Upper Valley museums 2023

Published: 09-27-2023 5:42 PM

American Precision Museum in Windsor: Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., November through April; Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May through October. Exhibits include “The Science and Technology of Measurement” and “Shaping America.” $5 to $10; families, $20; children under 6 free. 196 Main St. 802-674-5781 or americanprecision.org.

Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock: Open daily April 3 to May 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 27 to Oct. 31; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends and select days Nov. 4 to Feb. 25, 2024. Working dairy farm, exhibits and activities that explore Vermont’s rural heritage. $10 to $17, 3 and under free. 69 Old River Road. 802-457-2355 or billingsfarm.org.

Bradford, Vt., Historical Society Museum: Open by appointment and for special occasions. View artifacts and photos of Bradford area, along with a room devoted to Bradford Academy. Special exhibits include Oxbow High, Goshen Church and McLam’s Lumber Yard. Free; donations welcome. Third floor, Bradford Academy building, 172 N. Main St. BHSnews19@gmail.com, 802-222-4423, 802-222-9621 or.facebook.com/BradfordBHS.

Bridgewater Historical Society Museum: Second and fourth Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Memorial Day through Columbus Day, or by appointment. Features artifacts, works of art, photographs, archival material and ephemera relating to Bridgewater’s heritage. Free. 12 N. Bridgewater Road. 802-672-3745, bridgewaterhistoricalsociety@gmail.com or bridgewaterhistory.org.

Claremont Historical Society: Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m., June through August. View artifacts related to the city’s history. 26 Mulberry St. claremonthistoricalsociety.org.

Cornish Historical Society: Open by appointment only. Collections feature Cornish history and the Cornish Colony. Free. 26 School St. chs@cornishnh.net or Facebook: Cornish Historical Society.

Enfield Shaker Museum: Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with guided tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., with guided tours at 1 and 3 p.m., May 17 through Oct. 31. Learn about the history, culture and legacy of the Shakers. $3-$14; children 5 and under, free. 447 Route 4A. 603-632-4346 or shakermuseum.org.

Fort at No. 4 in Charlestown: April 29, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; April 30, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. May: Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July, August and September: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. October: Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tours and re-enactments at the historic fort that played a role in the French and Indian War. $8-$12. 267 Springfield Road. 603-826-5700 or fortat4.org.

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Hartford Historical Society Museum: Fridays, 9 to 11 a.m., July and August. Tours and exhibits about the town’s history, including the Abenaki nation. Free. Garipay House, 1461 Maple St. 802-280-2221 or hartfordhistory.com.

Hood Museum of Art in Hanover: Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Current exhibits include “¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now” and “Kent Monkman: The Great Mystery.” Free. 6 E. Wheelock St. 603-646-2808 or hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu.

Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in South Royalton: Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Includes historic artifacts, films, sculptures and hiking paths. Free. 357 LDS Lane. 802-763-7742.

Justin Morrill Homestead in Strafford: Inside exhibits open Thursdays to Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., May 26 through Oct. 8. Guided tours on the hour of the Gothic Revival house, artwork, formal gardens, interpretive exhibits and walking trail. $7. 214 Justin Morrill Highway. 802-828-3051 or morrillhomestead.org.

Lyme Historians Museum: Saturdays, beginning May 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and by appointment. Current exhibit is “The Chase Collection,” which features items donated by the Chase family in 1963. Churchill House, 15 Main St., Lyme. Free. 603-795-2508, lymehistorians.wordpress.com or lymehistorians@gmail.com.

Main Street Museum in White River Junction: Hours are random, by chance or appointment by texting 802-356-2776. “ZOOM Portraits from the Plague Years: The Art of Ed Eastridge” on display May 6 through 31. “COW: Paint-by-Numbers from Everywhere” on display June 2 through Sept. 1. Movies every Tuesday night; piano every Friday night. 58 Bridge St. mainstreetmuseum.org.

