Destination: New Hampshire
New Hampshire embraces its Live Free or Die motto with a passion one expects from such a declaration. As soon as you cross into the state, you feel a sense of ease and freedom. Here, arts and culture seekers will discover thriving arts communities of all shapes and sizes in the state’s larger cities and tiny hamlets. Yet don’t let the casual atmosphere fool you—there is serious art happening here amidst the breathtaking White Mountains and serene lakes.
The following pages offer a glimpse into the season’s cultural happenings, now laced with the promise of the holidays and the first snowfall. From major museum and gallery exhibitions, to nature walks, poetry readings, and performances, ‘tis the season to explore New Hampshire’s artistic side. Pair these events with the state’s burgeoning culinary scene and famous inns and B & Bs and you have the makings for a family weekend adventure or a romantic getaway. Already holiday shopping? Arts festivals and fairs abound.
Looking forward to winter weather? Bring your skis, skates and snowboards and experience that incredible sensation of living free while breathing the freshest air under a sunny New Hampshire sky. You’ll never feel more alive.
Strawbery Banke Museum—Portsmouth
Strawbery Banke Museum is an authentic, nearly ten-acre outdoor history museum in the heart of historic downtown Portsmouth dedicated to bringing more than 300 years of American history in the same waterfront neighborhood to life. Tour historic houses on original sites, meet engaging costumed role-players, watch traditional crafts demonstrations and explore heirloom gardens and landscapes. The Museum is open seasonally from May through October and is also open for special events, programs, and workshops throughout the year. Upcoming events include the Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, a seasonal, outdoor ice-skating rink at Strawbery Banke Museum open for daily public skating, adaptive ice time, private rink rentals and ice-skating lessons from December through February. Visitors can also enjoy Candlelight Strolls on Saturdays, December 2, 9 and 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sundays, December 3, 10 and 17 from 4 to 8 p.m. The glow of hundreds of lighted candle lanterns lights the way as guests enjoy seasonal greetings from costumed role-players and performers. Call upon the families who once lived in the Puddle Dock neighborhood and learn about seasonal and holiday traditions of times past while traveling from decorated house to historic house.
The Currier Museum of Art—Manchester
Located in New Hampshire’s most populous city, the Currier Museum of Art is an expansive contemporary art museum in Manchester. Call ahead or make reservations online to tour the only two Frank Lloyd Wright homes in New England available for public viewing: the Kalil House and the Zimmerman House. Compare and contrast architectural and design details of both homes in this immersive guided tour which also includes museum admission. On the weekends, catch special Looking Together tours included with admission at 11 a.m. and noon, with each tour focusing on a specific work in the collection. For a more casual visit, drop in on Art After Work from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings for donation-based admission, live music, signature menu items, and pop-up tours. The Currier offers an extensive selection of classes and workshops for all ages and abilities in addition to special events, programming, and a suite of wellness programs centered in art. Look forward to intriguing special exhibitions on view in addition to the vast permanent collection, featuring works by Monet, Picasso, O’Keeffe, Hopper, and Wyeth.
The Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire—Durham
The Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire is more than just a repository of artifacts. It is a visual arts resource that serves as an educational catalyst, sparking dialogue and reflection. It supports teaching and learning across disciplines and presents exhibitions by leading contemporary artists and organizes thought-provoking programs that explore contemporary topics and pressing social issues. This fall, the Museum of Art presents two contemporary artists/activists who champion social justice causes, both on view through December 2, 2023. Sue Coe: Why No Justice? presents a selection of prints and drawings from the 1980s and 1990s calling attention to complex societal issues like racial discrimination, economic inequality, LGBTQ+ rights and environmental justice. The collaged and layered paintings in Jordan Seaberry: An Historical Correction Experienced with Sight are the artist’s visual response to research into his family’s legacy as members of the Great Migration and his rediscovery of the Mississippi town his family fled. Allegorical images and drawings from his grandfather’s birthplace explore historical injustices, racial violence, and contemporary struggles. Visit the Museum of Art and experience education as a force for positive change.
The Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University—Plymouth
The Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University explores the art, culture, history, and environment of the White Mountains region through changing exhibitions, highlights from the permanent collections and a rich array of programming. Extending Ecology: Making Meaning with the White Mountains, on view through December 15, 2023, features multimedia interpretations and visual artwork made through an ongoing Oika collaboration between ecologist and cultural communicator, Dr. Rich Blundell, artist Rita Leduc, and Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. By presenting an overview of their two-year long collaboration, the exhibition underlines how deep, intimate engagement with the natural science and creativity of a place can offer and extend insights into more ecological ways of being in the world. The Museum of the White Mountains is housed on Plymouth State University’s gorgeous campus at the entrance of the scenic White Mountains. Explore the connection between art, culture and nature at this unique museum.
AVA Gallery & Art Center—Lebanon
Since it began in 1973, this vibrant nonprofit organization has remained dedicated to its mission to inspire, nurture, and showcase the artistic spirit. The AVA campus consists of two buildings, a beautifully renovated factory with studios, classrooms and galleries, and a sculptural studies facility for working with clay, wood, metal, and stone. Five spacious contemporary exhibition spaces embrace the historic roots of a mill factory. Each year AVA offers a robust exhibition series featuring single exhibiting artists showing concurrently, in addition to large group exhibitions and a Members Gallery which is dedicated to an ever-evolving display of fine art and exquisite craft made by AVA Artist Members. AVA’s annual holiday exhibition is on view from
November 24 to December 30, with an open house and reception planned for December 2. All gallery talks and exhibition openings are always free and open to the public. AVA is committed to exhibiting New England artists through meaningful and engaging contemporary art, cultivating an exchange of ideas and dialogue between the local art community and beyond.
The Gallery at WREN—Bethlehem
The Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network (WREN) is a nonprofit dedicated to the support, education and enrichment of women at work in northern New Hampshire. Stop by the Store at WREN and find handmade artisan goods by over 120 local artists and makers available at every price point. Welcome to the Table, on view at the Gallery through December, is WREN’s annual member group show. Participants were encouraged to submit pieces engaging with themes of celebration, family, friends, food and inclusivity. WREN is partnering with the Littleton Food Co-op for this exhibition, with $10 from every gallery sale donated to local food pantries. $10 from gallery sales between November 10 and November 15 will be donated directly to the Littleton Food Co-op’s Feed the Family program, which puts together Thanksgiving meal boxes for local families in need. On Saturday, December 2, WREN will participate in town-wide Christmas in Bethlehem celebrations and also organize a Holiday Fair at the Adair Country Inn featuring pop-ups from WREN members. This fair will be a great opportunity to meet the makers and find the perfect gift for everyone on your list this holiday season!
Lakes Gallery at Chi-Lin —Laconia
Located in a restored 1780’s farmhouse and surrounded by Japanese gardens, the Lakes Gallery provides a historic, homey setting in which to view art and take a rest. When visiting the Lakes Gallery, don’t expect a traditional gallery experience. Artwork is hung in the historic hallways, stairwells and rooms upstairs in the farmhouse and is presented as-is, without the standard cluttered labels. This fall, come to the Lakes Gallery to see Art for a New Hampshire Home, open through Thanksgiving. This show features pieces to complement the unique lifestyle of this state, from the country life and natural beauty of lakes and mountains to the sophistication of urban dining and arts. Catch Sunday readings at 4 p.m., such as poet Dianalee Velie on November 19. Artist and owner Suzanne Lee also offers beginning workshops in Italic calligraphy and nature cards in the studio, perfect for adding a special touch to holiday gifts!
