Part of the Lakes Region portion of the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail, the New Hampshire Boat Museum, Libby Museum, and Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro offer a unique opportunity for visitors.
Known as The Museum Loop Tour, this experience takes place on Fridays and offers boat and trolley tours from the Boat Museum to the Libby Museum, or visa versa, with a trolley ride shuttling visitors to the Wright Museum.
The “Millie B” boat tour makes use of the dock near the Libby Museum and takes advantage of Trolley tours available in Wolfeboro. While the Boat Museum has offered tours for many years, the Museum Loop is a fairly new concept.
“We were trying to find a way to connect people to places in a short amount of time,” said Evan Liotta, operations manager of the Boat Museum.
The plan is working nicely, according to Liotta, who said spots on the tours fill up quickly and seats are booked about two weeks out.
Partnering with other Trail partners makes sense, according to Alana Albee, executive director of the Libby Museum.
“We’re lucky to have so many member museums in Wolfeboro,” she said.
Proximity is not the only reason Trail museums collaborate, however, as shared resources are vital commodities for nonprofit institutions.
“For small-to-medium-size institutions in general, collaboration is the future of museums,” said Michael Culver, executive director of the Wright Museum. “By sharing, we can each do more and spend less. Collaboration also emphasizes the astounding diversity of the cultural offerings available to visitors in our area.”
Seats on the Museum Loop Tour are booked through the Boat Museum. For information or to sign up for a tour, call 603-998-3286 or visit www.nhbm.org.
The NH Heritage Museum Trail is made up of 17 museums with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
The New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail has a lot to offer in July with unique and exciting events for families and history buffs alike.
Some of the events include the American Independence Festival at the American Independence Museum, Summer Discovery Days at the Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm, and a Car Show at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire.
Whether someone is interested in learning more about colonial farming, events surrounding America’s independence or some classic cars, the NH Heritage Museum Trail as it covered.
In the Seacoast Region of The Trail, the American Independence Museum in Exeter will host the American Independence Festival in Exeter on July 14. The Festival features food, music, ale, reenactments, Traditional Artisans’ Village, vendor marketplace, museum tours and more.
Guests will hear traditional music throughout the festival and can grab a bite to eat from several local nearby food trucks on Swasey parkway, which is also home to several battle re-enactments. Brewed by Redhook Brewery, American Independence Ale will be served in Folsom Tavern, a venue in which George Washington once dined.
On museum grounds, guests may enjoy demonstrations by nationally renowned traditional artisans, a “village” sponsored by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. One of only 26 remaining original copies of the Declaration of Independence will be on display at the museum—and its delivery to the town in 1776 will be recreated to kick off the festival.
To learn more about the festival, visit www.independencemuseum.org.
In the Merrimack Valley portion of The Trail on the same day, July 14, the Aviation Museum in Londonderry will host its fourth annual Car Show. In addition to the iconic and classic cars on display, there will be a 50/50 raffle, food and trophies to win.
Those interested in participating can register their car for a $10 registration fee. To learn more about the show, visit www.nhahs.org.
In the Lakes Region branch of The Trail, Summertime Discovery Days at the Remick Museum in Tamworth Village offer children, ages 7-11, hands-on learning experiences with farm-based subjects. Discovery Days, which take place on July 12 and 26, feature cooking, farming and investing in a green thumb.
On July 12, children can experience “Let’s Make a Cake” in which they can make a blueberry cake “the old fashioned way” without any mix or a mixer. After putting their cakes in the oven, the children will make their own whipped cream and herbal iced tea. “Let’s Make a Cake” will also enable children to feed chickens, gather eggs, pick blueberries and grind wheat – all the steps needed to create the cake ingredients.
The July 26 program is “Creating with Wool,” which provides a firsthand experience with fleece, as participants can see the museum’s sheep, learn to wash fleece, understand its uses for fleece and more. Children also will make a bookmark and take home some wool and needles to create their own projects at home.
To learn more, visit www.remickmuseum.org.
17 museums make up the NH Heritage Museum Trail with stops in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Tamworth and Wolfeboro.
Those seeking to scratch their history itch or simply find a fun and educational way to spend a day will have no trouble satisfying their need in June in the Lakes Region of the New Hampshire Heritage Trail. The seven museums in the region — New Hampshire Boat Museum, Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm, The Libby Museum, Museum of the White Mountains, Lake Winnipesaukee Museum, Castle in the Clouds, and Wright Museum of World War II — offer a wide array of activities in June.
