Merrimack Valley is home to fine art and American history museums

Abbot-Spalding House Museum

1 Nashville Street Nashua, NH 03060 Phone: 603-883-0015

Open: April-November, some Saturdays and by appointment

Built in 1804, this museum offers exhibits of early 19th century household items and furniture. Admission is free; donations are welcome.

Canterbury Shaker Village

288 Shaker Road Canterbury, NH 03224 Phone: 603-783-9511

Fun and Educational in a Beautiful Setting

The Canterbury Shaker village, which once was home to over 300 Shakers, is an outdoor history museum that has provided educational fun to families since 1992. The National Historic Landmark features 25 original Shaker buildings on 694 acres of gardens, fields, ponds and forests. Come experience two hundred years of Shaker life through guided tours with engaging interpreters, craft demonstrations, restored organic vegetables and botanical gardens and special events. Highlights include a Shaker school and hospital, as well as a number of nature trails. Situated on a beautiful site, the Village is ideal for learning, reflection and renewal of spirit. Rich in authenticity, Canterbury Shaker Village is a non-profit, educational institution that features an award-winning restaurant and houses New Hampshire’s premier store for Shaker reproductions and New Hampshire handcrafted products.

Chapel Art Center at St. Anselm College

100 St. Anselm Drive Manchester, NH 03102 Phone: 603-641-7470

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursdays until 9 p.m.

Exhibitions of contemporary and historical art, as well as works by students and faculty. Cost: Admission is free.

Children's Metamorphosis Museum

217 Rockingham Road Londonderry, NH 03038 Phone: 603-425-2560

Open: Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sundays, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

An interactive museum with exhibits aimed at children 1 - 8. Cost: $5 per person over age 1.

Christa McAuliffe Planetarium

3 Institute Drive Concord, NH 03301 Phone: 603-271-7827 Fax: 603-271-7832

Opened in 1990 as a living memorial for Sharon Christa McAuliffe, America’s first private citizen in space, the planetarium combines her dream of traveling through space with her dedication to teaching. In one hour, visitors can take an unforgettable expedition through space while seated inside the domed theatre. Exhibits, scheduled events and sky watches.

Currier Museum of Art

150 Ash Street Manchester, NH 03104 Phone: 603-669-6144 Fax: 603-669-7194

Great art is just the beginning!

Explore art in your own way at the recently expanded Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, NH - home to an internationally respected collection of European and American paintings, decorative arts, photographs and sculpture. New galleries showcase the collection of over 11,000 objects, including works by Picasso, Matisse, Monet, O'Keeffe, and Warhol. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the engaging exhibitions, dynamic programs ranging from music to lectures to hands-on art-making, expanded gift shop and airy new café filled with light and equipped with WiFi. Allow several hours to tour all of the galleries.
Admission: $10 adult; $9 senior; $8 student. Children 17 and under free. Free each Sat 10-12.
Hours: Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu*, Fri 11-5; Sat 10-5 (free 10-12); *1st Thurs of each month 11-8; Closed Tuesdays.

Kaleidoscope Children’s Museum

250 Commercial Street, Waumbec Mill, Suite 1004 Manchester, NH Phone: 603-606-3381

Summer Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays, noon-5 p.m.; closed Tuesdays

This museum, opened in July 2009, is designed for children age 1 to 5, though older children are welcome as well. Many of the special events are great for all ages. Kaleidoscope is designed specifically to encourage creative play and thinking.

Lawrence L. Lee Scouting Museum

Camp Carpenter (Exit 5 off of I-95) Manchester, NH 03109 Phone: 603-669-8919

Open: September-June, Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; July-August, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

A museum dedicated to the history of the Boy Scouts. Exhibits feature displays of Scouting memorabilia, artifacts, and a collection focusing on Scouting's founder, Lord Baden-Powell. Picnic tables, lakeside scenery, and nearby nature trails. Admission is free.

Museum Complex - Bear Brook State Park

Route 28 Allenstown, NH -3275 Phone: 603-485-2034

Open: Various hours throughout the summer

Features the Interpretive programs are held regulary throughout the summer season. Also located in the museum complex are the New Hampshire Antique Snowmobile Museum, Museum of Family Camping, Old Allenstown Meeting House, and the Richard Diehl Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum. Most of the museums are housed in historic CCC buildings. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Bear Brook Camp is one of the most complete camps remaining intact and in use in the country.

Museum of New Hampshire History

6 Eagle Square Concord, NH 03301 Phone: 603-228-6688

Open: Tuesday- Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; July-October 15 and all of December, additional hours on Monday, 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Interactive and detailed museum exhibits tell visitors about the history of the Granite State, its indigenous peoples, and colonial settlers. The museum has a store. Cost: Adults, $5.50; seniors, $4.50; children age 6-18, $3.

See Science Center

200 Bedford Street Manchester, NH 03101 Phone: 603-669-0400

Open: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This hands-on science center has nearly 100 exhibits where children and adults can do actual science experiments. The museum’s Millyard Project is a scale model of the Amoskeag Millyard of Manchester circa 1900, built entirely of Lego blocks – 2 million in all. Other activities include the Science of Ice Hockey; Reptile Mountain, and Moonwalk. Check for seasonal changes in hours and programs. Cost: $5 per person over age 1.