The Millyard Museum - Manchester, New Hampshire

The Millyard Museum - Manchester, New Hampshire

When you want to visit a museum that covers a long stretch of time in a certain area one that you will certainly want to see is the Millyard Museum where time from native peoples who fished at Amoskeag Falls 11,000 years ago to the 21st Century.  The permanent exhibit, Woven in Time: 11,000 Years at Amoskeag Falls, will take you on a mental trip you can scarcely imagine.

There is a display of memorabilia from the visit of Abraham Lincoln to Manchester in 1860.  You can see photographs and artifacts from the places he visited and other Lincoln-related items such as materials related to the famous circus performer (and Manchester native) Commodore Nutt, who visited Lincoln in the White House.  There are other things such as a Lincoln-Hamlin campaign flag; mirror that reflected Lincoln's face in the casket on the Pullman railroad car that brought his remains to Springfield, Illinois; and a studio photograph of Lincoln that he gave to Manchester manufacturer Abraham Olzendam. The exhibit also explores Manchester myths and stories relating to Lincoln, the Civil War, and Manchester during the 1860s.

You will be able to see, at the Woven In Time exhibit, some of the stone tools the Paleo Indians used thousands of years ago.  You will learn how raw cotton was made into cloth during the Industrial Revolution, learn how the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company developed its famous "mile of mills" and how this shaped Manchester into the largest planned city in New England.  There are stories of the different countries people immigrated from to the area.  With colorful displays of original artifacts, documents and photographs you will learn a great deal about the community and its evolution to the present day.

The exhibit features selections from the MHA's collection of over 600,000 documents and artifacts, including some old favorites like the 1844 "Torrent # 5" hand tub fire pumper and the neon sign from Sundial Shoes. There are activity stations for children, videos, a model of the Millyard, looms from the mills, an animated explanation of how water power works and a re-creation of Elm Street on a Thursday night - complete with lighted arches, "cobblestone" pavement, a variety of stores and the State Theatre gallery for changing exhibits.

You may want to stay a little longer and go to the fourth floor of the building to see the SEE Science Center.  There is another page on the site about this attraction.

The Millyard Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday
    from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    The Research Center is open to the public Wednesdays and Saturdays
    from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Admission to either facility is:
        Adults $6
        Seniors and College Students $5
        Children 6-18 $2
        Children under 6 FREE
        MHA members FREE
        Family maximum $18

    Show your receipt from either facility and get free admission to the other on the same day.     (Anyone admitted after 3 p.m. may carry this over until the next day.)

    Both facilities are closed on some national holidays.

Location: Mill #3, 200 Bedford Street
Manchester, New Hampshire

Phone:(603) 622-7531

From Nashua: Take Everett Turnpike/Rte 293 North. Take Exit 5, Granite Street and Downtown, off of 293. Go right on Granite Street to the 1st set of lights. Take a left onto Commercial Street. Mill #3 is on your right hand side about a block down, at the intersection with Pleasant Street. You will notice a large #3 on the South side of the building. The Millyard Museum is on the first floor, south end of the building. Enter on Commercial Street.

From Keene and points west: Take Route 101 East toward Manchester. At Bedford, take Rte. 293 North. Take Exit 5 (Granite Street). Go right on Granite Street to the 1st set of lights. Take a left onto Commercial Street. Mill #3 is on your right hand side about a block down, at the intersection with Pleasant Street. You will notice a large #3 on the South side of the building. The Millyard Museum is on the first floor, south end of the building. Enter on Commercial Street.

From Portsmouth and the Seacoast: Take Route 101 West to I-293 North. Take Exit 5 (Granite Street). Go right on Granite Street to the 1st set of lights. Take a left onto Commercial Street. Mill #3 is on your right hand side about a block down, at the intersection with Pleasant Street. You will notice a large #3 on the South side of the building. The Millyard Museum is on the first floor, south end of the building. Enter on Commercial Street.

From Concord and points north: Take I-93 South to Everett Turnpike/Rte. 293 South toward Manchester. Take Exit 6, Amoskeag Bridge and Downtown. Keep to the right as you get off the highway. You will enter a rotary and should exit the rotary at the Ramada Inn. Cross the river, turn right onto Canal Street and then right onto Commercial Street. Mill #3 is the second long brick mill building past the Mill Girl Statue on your left hand side, just before the intersection with Pleasant Street. The Millyard Museum is on the first floor, south end of the building. Enter on Commercial Street.

From Salem and northern Massachusetts: Take I-93 North. Take Exit 8, Bridge Street and Wellington Road. Turn right at end of ramp. Follow Bridge Street to Elm Street ( the 8th traffic light.) Turn left onto Elm Street, then right on Spring Street and proceed straight through the lights at Canal Street onto Commercial Street. Mill #3 is the second long brick mill building past the Mill Girl Statue on your left hand side, just before the intersection with Pleasant Street. The Millyard Museum is on the first floor, south end of the building. Enter on Commercial Street.

Parking: There is a parking lot on the south side of the Millyard Museum. There is also metered parking on Commercial Street and a lot on Bedford Street (parallel to Commercial Street
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