New Hampshire Boat Museum
The New Hampshire Boat Museum, located in Wolfeboro Falls, NH, will host its Opening Reception on Friday, June 1, from 6-9 p.m. The event, which is catered by Downtown Grille Cafe, will introduce guests to the season’s new exhibits. Tickets are $25 for members and $27 for non-members.
The New Hampshire Boat Museum is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 8. For information or to reserve a spot for the Opening Reception, call 603-569-4544 or visit www.nhbm.org.
Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm
New Hampshire Appreciation Day
The Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm, located in Tamworth Village, NH, has a loaded slate of events in June.
For evening fun, there is Friday Fireside Gathering on Friday, June 8, from 7-8:30 p.m. Those who enjoy the arts will find Fiber Arts Groups and Demos attractive, which takes place Tuesday, June 12, as well as Tuesday, June 26, from 9:30 a.m. to noon and is free to attend. Kids events include 4-H Dairy Club, which meets 7-9 p.m. Thursday, June 14; Homeschool Dairy Month on Monday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to noon; and Small Farmers Club: Cows, which is Friday, June 29, from 10-11 a.m. The 4-H meeting is free to attend, while the Homeschool event and Small Farmers Club are $6.
Additionally, there is an Outdoor Walk on Friday, June 15, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, which is free for members and $5 for non-members. There also is Foragers Gathering on Friday, June 15, from 1-2:30 p.m. That event is $5 for members and $10 for non-members.
An annual event, New Hampshire Appreciation Day, is Saturday, June 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features activities all day. Admission is free for New Hampshire residents and $5 for out-of-state attendees. Children 4 and younger are admitted free. Starting that day, June 16, Remick will have daily activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
For information, visit www.remickmuseum.org or call 603-323-7591.
The Libby Museum
The Libby Museum, located in Wolfeboro, NH, opens for the season on Friday, June 1.
From opening day through July 31, photographs by Amy Piper will be on display, offering visitors a splendid view of nature.
The Libby Museum is open daily through mid-October. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon-4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free for children 16 and younger as well as veterans and $5 for adults. For information, visit www.thelibbymuseum.org or call 603-569-1035.
Museum of the White Mountains
The Museum of the White Mountains, located at Plymouth University in Plymouth, NH, offers a range of events throughout June.
On June 4, James Lewis will present “Not one cent for scenery: The story of how the National Forests became the Nation’s Forests.” The event will be from 5:30-7 p.m. and is free to attend.
There will be an artist talk and demo with Craig Altobello from 3:30-5 p.m. on June 15, Gordon Stuart will present “The Streamflow Study that Justified the Weeks Act” from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on June 20, and a screening of David Huntley’s documentary “The People’s Forest” at 3 p.m. on June 29. Each of those events are free.
Away from the museum will be First Fungal Foray of 2018 at Langdon Park from 1-3 p.m. on June 24. Evolutionary biologist Tommy Stoughton will lead the Mushroom Walk. There also is a Caps Ridge Hike with Jeff Lougee from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 28.
For information, visit www.plymouth.edu.
Lake Winnipesaukee Museum
The Lake Winnipesaukee Museum, located in the Weirs section of Laconia, will open its doors around mid-June. Once open, the museum will host a weekly lecture series on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Kicking off the Lecture Series will be Underwater History with Hans Hug, who will present videos of wrecks he’s seen in the region, on June 20. “The Islands of Winnipesaukee” is on June 27 and features Ron Guilmette, author and photographer, presenting his book containing photos and stories about the islands.
For information, visit www.lwhs.us.
Castle in the Clouds
The Castle in the Clouds, located in Moultonborough, NH, features a wide assortment of events in June.
Wine and light refreshments will be served June 15 when a preservation exhibit opens at 5:30 p.m. Michelle Landry, director of collections and interpretation will speak ahead of the opening of “Lucknow Revealed: Research, Restoration and Mystery at Castle in the Clouds.” The event is free for members and $10 for non-members.
On Father’s Day, June 17, Castle in the Clouds will give dads a free tour if they come with their children.
On June 25, there will be Birding with Bob Ridgely at 8:30 a.m., as the popular birding walk returns. Later that day, singer/songwriter Jonathan Sarty provides music at 5:30 p.m.