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock: The Carriage Barn Visitor Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Memorial Day weekend through Oct 31. The 25+ miles of trails are open year-round. Guided tours of the Mansion require advanced tickets; visit nps.gov/mabi to purchase and for events calendar. Shared parking lot at Billings Farm & Museum, 69 Old River Road. nps.gov/mabi, 802-457-3368 ext. 0 or mabi_visitoservices@nps.gov.

Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich: Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Activities include air and weather; creatures; light and sight; native plants and the environment; puzzles, shapes, and things that move; and sounds and hearing. Featured exhibits include “Under The Arctic: Digging Into Permafrost,” set to arrive in late May 2023. $15-$18. Summer admission, $17-$20, late June through Labor Day. Children under 2 free. Montshire Museum of Science, 1 Montshire Road. montshire.org or 802-649-2200.

Newport Historical Museum: Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and by appointment. Current exhibits include a colonial-era kitchen and a gallery of fine oil paintings by Andre Champollion. Free. 20 Central St. 603-863-1294 or newportnhhistory.org.

Norwich Historical Society: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Exhibits focus on Norwich’s past. Free. 277 Main St. 802-649-0124, info@norwichhistory.org or norwichhistory.org.

Orford Historical Society: Summer hours: Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wednesdays. 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Current Exhibit: “The Dame Hill Road Project.” Free. Town Hall Heritage Center, 2528 Route 25A. OrfordHistory@gmail.com, OrfordHistory.org or 802-775-1443.

The Rev. Dan Foster House in Weathersfield: Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m., mid-to-late June through Labor Day, and by appointment. View exhibits about town history at the home of the Weathersfield Historical Society and museum. Free. 2656 Weathersfield Center Road. 802-674-2626.

Royalton Historical Society Museum: Open by appointment. View exhibits about the town’s history in three historic buildings: The Royalton Town House built in 1840; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church built in 1836 with a period tracker pipe organ; and the Royalton Center District one-room school house built in 1844, which features the painted stage curtain from Knight’s Opera House. Free. 15 Route 110, Royalton Village. 802-763-8567 or jpdumville@yahoo.com.

Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish: Open daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Memorial Day Weekend through October. New Hampshire’s only national park features sculpture exhibits, tours of the home, gardens, trails, summer concerts and events. $10, 15 and under free. 139 Saint Gaudens Road. 603-675-2175 or nps.gov/saga.

Samuel Morse Museum in Croydon: Open by appointment, for special events and when the “open” sign is out. Historic 1790 home and courtroom of attorney Samuel Morse. 879 Route 10. 603-863-1449.

Sharon Historical Society: Open by appointment. Collections feature Sharon history. Free. 24 Route 132. Facebook: “Sharon Vermont Historical Society.”

Springfield Art and Historical Society: Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Includes exhibits about the town’s history. 65 Route 106, North Springfield, Vt. Free. 802-886-7935, springfieldartandhistorical.org or sahs@vermontel.net.

Sunapee Historical Society’s Flanders-Osborne Museum: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Memorial Day Weekend through mid-October. Artifacts from Sunapee include the pilot house of an old steamship and a tearoom from the Woodbine Cottage restaurant, formerly in Sunapee Harbor. 74 Main St. Visit Sunapee Archives at 542 Route 11 Mondays 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment to see Sunapee history displays. sunapeehistoricalsociety.org, sunapeehistory@gmail.com or 603-763-9872.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee: Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Educational activities, exhibits, scavenger hunts and trails, live raptor programs, turtle time and raptor feeding time. $16 to $19; children 3 and under, free. 149 Natures Way. 802-359-5000 or vinsweb.org.

Webster Cottage Museum in Hanover: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., June 7 through Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Local furnishings, photographs and artifacts, many related to Daniel Webster (1782-1852), a resident of the house while he was a Dartmouth College student. Free. 32 N. Main St. hanoverhistory.org.

Woodstock History Center: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 19 through Oct. 14. Explores the history of Woodstock. Featured exhibit is “A Child’s Life.” Guided museum tours available. Gift shop, gardens, research library and grounds. Free; donations welcome. 26 Elm St. 802-457-1822 or woodstockhistorycenter.org.

Please help us keep this list up to date. Email additions and updates to calendar@vnews.com.