Reviews of Canterbury Shaker Village (Museum)

Robert Poulin

An interesting historical prospective on the Shaker community and lifestyle.

Abigail diamond

went today when no one was around, what a great place..

Rev Myers

Interesting village and history with a staff to explain and answer questions. Enjoyable experience.

charles beller

Very historical. Learned things about Shakers. Interesting and good food snacks.

Sue Shimomura

Very interesting look into the life and history of the Shakers who once lived in NH. My 12yo nephew enjoyed the print shop as well as the opportunity to ask many questions of the docent (a very patient retired teacher) who guided our tour. We also enjoyed our lunch in the cafe; both soup and sandwiches were good.

ronald chong

we loved this place. the guided tour is very good and about the right length for someone new to the shakers. we would have enjoyed a longer tour because of our interest in them. lots of great photography opportunities, if you're so inclined. we will visit again for sure when we're back in this area.

Larry Sexton

This was a wonderful visit to see the history of the Shakers and how they lived in there commune. Well worth the visit!

Human Being

A New Hampshire Treasure! You cant miss the pancake breakfast!!

Dale Sellars

A great time and a lot of history

fred stanton

Friendly people and a whole lot of history ✌

Filippo Radicchi

Tour interessante, ottima la "guida" che, avendo effettivamente vissuto nel villaggio quando ancora era in funzione, sa raccontare personalmente molti dettagli interessanti.

Gena_Maire 1234gen

Very interesting

Cindy Walker

This is an amazing piece of history that I did not know much about! We had a guide who took us through some of the old buildings and explained the story of the Shakers. They were very progressive and inventive people which was apparent in their living and working quarters on the property. Too bad abstinence made them go extinct!

Rosalie Philibert

The history behind the Shakers and how they became shakers is very interesting.

Alan Gray

Interesting place to visit

Felix Erpf

What an interresting place!

Joan Maloney

Typical Shaker agricultural village. Boring gift shop, nice cafe with a limited menu but good food.

Greg Souther

I got a chance to take my first village tour while visiting my family. It was interesting learning about a place that I grew up near yet had never visited. I have never been to a historic site that always guests to have so much access to the property.

Damon Rice

A small step back in time

Sarah Ouellette

I love Shaver Village! I cant even tell you how many times I have been there. My grandfather was good friends with the last remaining Shakers and actually came into the possession of an old bible of theirs. It is cool to see how they used to live. My cousin was also married there in the garden and had the reception in the old barn. Shaker Village is a wonderful place to visit along as hold functions at. Go visit this historic place while you have the chance.

Link Moser

Nice Christmas event

Lindsey English

My mom and I went here and loved the lands around the area for walking, drawing and learning about the shakers

Sandra sunrise

Magic place.

Randy Rienth

What a wonderful place to spend the day, learn a little history and share with friends

Dennis Smith

Beautiful old buildings from the 1800s.

Donald Cameron

This was a fascinating trip back in time. The location of the village could not have been better. The history spoken by the interpreter brought to life the Shaker village. It also showed how hard it must have been for children brought to the village by parents wanting to retreat from a normal life style. Shakers were not able to survive due to their beliefs and not growing their community. Not believing in have children doomed their society. It showed that a narrow view of a religious doctrine could not survive the long term struggles outlined in their faith. This experience showed a society of thinkers and doers. This saw a problem and invented several items that made their lives easier ie; washing machine on a commercial scale, elevator for moving laundry from level to level, building techniques used today in modern buildings. Education that enabled their members to succeed in business. Well worth the time

Marcia Kenyon

Educational & inspirational - should be visited when you're in the area. Highly recommended

Michael Barwell

An American experiment with monasticism.

Thomas Blinn

Always a good place to visit. We went for a "Spirit Encounters" walking tour of the village. It was a dark and somewhat stormy night so we had a perfect setting for it. Our guide was knowledgeable and entertaining. A good time was had by all.

M J

Fun and entertaining

Si Mitch

Kevin was an excellent guide - informative and educative.

David Schnoor

A quiet little slice of history worth checking out.

Lynne Carraway

We had a wonderful experience here! We did not know what to expect but the history of this place is amazing and you'll be surprised to learn about some of the inventions the women created not so much out of necessity but out of ingenuity. They were ahead of their time. The guides are full of information and very kind.

Erik Dansereau

It's a great piece of history

Mary Lantis

Very interesting and informative

Usman Mian

An interesting look a long lost way of life. Plan on spending a few hours walking and taking in all the buildings. Make sure to use the tour guides, they add much more to the experience.

Ernest Lindholm

Good place to vi.

Sonshine Morning

Fall antique auto show is the best.

