With its extensive Medicine Wood Trail and world-class collection, Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (MKIM) has joined the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail.

Founded in 1991, MKIM is located on a 12-acre museum campus that educates visitors about the natural environment and how Natives historically used it. Offering a variety of experiential outdoor learning opportunities, MKIM additionally features the Betsy Janeway Arboretum.

According to Executive Director Andrew Bullock, MKIM is more than a collection of artifacts. “Our mission is to provide a venue to facilitate greater understanding between guests and members of the Native community,” he said. “We value the preservation of Native American history and educating our members and the public through tours, workshops, lectures, and special events.”

The museum also features exhibit galleries that explore the rich diversity of art, housing, food, environments, and transportation of the region’s Native Americans. “Once thought of as a quaint community organization, MKIM has become an important voice, educating the public, and partnering with Native people of New Hampshire and beyond,” stated Bullock.

Regarding why MKIM joined The Trail, he cited it as an industry leader. “The Trail will provide ideas, support, and networking opportunities that will help us continue to grow and thrive,” he added.

The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum is one of 21 members of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, formed in 2014 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, Warner, and Wolfeboro.

In 2023, 100,000 people visited the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail—a number President Jeff Barraclough expects to surpass this year.

“New Hampshire is filled with fascinating history and some incredible museums that share that history with the public,” he said. “From museums that share the heritage of a specific region to specialized museums focusing on one subject, there is something to interest everyone on The Trail.”

He said The Trail is excited this year to welcome the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner as a new member. “Mt. Kearsarge plays an important role in sharing the history and culture of the Indigenous People of this region,” he added.

Regarding the increasing popularity of The Trail, Barraclough said it is not restricted to New Hampshire. “People travel here from across the country and globe to visit us,” he said. “We are a gateway to New Hampshire.”

Member institutions on The Trail are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Loudon, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth, Warner, and Wolfeboro. To learn more about The Trail, or the Trail Passport program, which provides access to all member institutions at a significantly reduced rate, click here.

Field Trip at Millyard Museum

Field Trip at Castle in the Clouds

In addition to their longstanding field trip options, Charles Clark, Executive Director of Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, said they recently developed Castle in the Classroom in which staff will visit schools.

“Students can learn about bias and perspectives, leading to either a classroom debate or the creation of a newspaper-style article with one program,” he explained. “In another program, students engage in a STEM activity and learn about innovation and the design process.”

Child in a Homeschool Program at AIM

According to Jennifer Carr, Executive Director of the American Independence Museum (AIM) in Exeter, critical thinking is the primary takeaway for students who engage in their field trips and educational programs. She cited AIM’s 3-year We Are One organizational theme as a conceptual guidepost in their current educational offerings.

“Given the divisiveness of today’s political climate, we encourage kids of all ages to think critically and to hopefully recognize that what makes each of us different also makes us the same,” she said. “Diversity is a complicated subject—and the earlier we start, the better.”

In reflecting on the educational role of The Trail in New Hampshire, Barraclough said member institutions collectively interpret more than 300 years of New Hampshire history.

“We have hundreds of thousands of artifacts in our collections and welcome more than 200,000 visitors annually,” he said. “Whether people realize it or not, The Trail is largely responsible for not just preserving history in the state, but bringing it to life for young people of all ages.”

Totaling nearly 2-dozen, member institutions on the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail are located in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, Merrimack Valley, and Seacoast