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.
To learn more, visit portsmouthhistory.org.
Strawbery Banke Museum
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.
To learn more, visit strawberybanke.org.
Woodman 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.