Music Night kicks off on June 26 and continues each Tuesday through August 21. The event will be 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Carriage House Restaurant, where dinner will be served. There is no cover charge.
On June 27, Bryant Tolles will give the lecture “Grand Resort Hotels of the White Mountains” at 7 p.m. Music Night returns on June 28 with Benjamin Vincent Cook performing at 5:30 p.m.
Open Air Landscape Art will premier June 29 from 10 a.m. to noon featuring local artist MaryAnn Stockman. Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.
For information, visit www.castleintheclouds.org.
Wright Museum of World War II
At the Wright Museum of World War II, located in Wolfeboro, NH, a weekly lecture series offers attendees a chance to learn about several aspects of World War II.
The Lecture Series takes place each Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. at the museum. On June 5, author Titia Bozuwa presents her book “Defiance,” a fictional work about young men and women resisting Nazi occupation in the Netherlands. On june 12, author Charley Valera will speak about his book “My Father’s War: Memories from Our Honored WWII Soldiers.” On June 19, Linda Shenton Matchett will give the lecture “Women War Correspondents of WWII.” Attendance for the Lecture Series is $3 for members and $8 for non-members.
For information, visit www.wrightmuseum.org.
There may be no place in New Hampshire as beautiful as the town of Wolfeboro in the Lakes Region, which has brought three museums on the NH Heritage Museum Trail together to create The Museum Loop.
On this loop, which will begin at 9:30 am every Friday during July and August (weather permitting), passengers will board the antique boat, “Millie B” (10 persons) or The Trolley (10 persons) at the Town docks. They will then head to The Libby Museum.
Passengers will return by the opposite means of transport on this “Libby Loop” and can then enjoy Trolley-narrated tours all day as well as entrance to The Boat Museum (included). Additional entry fees apply to The Wright Museum and The Clarke House Museum (not a Trail member).
Alana Albee, executive director of The Libby, said they are all working together “so visitors and residents enjoy the many small museums in Wolfeboro.”
“It’s quite unusual for such a rural town to have so many cultural options—and with the Lake and our summer Trolley, it makes for an especially delightful way to see it all,” she said.
Mike Culver, executive director of The Wright Museum, agrees and said he believes there is no town quite like Wolfeboro.
“We have incredible museums in this town with easy access to nature, trails, the lake,” he said. “The Museum Loop is a great opportunity for couples, or even families, to explore all Wolfeboro has to offer.”
The cost for The Museum Loop is $33 for adults and $12 for children. To learn more, call (603) 998-3286, as advanced phone and on-line booking is required. www.nhbm.org.
With numerous events, exhibits and programs for all ages this summer, the NH Heritage Museum Trail expects close to 250,000 visitors in 2018. Search for ‘New Hampshire Heritage Trail’ and find it on Facebook.
Hosting several events in the past few days, including Second Sunday Jazz Brunch and Caroling in the Galleries, the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester continues with a busy latter half of December.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, La Troupe de Mademoiselle Églantine (Mademoiselle Églantine’s Troupe), 1896 Lithograph, The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, 1940.
A member of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, the Currier will host Free Lautrec Late Night: Draft and Draw from 5 to 9 pm on Thursday, December 14. At this hands-on drawing workshop, people will explore the galleries with a teaching artist and then head to the Winter Garden Café to learn basic drawing skills while enjoying a cash bar and full menu. Members admitted free.
On Sunday, December 17, the Currier will host Focus Tour: Winter Wonderlands at 2 pm that will highlight majestic images of winter and weather in its Collection.
At Noon Year’s Eve from 10 am to 3 pm on Sunday, December 31, the Currier will feature art-making, outdoor activities, face painting, live entertainment, bubble-wrap fireworks, a huge balloon drop and more. Members receive a special discount on tickets.
For tickets to any of the events, or current gallery shows, at the Currier, visit www.currier.org.
With numerous events, exhibits and programs for all ages, the NH Heritage Museum Trail expects close to 250,000 visitors by the end of this year. Search for ‘New Hampshire Heritage Trail’ and find it on Facebook.
Museums
Museums on the Trail include the Aviation Museum, Albacore Park, American Independence Museum, Canterbury Shaker Village, Castle in the Clouds, Currier Museum of Art, L.L. Lee Scouting Museum, Lake Winnipesaukee Museum, Libby Museum, Millyard Museum, Museum of the White Mountains, New Hampshire Boat Museum, NH Historical Society, Portsmouth Historical Society @ Discover Portsmouth, Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm, Woodman Museum, and Wright Museum of WWII.
