I wasn't completely sure what to expect from the American Precision Museum, but given our technical…read morebackgrounds, it seemed likely to be interesting. It is a bit difficult to access their parking; the turn from the main road is pretty sharp. You park 'in back' but it wasn't clear if that included some spaces along the side or just in back. Parking is all on various gravel areas and was limited, but there were not a lot of other guests on the weekday morning that we visited. The museum is built into an old machine shop / manufacturing mill where they had a large water wheel in the basement powering overhead axels with belts, etc. So some of the exhibits were actually made in this building 150 years ago. The lady who sold the tickets (I think it was $8 or $10 apiece) was friendly and helpful. She also recommended another stop for our afternoon (the Saint-Gaudens Historic Site) which we liked. She cued up the short intro video for us after which we entered the main exhibit space and browsed. They provided a historical context for the museum, citing the area as the nineteenth century's rough analog to Silicon Valley. The work done in shops along the Connecticut River accelerated machining of parts and machine tools and trained apprentices that spread out across the U.S. They also had a lot of different machine / product examples and how they evolved into things one might be familiar with now. They went from mass producing gun-stocks to making parts for bicycles and typewriters. There were also examples of precision tools. Ultimately shops in the area also produced the expanded range of industrial machine/tools that produced smaller parts for various uses. We spent just over an hour here and felt it was a very worthwhile stop. Though we didn't bring any kids, I'd think that those over 8 might find some of the exhibits interesting.

Lovely little museum tucked away. I went because my nerdy dd wanted to learn about 19th century…read moremanufacturing - but I stayed because it was so interesting. I had no idea that Vermont was the cradle of major innovation in manufacturing. The exhibits actually make it interesting, even to non-engineering types like me. Needless to say, my daughter was completely fascinated.

This place was not at all on my radar when I planned our trip. We had driven up to Windsor to see…read moreanother museum, and the lady who sold the tickets there talked to us about our plans and recommended this place as very worthwhile. So, after lunch, we crossed a semi-narrow wooden bridge and drove a mile or two to this site. You park in a small lot (there was a sign for overflow parking too) and either pay there (if a ranger is on duty) or proceed to the visitors' center (where you can also pay). Augustus Saint-Gaudens was an American sculptor in the late 1800s and into the very early 1900s. I was not specifically familiar with him, but his work and that of those who trained with him was featured on a lot of U.S. coins at the time. It seems like a lot of the older coinage (before the models used now) was related to him. He also designed the Shaw Memorial on Boston Commons (related to the 54th Massacusetts regiment of black troops - see the film 'Glory' for background). From the visitors' center, there are several other areas to see. The ground slopes down towards the Connecticut River in the distance. Facing that, there is a small gallery and courtyard featuring some sculptures to your right. There is also a large sculpture of Lincoln. As you proceed towards the river, there are some works housed in spaces bordered by high hedges (including a copy of the Shaw Memorial). These end at the border to Saint-Gauden's original house, which is sometimes open for tours. When we visited, the sign just said 'wait for docent to open the door'. We later learned that this only happens between 2 - 4 p.m., which would be helpful to add to the sign. A bit below that is the studio building, which has examples of the sculptor's work and exhibits on the process of creating some. Maybe 300 yards further down is a memorial (sort of a small Greek temple) where the Saint-Gaudens' ashes (and those of several family members) are buried. It was a pretty site especially if the weather is nice. The sculptures, especially those which are outdoors, make for good photos. They also offer periodic ranger-led tours. We tagged along for part of one, but had already seen some of the areas, so we broke off and continued on our own. If you are in this area and have any interest in sculpture, this is very worthwhile.

Beautiful grounds and entertaining story about artist and a local artist colony. It's only about an…read morehour to 90 minutes to enjoy it. So not really worth making a big detour for-But it is a lovely stop if you're traveling through New Hampshire or Vermont.

Amazing place for kids and adults alike. Kids can play with this from past generations while older…read morefolks can see stuff from their childhood and before. We appreciate everything the Ice House Museum does for the community.

Outstanding collection of antique cars, paraphernalia, and kitschy retro toys and promotional items…read morehaving to do with various modes of transportation and industry through the ages. Meticulously arranged compound of vintage vehicles, machinery, accessories, signage, appliances, and so much more. This is an ideal place whether you tinker or just appreciate the ingenuity of how things used to work. So many of these old utilitarian items are also works of art unto themselves. Eager volunteers will tell you more about everything on display. A charming and truly impressive garage gallery with interesting and quirky things to admire for all ages. Hidden gem.

