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.”