Strawbery Banke Museum
Other Ideas: Old Sturbridge Village; Concord Museum; Edward M. Kennedy (EMK) Institute for the U.S. Senate; Discovery Museum; Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Strawbery Banke Museum' s 10-acre site, with authentically restored houses and shops, period gardens, and costumed role players, presents the daily lives of ordinary people who lived here, from Colonial times to World War II. Chosen as Yankee Magazine's Travel Guide to New England's 'Editors' Pick.'
Named by the first settlers in 1630 for the profusion of wild berries found on the shores of the Piscataqua River, Strawbery Banke is rich with history: George Washington, Daniel Webster, John Paul Jones and John Hancock were all guests on this site.
Hands On History
Learn by doing at Strawbery Banke Museum Throughout the museum there are many opportunities to experience hands-on history - come explore them all.
The Jones House Discovery Center is a highly interactive exhibit where kids of all ages can experience traditional games, crafts, chores, and pastimes. The Jones Center gives children ages 4 to 10 (and their grownups) a place to immerse themselves in the past. In three large indoor rooms and an outdoor play space, you'll find a fun and interactive experience that builds on familiar ideas from today to open windows into the past.
The Cotton Tenant House is a partially restored building from 1834 that needs your input to complete the restoration. Come look through the historical evidence provided in binders containing wallpaper samples, paint analysis, and architectural drawings and let the museum know what you would do if you were the curator.
The Victorian Children's Garden is a one-of-a-kind living history garden that features a Victorian tea garden, plants that tell time, a butterfly & fairy garden, a language of flowers garden, and a two-story naturalistic Victorian treehouse!
The Wheelwright House lets you experience the sounds, tastes, and touches of life in 1785. Come inside the home of Captain John Wheelwright the year after he died at sea. Engage all of your senses as you savor the aromatic scents of spices and teas, pick up and touch the dinnerware and furniture, hear the sounds of Puddle Dock as it was in 1785, and see the clothing children wore in the time period - kids can even try on the clothing!
Featured Exhibits
Throughout the year, special exhibits and programs at the museum share the real stories of the people that called the Puddle Dock neighborhood of the museum home. Check the website for current offerings
School Group Programs
Strawbery Banke Museum’s education department hosts nearly 10,000 school children annually for a variety of programs. Our school programs have been carefully developed to support specific New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts curriculum standards.
From May to October, teachers and home school groups can choose from self-guided field studies based on their particular curriculum goals or hands-on 'Time Travel Workshops' led by the museum's skilled educators. In November, we offer two sessions of our Thanksgiving Program, 'From Festival to Feast.' And in February-March, there's the History Explorers' Program, 'A Journey into Colonial Life.'
| HOURS | ↑ top |
May 1 - October 31:
10am - 5pm daily
Discovery Center Hours
* Included with general museum admission.
May 1 - June 30:
Open weekends 10am - 5pm
Garden Tours
* Included with general museum admission.
May 1 - October 31:
1pm daily
July 1 - August 31:
Open daily 10am - 5pm
September 1 - October 29:
Open weekends 10am - 5 pm
| COST | ↑ top |
Adults $15.00
Youths (ages 5-17) $10.00
Kids (ages 4 and under) FREE
Family Rate (2 adults and children under 17) $40.00
| WEBSITE | ↑ top |
| LOCATION | ↑ top |
P.O. Box 300, Portsmouth, NH, 03802 map
Phone: (603) 433-1100
| RELATED LINKS | ↑ top |
- Profiles
Info changes frequently. We cannot warrant it. Verify with Strawbery Banke Museum before making the trek. If you find an error, please report it...