What a great way to spend the afternoon! I went with my wife and Australian shepherd and we had a…read moreblast! This place is dog friendly which you rarely find in these types of places. The castle was so cool and has so many unique and rare antiques. The tour guides were so knowledgeable about the history, building techniques, and all of the antiques and art work in the castle. The castle has a beautiful marble deck outside over looking the green mountains and it was a perfect way to end out the tour. I would highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area!

Wilson Castle is awesome. It's one of my favorite places to bring visitors to Vermont. I've…read moreprobably visited a dozen times and I look forward to my next visit.

If you find yourself in Vermont, and in particular Proctor, VT you can stumble upon the Vermont…read moreMarble Museum. The museum is up on the second floor but for those that need it they do have an elevator as well. As you would expect you get there and are immediately surrounded by the different types of Marble. There is a nominal cost to get in and you will find a fairly large display that should please many a museum geek. You will find some hand carved work, lots of pictures of where and how marble is used and several self running history of marble and such videos you can watch. Of interest to us was both the section on marble faces of many of the nations presidents along with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and how not only it was built but how they moved it. For the shopper out there they also had a rather large store that had many different items such as trivets, rolling pins, desk accessories, jewelry and more.

Pretty dull, even for a museum about marble. Spent lots of floor space on bad example of using…read moremarble in the kitchen and bathroom, lot of space of photo of monuments they supplied marble to. Then just had photo of actual marble mining. There really isn't much need for the physical museum itself. It is most photo that can be online and examples of home decorating, The staff is nice, the museum is just a nothing.

Recently visited here on my first proper New Hampshire trip. Absolutely stunning! So informative,…read morewith a very extensive array of exhibits. An absolute must see, especially because of the lovely staff! Much love from Providence!

Made my first visit to the museum on dec 3, 2022. I had signed up myself and a friend for the Snow…read moreSnake workshop. It was a very congenial group, and the staff who assisted were also warm and welcoming. After a short talk about the traditional ways of making the snow snakes, there was information on the current plans to include other Native bands in competitive games in early 2023. Everyone in the workshop was invited to sign up for the online newsletter so they would know when it was happening. It was an enjoyable and informative 2 hours!

Excellent museum with things for kids of all ages and adults to do. We did a handful of things but…read morewe were there during the school winter break. By the time we got there 15 minutes after opening the museum was packed and we had to wait in a long line to get in. From there the museum continued to get more and more busy. Our kids couldn't get to exhibits and it was just a constant sea of people so didn't stay as long as we'd have liked. Maybe next time.

Science, steam museum. Lots of hands-on activities for different age groups. Due to weather, we did…read morenot do anything outdoors and they close certain areas when it is snowing. We stayed two hours but longer is possible. If you can make the track up to the observation deck the view is worth it. It was a good break from the snow and cold to entertain young children for a few hours. The fog room and bubbles were our favorite!!

I enjoyed the Hancock Shaker Village more, but this one was not bad at all, especially when the…read moretrees display their magnificent colors. The idyllic hills and surrounding trees make this a lovely walk. The tour guide was informative and fairly friendly. The staff kinda led us a little stray from the tour when we arrived, but they figured things out. The museum itself seems a lot more low-key than Hancock Shaker, the latter being a more vast museum and includes more exhibits and things to see, such as farm animals. With this museum, you'll get a good sense of Shaker living and see some of their aspects of their lives. However, the tour guide will give you a richer sense of what they did and why. The Shakers are an intriguing and interesting people and definitely worth a look. The gift shop offers various Shaker crafts and books. Plus there's a video in the back on the village that you can watch for free. You can go into some of the individual buildings, but many of them were closed, which was a little discouraging and felt limiting. So while I do think this was a good visit and still worth it, Hancock Shaker is a better place to go to learn about the people. (I haven't been to Sabbathday Shaker in Maine yet)

This was one of our best stops in New Hampshire. The Canterbury Shaker village is the only Shaker…read moreCommunity that became a museum while residents stilled lived there. The Shakers were not like the Amish in that they embraced technology and were one of the first villages in New Hampshire to use electricity. (The Shakers and the Quakers were also totally different groups.) The buildings are original, as is most of the furnishings. I HIGHLY recommend you take advantage of the free guide, who will take you into many of the buildings and explain how and why the Shakers were so successful. As you may know, the Shakers were celibate and it seems inevitable that they would die out. However, many people joined the group because of their views about peace and harmony. Also, they willingly adopted orphaned children. These children grew up in the village and frequently stayed, so that the number of people actually increased for over 200 years. This village is well worth the stop and I very much highly recommend this excellent experience.