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New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail To Welcome Legends, Symphony NH and More 

The New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail will feature a busy month in New Hampshire’s Merrimack Valley Region in November and December, highlighted by Legends Day and a Symphony NH concert.

At Legends Day on Sunday, Nov. 12, New England Racing Museum in Loudon will welcome four national motor racing broadcasters with New England roots. These broadcasters include Dick Berggren (who also founded the museum), Jack Arute III, Ken Squier, and Mike Joy. Rhode Island native and sportscaster Allen Bestwick will serve as the event emcee.

“This is a lineup of New England auto racing legends that made it to the national stage,” noted museum Executive Director Thomas Netishen “This is a chance to meet these legends and hear them reflect in a panel discussion on their respective 50-plus years in the racing industry.”

VIP ticket holders will have early private access to the museum starting at 10:00 a.m. with a private tour starting at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12. All other ticket holders can enter at 11:00 a.m. to view the museum’s 30+ race cars, motorcycles and artifacts. Buffett lunch and social hour is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. Honoree panel discussion is at 1:00 p.m. followed by a banner unveiling ceremony.

Legends Day tickets are $65 for museum members and $80 for non-members. To learn more about VIP tickets, call (603) 783-0183. Regular tickets may be purchased by clicking here.

In nearby Canterbury on Sunday, December 2 at 4;00 p.m., Canterbury Shaker Village will host Symphony NH String Quartet followed by a reception with farm to table hors d’oeuvres by Catered by Lacey Tokash Catering. “The concert takes place in the Chapel in the Dwelling House, which has marvelous acoustics,” remarked Leslie Nolan, executive director of the Village. “Seats are limited, so we encourage people to purchase tickets as soon as possible.”

The Village’s Concert + Cocktails event on Sunday, December 2 will be followed by Contra Dancing: Community Old Time New Hampshire Dance on Sunday, December 9. Contra Dancing will feature Dudley Laufman with Wind In The Timothy and Canterbury Orchestra singers. “Both events are part of our Merry Merry Celebration for the holidays,” added Nolan. “It’s a wonderful time to be at the Village.”

To purchase tickets to either event at the Village, click here.

In addition to the New England Racing Museum and Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire’s Merrimack Valley, member institutions on the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail are located in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region and Seacoast. To learn more about The Trail or any member institution, click here.

New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail Puts Spotlight on Canterbury Shaker Village

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.”

Image of work by Lesley Dill, inspired by Mother Ann Lee, who founded the Shakers - Copy

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.”

To learn more about Canterbury Shaker Village, visit https://www.shakers.org.

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.

NH Heritage Museum Trail Awakens From Hibernation

The onset of spring means many museums on the NH Heritage Museum Trail are beginning to thaw from the winter season to welcome the public back. For the American Independence Museum in Exeter, this means restarting tours. 

“Visitors can journey back in time to experience the 1775 Folsom Tavern,” said Executive Director Emma Stratton. “Our public tours begin May 15.” Tours will be offered Thursdays from 10 am – 12 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am – 3 pm. Tours start every hour and require pre registration. They are limited to 8 people and masks are required at all times. 

In addition to Folsom Tavern Tours, the American Independence Museum will celebrate both the 300th anniversary of the Ladd-Gilman House and 30th anniversary of the museum itself. “We will focus on building digital programs this spring and then shift to in-person and outdoor events for the spring and summer,” added Stratton. 

1775 Folsom Tavern

Founded in 1991, the American Independence Museum connects America’s Revolutionary past with the present. For more information about the museum, click here

Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury also has their sights set on May 15 with their semi-annual 5K race. “This year, the Village is planning two 5K races, one on May 15 and the other on October 23,” said Executive Director Leslie Nolan. “All ages are welcomethere’s no obligation to run, as it can be walked as well.” Starting at 10 am, the race is organized in partnership with Capital Area Race Series (CARS) and Millennium Running. There is a registration fee of $25. 

The 5K race is part of Canterbury Shaker Village’s plan for more outside activities throughout the season. “The main focus is on the outdoors, including tours on Saturdays and Sundays that take groups around the village,” said Nolan, who noted the Heifer cows will also revisit the Village on May 15. The Village will also open for brand new indoor tours beginning Saturday, June 12. Reservations are suggested.

To learn more about the race, tours, or the Village, click here.

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. 

Music and ‘Ghosts’ Highlight Busy October on NH Heritage Museum Trail

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.

Harvest Fun on the NH Heritage Museum Trail

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.”

For pricing information, visit manchesterhistoric.org.

Canterbury Shaker Village

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.

To purchase tickets, visit shakers.org.

Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm

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.”

To purchase tickets, 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.