.
Music will be provided by Way Up South, whose sound weaves together southern, blues, country, jazz, and Americana rock.
“Block parties are a great excuse for neighbors to get together and have some fun,” said Alan Chong, director, Currier Museum of Art. “We invite all of our neighbors – from across the whole state – to stop by to see our art and our exhibitions, listen to some great music, and get their families involved in some creative activities.”
During the two-week-long event, visitors may experience everything from art workshops to dance, music performances, and more.
“Creativity thrives here,” said Canterbury Shaker Village Interim Executive Director Maggie Stier. “Innovation was so important to the Shakers, and the setting seems to encourage that today, too – whether it’s observing, interacting, or making something yourself.”
For more information on the many activities offered during Arts Week visit shakers.org.
On Saturday, July 27 in Manchester, Millyard Museum will offer an educational tour of Manchester Hebrew Cemetery.
Through an in-depth tour presented by local historians Richard Duckoff and Matt Labbe, visitors will learn about Jewish history and Manchester heritage.
In speaking on these and various other events in the Merrimack Valley portion of The Trail in July, President Jeff Barraclough said they combine the “perfect amount of education and fun.”
“Visitors will gain historical knowledge without even feeling like they are learning,” he said. “These experiences are fun and educational for the whole family.”
