Come spend a spooky evening at the Woodman Museum with Paranormal Five. This is the first paranormal group investigation being held at the museum. Experience three historical buildings including the 1675 Garrison House. These buildings are filled with artifacts that could still hold some energy to them. You will be broken up into 3 groups […]
The NH Magical Maker Fair is back with an extra magical fall event!!! Join us on October 19th at the Woodman Museum to celebrate fall, the solstice, and Halloween! This event is free to attend and family-friendly. Not only will we have our amazing line-up of vendors, but we will be adding in even more […]
Join us at the Woodman Museum on Wednesday, October 16th at 5:30pm for “The Culture of Flax Spinning” An Historical Perspective”. Presenters and Living History Interpreters, Peter Cook and Nancy Cook grow flax and wool on their historic farm. They are specialists in early American textiles and pre-industrial spinning and weaving. Enjoy an evening at […]
Join Doctor Gasp at the Woodman Museum for their 22nd Annual Halloween Special on October 6th from 5-7pm! Do you distaste the flavor of wax lips? Throat sore from cackling like a phantom? Well... don't lose your head! Haunting can be daunting... and to be Frank; a pain in the neck! This season leave all […]
Birthplace of the Ninja Turtles Gallery Opening: Day 2 10am-5pm Didn't get to the gallery for our Opening Day! No worries! Come celebrate the history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Dover, NH on Saturday August 10th! Enjoy a timed viewing of our new Birthplace of the Ninja Turtles Gallery made in partnership with […]
Come enjoy a free Family Movie Night on our grounds featuring last year's TMNT: Mutant Mayhem! Purchase of Birthplace of the Ninja Turtles Gallery Opening Day Tickets are NOT required. Start Time: 8pm Movie Rated: PG Runtime: 99 Minutes More details to be announced!
Birthplace of the Ninja Turtles Gallery Opening Day 10am-6:30pm Come celebrate the history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Dover, NH on Saturday August 10th! Enjoy a timed viewing of our new Birthplace of the Ninja Turtles Gallery made in partnership with Kevin Eastman Studios as well as other TMNT artists and collectors! View […]
Join Eric Salmonsen, Dover High School Social Studies teacher and NHCSS board member, to learn how the Everything is a Primary Source teaching method can engage your students, energize your classroom, and enhance understanding of social studies concepts. Eric developed Everything is a Primary Source to make teaching his wide array of social studies courses more efficient and […]
An evening of local live music at the most unique new venue in Dover, NH with all proceeds going to benefit the restoration of the Woodman Museum's historic buildings. Live music, food & beverage available from Juniper Kitchen, Dover Dogs, and Maeves Mobile Bar. Advanced tickets include access to a self guided tour of the […]
EPS Trivia is a Pop Culture and History knowledge challenge with a twist. Inter-round guessing games based on pop culture primary sources turn into on-the-spot live recordings for the Everything is a Primary Source Podcast and oral history project. And, unlike many other “pub trivia” games, EPS Trivia has questions that the whole family can help […]
Come join us at the Woodman Museum on Saturday, June 22nd for our first every Summer Solstice Block Party! Come Learn About Sustainable Agriculture: In the age of fast fashion and big agriculture, come discover ways to live and shop more environmentally friendly! Shop Local and Sustainable From groups on our grounds who produce goods […]
Join us by the new Flax and Indigo Garden on the grounds of the Woodman Museum for a special demonstration by Marion Ceres Dillon, local weaver, spinner, and clothing maker. Using historically-informed techniques, Dillon weaves linen textiles for garments and home goods. Dillon will demonstrate the process of preparing and spinning flax fiber into linen […]
Born in nearby Rochester NH, John Parker Hale is best known as the first avowed Abolitionist Senator in the United States. It is an odd irony that, in the two decades Hale was in the Senate, Dover profited from the manufacture of cotton products that were produced by Southern slave labor. Living in William’s own house, Hale took a solid stand against slavery - a position that earned him enmity from Southern leaders, even a death threat on the Senate floor from a colleague. It also earned Hale a statue in 1892 on the lawn of the state capitol in Concord, NH, where his figure now stands with Daniel Webster, President Franklin Pierce and John Stark.
Today, the collections throughout two of the three floors of the Hale House are arranged into galleries displaying Hale Family artifacts, local and regional history, New England period furniture, fine and decorative arts and more.
The younger Charles Woodman inherited the estate from his mother. A successful financier and manager of the Strafford Savings Bank, he resided here throughout his life. He married twice: his first wife, Hannah (Coffin) Woodman, died in 1854 and in 1856 he married Annie (Allen) Woodman. When she died in January 1915, Annie Woodman left the sum of $100,000 “for the establishment …of an institution for the promotion of education in science and art and the increase and dissemination of general and especially historical knowledge.” The trustees of the estate acquired the Woodman house and the adjoining Hale House, which by chance came on the market that same year. The renovation of the interior was directed by local architect J. Edward Richardson, and the Institute opened in July, 1916.
Today, the collections throughout the three floors of the Woodman House are arranged into galleries displaying natural science (mounted specimens, rocks and minerals, fossils, seashells), Native American culture, military history, “childhood” history (schools, Scouting, toys, games and dolls), seasonal themed exhibits and more.
In 1915, Col. Daniel Hall (the founding Head Trustee of the Woodman Museum) had an interview with Mrs. Rounds and broached the matter of having the garrison and its contents removed to the grounds of the Woodman Museum. The proposition proved to be acceptable to her; in due time she made a formal gift of the Damm garrison to the Museum. Daniel Chesley was entrusted with the task of removing the house to its new home; it took him one week, using wooden rollers and a horse, to move the garrison to the grounds. Local architect J. Edward Richardson directed the construction of the protective outer “colonnade” building that surronds and protects the garrison currently.
Today, the collections throughout the two floors of the William Damm Garrison House are arranged into galleries displaying local Colonial and Early American history.
Today, the first floor of the Keefe House (the Thom Hindle Gallery) features rotating artist and artisan exhibitions throughout the year. The second floor of the Keefe House (the Robert Whitehouse Library) serves as administrative offices and a climate controlled archive. The attached two story Carriage Barn houses local and regional transportation, trades, farm, and household collections.