Kim Mcmanus

Interesting history, lots of older buildings to look through. They have a cafe but they didn't really have any "historical" to eat. Lots of walking but worth it!

G Aquino

This is a great place to learn about the Shakers, their way of life, and what makes them different from, say, the Amish, the Mennonites, or other religious groups of the early settlement. You will not see or encounter actual Shakers living there. In fact, there is only one active Shaker Village left in the country (located in Maine), with only two surviving members. A few notable things I learned: the Shaker way of life is defined largely by celibacy, which I could personally relate to, having studied for the Catholic priesthood for a few years. Culturally, it was interesting to learn of the craftsmanship they employed in furniture making, and the beautiful wooden furniture on display at the Visitor Center would attest to this. The place has some notable historic buildings but not all are open to visitors. Grab a guide at the Visitor Center to know which ones are open and offer docent-led tours. If you don't have much time, I suggest visiting the main building called Dwelling House. The docent stationed there was a knowledgeable and friendly fellow whose stories really made the place come to life. The docents at the other buildings were not at all pleasant and the man at the Infirmary building was particularly obnoxious.

charles kreysa

Great place to visit with many demonstrations.

Alexander Plunkett

Great place

Ron Gold

If you can, go on the guided tour when Mary (don't know her surname) is the guide; I think it's Tuesdays at 11am. She's stunning.

Annie Yang

Very special experience! Very impressed with the work and spiritual effort that the shakers demonstrated!

Ann G.

Fascinating place.

Bärbel Schroll-Bischof

Netter Führer,sehr unterhaltsam und informativ.

Señor Burrito

It was very nice but I got a tick on me so check for them but it was amazing experience

Jeff Wikstrom

Interesting history well preserved with knowledgeable guide!!

James Revelle

Interesting. Inique American history.

Mike C

Was actually here to take photos for work. Very nice grounds, interesting stuff to look at. If you are interested in Shaker history this place filled the bill. The event that was being held was well run. Nice place to bring relatives, out of towners, and kids to let them run the expansive grounds.

Kath Blake

Beautiful Shaker furniture in the dining room

Daryl Howard

A must see piece of history

Ian Curley

Good place to learn about the shaker way of life

Moira Andreason

Excellent insight into the Shaker Movement. Go on a guided tour to here all about the Shakers then spend some time exploring

Minerva Clemens

The restaurant had terrible service, but in whole it was pretty good.

Marisa Delhay

The tour was so interesting and informative!

jetfanzee

Quaint historic village giving a real feel of the lives of the people who used to live here. Our tour guide, Dennis, was very knowledgeable and entertaining, and was good with our two young daughters, ages 6 & 9. We caught last tour of the day, and only wish a couple more buildings had been open. We'd definitely be back next time we are passing through.

Jessica Van Dyke

Fun and informative! I would recommend the guided tour!

Danielle

This place was really very nice to visit. Our tour guide, Lois, was very informative and answered all questions we had. The tour is 1 hour 15 minutes but she went 15 minutes over due to being so detailed on her guide. The gift shop had lots of cute little things and they have furniture on the 2nd floor that the Shakers made from back in the day. Really cool to see with all the great detail. Definitely not a place for little ones, as the grounds are uneven, lots of walking and lots of things you can't touch.

Chad Johnson

This was interesting, and all the volunteers take time to explain the Shaker way of life, and answer any questions.

Amy Martin

Very educational and interesting

Loren Knepper

Very interesting visit! Enjoyed learning the history of the Shakers!

David Ford

Great American social experiment! Expert tour guide!

Michael Kahn

Outstanding learning experience. Take the tour! Tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. Fascinating!

Donna Vollert

I took my kids there many years ago and it was so educational for them to see how life was and still is in a Shaker community.

Tyler LaVoie

Tour was excellent and the village was a great learning experience. Never learned about the shakers in school so it was nice to learn more about new england history. Make sure you check the times the tours leave or you may be waiting for some time for the next one if there is a next one.

Rebekah Ramirez

Really nice

Carmel Gangi

I can really only comment on the grounds because I was there for a garden festival. I did not go into the museum so I cannot comment on that. As far as the grounds themselves go, they are beautifully maintained and there are plenty of places to explore on the grounds. I especially liked walking to the pond and back, it was a very peaceful and relaxing environment once you got away from the crowds at the festival at self.

Dan & Bri's Adventures

What a great stuck in times past. The history of the Shakers is so interesting. How they lived in such a beautiful area working hard to support themselves through hot summers and fridges winters. This is a must visit spot if your ever in New England.

Darrin Hammons

Went on guided tour but wished I had more time to look at all there was to see.

