Historic House Museums in New Hampshire

We try to keep this list of historic house museums for New Hampshire current, but it is best to check directly with the museums for their hours and other information. If you know of a historic house museum in New Hampshire that should be listed here, please use our submission form to let us know about it.

Center Sandwich

Sandwich Historical Society Museums

The museum includes an 1849 house furnished with antiques.

Open Thu-Sat 10-4 • 4 Maple Street • (603) 284-6269

Concord

Pierce Manse

Moved from its original location and restored, the house was home to President Franklin Pierce.

Open Mon-Fri 11-3, mid-Jun to Labor Day; other times by appt • 14 Penacook St. • (603) 224-5954 or (603) 225-2068

Cornish

Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site

The 1885-1907 home and studio of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens originally was a country tavern built in the early 1800s. The house has formal gardens, a collection of horse drawn vehicles, and the original furnishings.

Open daily 9-4:30, Memorial Day - Oct 31 • 139 Saint-Gaudens Road • (603) 675-2175

Derry

Robert Frost Farm

The poet lived here from 1900 to 1911. The house has some of the original furnishings as well as other period pieces.

Open Wed-Sun 10-5, mid Jun to Labor Day; Sat-Sun 10-5, mid-May to mid-Jun and Labor-Day to Columbus Day • on SR 28, 1.5 miles south of SR 102 • (603) 432-3091

Dover

Woodman Institute Museum

Three historic homes filled with colonial history and natural history collections.

Open Wed-Sun 12:30-4:30, Apr-Dec • 182 Central Ave. • (603) 742-1038

Exeter

American Independence Museum

The American Independence Museum's property includes the expansive Ladd-Gilman House (c. 1721), and the stately Folsom Tavern (c. 1775).

Open Wed-Sun, 12-5, May 1 - October 31 • One Governors Lane • (603) 772-2622

Franklin

Daniel Webster Birthplace

The restored house where Webster was born in 1782 is furnished in period.

Open Sat-Sun 10-6 late Jun - Labor Day • Off SR 127, 3.5 miles south via US 3 • (603) 934-5057

Hillsborough

Franklin Pierce Homestead

The restored 1804 mansion was the boyhood home of the 14th president. The house features hand stenciling and period furniture.

See their web site for hours • Near jct of SRs 9 & 31 • (603) 478-3165

Keene

Horatio Colony House Museum

The house was built in 1806 and features tin ceilings and decorative tiles.

Open Wed-Sun 11-4, May 1 - mid Oct; by appt. rest of the year • 199 Main St • (603) 352-0460

Lancaster

Weeks State Park

The park was the summer estate of John Weeks, the secretary of war and senator who wrote the legislation that established the eastern national forests. The fieldstone and stucco mansion contains exhibits and mementos relating to Weeks work.

Open Wed-Sun 10-6 mid-Jun to Labor Day; Sat-Sun 10-6 Memorial Day to mid-Jun & Labor Day to Columbus Day • 2 miles south on US 3 • (603) 788-4004

Manchester

The Currier Gallery of Art

Reached by a van from the museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Zimmerman House is an example of his "Usonian" style. Reservations are required.

Call for reservations and tour hours • 201 Myrtle Way • (603) 669-6144

Milton

New Hampshire Farm Museum

Jones Farm is considered the best preserved example of connected farm structures in the state. The structures extend 275 feet and offer examples of architectural styles that span 200 years.

See their web site for hours and special events • on SR 125 • (603) 652-7840

New Ipswich

Barrett House

The impressive Federal style 1800 mansion has a third floor ballroom and many well preserved examples of period furniture.

See their web site for hours • Main St. • (860) 928-4074

Portsmouth

Jackson House

The oldest surviving wood frame house in New Hampshire and Maine was built by Richard Jackson, a woodworker, farmer, and mariner, on his family's 25-acre plot in 1664. At that time, timber from the region's abundant pine forests formed the basis of the economy. The extensive Piscataqua riverway powered scores of sawmills and linked the hinterlands to the sea and distant ports.

Open 11-4, first Sat of month, Jun-Oct • 76 Northwest Street • (603) 436-3205

Portsmouth Trail

The trail offers a glimpse into six of the city's historic houses. A 32 page brochure with a map of the trail is available at any of the houses or from the chamber of commerce. Hours and admission to each house vary, call for more info.

• Governor John Langdon House - 143 Pleasant St. - (603) 436-3205
• John Paul Jones House - Middle & State Sts. - (603) 436-8420
• Moffatt-Ladd House - 154 Market St. - (603) 436-8221
• Rundlet-May House - 364 Middle St. - (603) 436-3205
• Warner House - Daniel & Chapel Sts. - (603) 436-5909
• Wentworth-Gardner House - Mechanic & Gardner Sts. - (603) 436-4406

Call individual houses for hours • Trail begins at Hanover & High Sts. • (603) 436-1118

Strawbery Banke Museum

More than 40 buildings in the historic waterfront neighborhood are in various stages of restoration. Included are the 1860 Governor Goodwin Mansion, 1762 Chase House, 1796 Capt. Keyran Walsh House, 1870 Thomas Bailey Aldrich House, and the 1790 Drisco House.

See their web site for hours • Bounded by Marcy, State, Washington and Hancock Sts. • (603) 433-1100

Tobias Lear House

Tobias Lear V was born here in 1762 and died by his own hand in Washington D.C. in 1816. In 1789 he accompanied America's first president George Washington on his tour of the original colonies. The president's visit to the Lear House is well documented and the parlor of the house is restored to represent that 1789 period.

Open Wed 1-4 during summer or by appt. • Hunking Street • (603) 436-4406

Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion

The oldest part of this 42 room mansion is thought to date from 1695.

Open daily 10-5 Jun 21 to Labor Day; Sat, Sun 10-5 May 2 to Jun 20 • on Little Harbor Rd. • (603) 436-6607

Rumney

Mary Baker Eddy Historic House

Mrs. Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, lived in the house 1860-62.

Open Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 2-5, May-Oct • on Stinson Lake Rd. • (603) 786-9943

Wolfeboro

The Clark House Museum Complex

The Clark House is one of three historic buildings that make up the museum. It is furnished as a typical Colonial farmhouse.

Open Wed-Fri 10-4, Sat 10-2, Jul-Aug • 233 Main St. • (603) 569-4997