The holiday season is here, and there is plenty to do with the whole family on the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail.
27th Annual Gingerbread House Exhibit – Portsmouth
Gingerbread image from 2016, by Morgan Karanasios for New Hampshire Home Magazine
Created by local businesses, artists, families and kids, gingerbread houses will be nestled into a winter wonderland from December 1 to December 3 at Discover Portsmouth. The exhibit will be surrounded by large format photographs: David J. Murray’s images of Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth and photographs of trains in New Hampshire winters by Andy Dolph.
Open from 9:30 am to 5 pm, the exhibit will have extended hours on Friday, December 1 and Saturday December 2 until 8 pm. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Jurors’ selections are announced at 6 pm during the Kickoff Party on Friday December, 1, while the public can vote until Friday, December 15 with the People’s Choice Award announced at noon on Monday, December 18 via FacebookLive.
For more information, visit www.PortsmouthHistory.org.
Ring in the Season – Exeter
Celebrate the season in Colonial style at the American Independence Museum’s historic Folsom Tavern from December 1 to December 3. All events are part of the Town of Exeter’s Ring in the Season celebration.
Sponsored by The Provident Bank, the weekend’s festivities kick off on December 1 with Tavern Tours from 10 am to 4 pm followed by a Holiday Celebration from 5 pm to 8 pm. Toast the holidays with light snacks and adult refreshments, create Colonial holiday gifts, enjoy seasonal music, visit the museum’s pop-up gift shop, and place your bids on exciting items in a silent auction.
Admission is free for members, $5 for non-members, and $3 for non-member children.
On Saturday, December 2, Tavern Tours will take place from 10 am to 4 pm with Folsom Tavern open from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm with refreshments available for purchase for those watching the town’s Holiday Parade. On Sunday, December 3, the tavern will be open from 1 pm to 5 pm as part of Womenade of Greater Squamscott’s Holiday Home Tour with tickets available at www.exeterareaholidayhousetour.com.
For more information about either event, visit www.independencemuseum.org.
Homestead Christmas – Tamworth Village
On Saturday, December 2 from 11 am to 3 pm, Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm will host tours of the holiday-decorated Captain Enoch Remick House (c. 1808), which includes the original doctors’ office shared by Dr. Edwin “Doc” Crafts Remick (1903–1993) and his father, Dr. Edwin Remick (1866–1935). Watch costumed interpreters prepare and then bake cookies in the homestead wood stove with fresh-from-the-oven samples available along with a serving of wassail.
Wagon rides will transport visitors from the house to the Museum Center for seasonal exhibits, a children’s craft, apothecary tastings and products, and an open-hearth cooking demonstration complete with tastings of roasted chestnuts and gingerbread. Animal meet and greets will also take place across the farmstead, while visitors can continue on with a town-wide Holly-Day scavenger hunt and Santa Claus display search.
For more information, visit www.remickmuseum.org.
Christmas at Canterbury and Candlelit Tours – Canterbury
On December 9 and 16 from 3 to 8 pm at Canterbury Shaker Village, visitors can watch an old-time 19th Century magic show, meet Father Christmas, make Christmas crackers, decorate cookies, admire a toy train display or listen to fiddlers. At the event, visitors may also enjoy hot cider and sing Christmas carols during the lighting of the Village Christmas tree.
The cost for this event is $18 for adults, $9 for children ages 6-17, and under 5 is free. Village members are half price.
Holiday fun continues at Canterbury Shaker Village with Candlelit Tours at 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm from December 11 to 15. Guided tours last approximately 1 hour and explore some of the ways in which the Shakers celebrated the holidays—from simple Christmas gatherings in the nineteenth century to elaborate theatricals in the twentieth century.
This tour is suggested for ages 10 and over with advance registration required.
The cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-17, and under 5 is free. Village members are half price.
For more information about either event, visit www.shakers.org.
With numerous events, exhibits and programs for all ages, the NH Heritage Museum Trail expects close to 250,000 visitors by the end of this year. Find The Trail on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nhheritagetrail.
Known as The Museum Loop Tour, this experience takes place on Fridays and offers boat and trolley tours from the Boat Museum to the Libby Museum, or visa versa, with a trolley ride shuttling visitors to the Wright Museum.