Rick Towner

Very interesting place to visit

Phyllis Lambert

Well-presented and thought-provoking historical talk and walking tour of the Village and buildings. The site is lovingly maintained. The gift shop has locally crafted items for sale. I should like to visit again.

Richard Lurk

Impressive. Must stop. Historical New England Shaker Village. Excellent Tour Guide....

Jessie Caldwell

This place is breath taking! Walking among homes and other artifacts that are from other ventures!

Neil P. Allen

Tripped and sprained my ankle on a hole in the ground. Wouldn't have expected that they would allow a thing like that. The animals, landscape and history were great.

Gregory Golda

Authentic shaker village with great guides.

Sharon Kelly

An educational and photographic opportunity. Unfortunately the $20 charge did not include food.

Joseph Hoffman

This place is so historic and cleverly hidden from the main roadway. Worth a visit in the summer months! And while you're there, head up the street a few miles and check out the Canterbury Aleworks and Fox Country Smokehouse! ! Both local hidden Gems.

Alma Gonzalez Lambert

Very neat place with great photo spots! A nice place to take a tour. A wonderful place to visit. Beautiful!

Steve Wellmann

Love coming here. The history, the craftsmanship and a chance to learn

Yvonne Gentry

It was the most amazing place of history. It's the best place to take your kid's for them to learn about our country, our heritage and to fall in love with America again. Plus my husband and I made friends with people from England. Great time!

Frank B

Tolles Museum! Und die Mitarbeiter sind gut... Jetzt wie die Gemeinde lebte... Authentisch!

Brad McDonald

Beautiful area. Interesting history. Great way to take in NH countryside along with a bit of history.

Kathleen Caulfield

Amazing docent. Learned much of the Shaker life. Particular interest was their infirmary and laundry facilities.

Angelia LaBrecque

It's a great place for a history freak and has something for everyone

David Pearson

Great learning experience. Tour guide was great. Free passes from our library. Bring extra cash for the store.

Denise Bedard

Excellent tour of the property. Great historical value

J D

Great place to learn some local history.

Evan McSwain

I really wish this place was open in the fall. We went here in August and guess what. The Shakers didn't have air-conditioning.

Orion Kujala

Darrell was a fountain of knowledge. Fascinating history.

Jean Hall

This place was great. The tour guide was very knowledgeable.

Mark Pitman

A fascinating piece of history preserved.

Gus Swenson

Great place

Athelyn Stark

Guides are phenomenal, so much to learn & see. Great gift shop!

M. Ryan Groff

A good place to visit while thinking about modern religious history in the United States

Darci Lee

Not too much in the way of walking. Beatiful landscapes and examples of shaker architecture.

Robert Taylor

Wonderful historical stop. Docents friendly and knowledgeable.

Lavonna Skeans

We really liked the history. The volunteers were very nice and informative.

David Ospina

Interesting. Staff was very helpful and informative. Learned from them . settlement is small can be seem in 30 to 45 minutes.

Patrick Bennett

I had found the village very interesting, the buildings that were open had some very interesting and educational facts. I do agree with the people that felt that they did not get there money's worth. Without a knowledgeable person giving you a tour it's just apples and oranges. There were some very knowledgeable employees which I really appreciate the lessons and knowledge that they shared. Overall I rated the village good but it could have been much better.

Ly He

Great place to visit with family and kids. Tour guide was great and informative.

Isaac Sargent

Just a cool place to visit. Keep an eye on events, they do some great things with traditional skills, crafts, and sustainable agriculture.

Tam

Always an amazing place to go if you like history

Richard Bryan

I do not recommend this place. Roads leading here are pathetic and the folks here are rude.

James Belmosto

Great place to bring the kids!

Dawn Vaillancourt

Was there volunteering..

Christina Gaudreau

This place is wonderful! The grounds are beautiful, and we had a nice, sunny day to enjoy them. You can meander around the grounds and look in some of the buildings. There is also a guided tour. Our tour guide, Gail, was very informative and well versed on the Shaker people, their way of life and on the buildings. This tour is well worth going through. We learned so much!

Miss Tish

Weird staff/interesting lovely museum. We stopped in with some out of town guests and had about an hour to explore. The front desk advised us what to look for and sent us next door to the infirmary to meet with a docent to get some history. We arrive and the two docents (male and female) ignore our group of 6 and continue loudly talking about personal business. This conversation turns into some awkward flirtation....which made us all a little weirded out. Finally the female leaves, and the kids in our group start asking questions. The docent is very sarcastic and strange. One of the kids said "What is upstairs?" and his reply was "Rooms." So rude. Anyway, I just shake my head and ignore him. We continue through the house reading, etc. He follows us and continues his weird description of the infirmary. It was so off-putting, I just wanted to get away. After that we explored the grounds, got a wonderful spinning demonstration. I'd love to go back when I have more time.

Mark Landry

A little disappointed there weren't more vendors at the herb day...but the grounds and the atmosphere were worth the visit.

Angelica Torres

Creepy

Debbie Ebert

It was nice... Just needs a little more

Marcus Baumgart

Tolles Museum mit Einblicken in das Leben der Gemeinschaft

Allison Dorrington

I loved the setting up of and the opportunity to see what this place was about.

Carol deClercq

I was going to go with a group from our timeshare, but weather was going to be better today, so off I went by myself.. Bill our tour guide was very informative and learned quit a few things that I was unaware of with the Shakers. I was there for 4 hours , don't think I would have been able to stay that long with the group.

T J Mayhew

It was really nice and inter active. The historical value itself WAS Amazing. The festival was great. Our family had a great time. You've got to see it.

Jim Miller

Historic beautiful living museum!

Simon Wright

At the start we were a bit disappointed that several buildings were not accessible. However, the ones that were gave a great overview of the Shaker culture. The best bit was the accommodation block which had lots of rooms to explore and there was a really friendly and informative guide on hand who answered all our questions and told us so much about what life was like there. I did not know much about the Shakers before and it was a real eye opener. The gift shop has some nice items and the prices are reasonable.

Stu Kroner

We go every year for Christmas. Nice and relaxing.

Robert Lesage

Interesting

Christine D'

Beautiful preservation of a fascinating community.

Deborah Shepherd

This is a must see in the area. Whether you are able to attend one of the many special events or just visiting the grounds and buildings, it is wonderful. We have enjoyed numerous days here. Two of the events we attended are Christmas at Canterbury and Traditional Craft Day. We have been there in all seasons, and each is special. The pictures with this post are from 2018 Traditional Craft Day.

Ryan Shore

The village is well maintained and has numerous artifacts from the original collection. Admission comes with a guided tour that is 1.5 hours and very informative. The exhibits themself had less Information than other shaker villages but overall it was a great experience.

William Martin

This is a beautiful museum. It is history preserved. So much is still in good condition and the guides are very knowledgeable. We have visited more than one Shaker village. They are gems.

Jamye Sanders

This is such a beautiful and peaceful place. Shaker architecture is lovely. The historical demonstrations were interactive and fun. We even had one of the demonstrators give us a free mini tour of the grounds. He showed us things that weren't open to the public, and we learned about a special stone they think is the heart of the village. I enjoyed this experience immensely. It is very easy to get into and out of the parking lot here. There is a lot of walking and many areas are not accessible to wheelchairs. I particularly liked the herb garden.

diane chartier

Enjoyed the tour and the lay on the land

Algirdas Ciuplys

(Translated by Google) Anyway (Original) Šiaip sau

Daniel Walsh

Lovely place with a rich history.

Jason Vallee

This is a great place to visit and see how the community worked together. We visited on permaculture days, so it was not a full tubing museum ( which is why I can't give 5 stars ) we'll definitely return.

W Landry

If you like history, then you have to check this place out. The Shakers were pretty kooky, but very innovative and hard workers. Most of the buildings are open for tours and when you see what they accomplished, you will be blown away. There is a nice gift shop with handmade "Shaker" crafts and books on them and related topics. There is also a cafe where you can get a bite to eat!

Isaac Daily

This place was really awesome, a cool bit of history I knew little about

Mary Kay Weidner

Make sure to catch a tour. Area just as it was for last Shakers. Fascinating.

Cathleen Reed

I learned so much,a must see in the area.

Bill Richardson

It is a must see when in the area. What a historical treasure.

Crystal Robinson

This was my second visit. I love it here. The weather was cold and overcast but it was still nice and our guide really made the tour worthwhile. I learned a lot from him. I do miss the evening meals they used to serve and it would be nice if they had more animals but is still early spring. They are missing out on many opportunities to make money while also making the farm more dynamic and interesting. I think they should seek out people to live and work on the farm and to pretend they are Shakers during the work day. They could make and offer many products for sale that the real Shakers used to sell. The people living there could pay rent and also earn a living with a portion of the profits going toward the museum.

Claus Pettersson

Take the tour! Its a fantastic piece of storytelling

Roberta Rogerson

Interesting glimpse into a past lifestyle. Well preserved buildings and artifacts.

Jonathan Grazer

Great to walk around in. The people working there and knowledgeable and friendly.

John tayler

History relived with an excellent guide. Some walking involved but worth it as you visit the old buildings.