Great visit. Every employee was a pleasure to talk to. The gift shop has a nice selection. The little cafe on site has snacks and cold beverages. This was an actual neighborhood saved from demolititon. Each home is set up for a specific period in time up to the 1950's. I really enjoyed the WWII grocery store. The docent there had lots of very interesting information about grocery shopping during wartime. All together a good experience we would repeat. We left midway through to have lunch nearby and returned to complete the circuit. One of the houses is in an unrestored condition. A blacksmith was on hand during our visit too in his workshop. Private dirt parking lot, clean public restrooms in two locations. Most buildings are not ADA accessible if I remember correctly due to their age, but some are ground level entrance. Pathways throughout are wide, compact dirt or gravel. read more

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This review is for the Thanksgiving-specific tour they give in November which I'm sure is quite different than their in-season tour, but it was fantastic. It was 90 minutes and covered 4 of the houses ranging from a Revolutionary-era tavern serving a local Thanksgiving to a WWII era general store operating on rations gretted by an in character store owner. Despite the bitter cold outside, the houses were decently warm. Our tour guide was fantastic. He answered all questions thoroughly, and we were able to look through the available rooms at our own pace. The tour covered both Thanksgivings through time and also a bit on the history of the museum, how it came to be, and who the people were who lived there. It was well worth visiting again when I can go on a regular tour, but they also have a Christmas light stroll that sounds intriguing. There is a decent-sized parking lot, but it is shared with other businesses, so I recommend coming to an earlier tour to ensure availability. The visitor's center is pretty big with restrooms, snacks for purchase, and a small gift shop. Right now, there is also an ice-skating rink adjacent to the center if you have time. The tour had a few kids on it, and they seemed pretty interested in the presentation. If you love historical sites and even just unique experiences, this is a cool museum to visit. read more

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We had an amazing visit to the Strawberry Banke Museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The museum is huge, consisting of an entire neighborhood of 37 restored buildings. The neighborhood is the oldest European neighborhood in all of New Hampshire. The buildings are restored at various times in the neighborhoods 300 plus year history. It was fascinating to get a look at how these people lived in different time periods. The reenactors and volunteers were all very passionate and eager to share their knowledge about the property. The area is very large so plan to spend two to three hours just for a quick overview of everything. A must do if you are in New Hampshire, and especially if in Portsmouth. read more

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I was in town visiting friends and this place popped up as a suggested activity. It's an easy stroll from downtown and made for a nice afternoon of leisurely strolling and chatting. The various gardens are charming and many of the homes have been restored and preserved. We found the staff very knowledgeable and helpful. There was no entrance fee given it was the Fourth of July, but I'd have been willing to pay less than $20 to enjoy the grounds. Not sure what the entrance fee is on regular days. read more

A treasure! These historic buildings are so well maintained and appointed- it was a privilege to finally get a visit. Impressive property- so large and immaculate. Just wish I had more time so I could see it all. I was particularly impressed with the furnishings and artifacts that make the spaces really feel alive and move-in-ready. read more

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The tour was great our guide was very knowledgeable. Just wish we could have seen more of the museum and they had more people in character.

Guided Tour - It only covered four buildings due to it being the start of the season, but they did a good job of explaining the history. Most historic locations are seasonal and don't open fully until the end of April, in May or even June. Best recommendation, choose your visit to NH based on the season, the activities preferred and openings. read more

Before we came, I didn't understand that this museum isn't a regular museum but a collection of historical homes in Portsmouth. These houses are mostly all original or close to it, and styled in various times in the 18th or 19th century. The museum spans almost 10 acres with tons of houses and buildings to view and go inside. It was fascinating to see this kind of history. Only one building was moved to this area, the rest were built and maintained in the location they are at now. read more

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Such a great way to learn and enjoy the past. We purchased tickets online and was able to park in there lot which was free for ticket holders, easy in and out. The admission building sells water and a few souvenir items. The entire tour is probably about two hours. You hear an orientation for about 10 min than its self guided. Amazing volunteers helping and relaying interesting information about the exhibits. Some are in costume and those interactions are a real treat, I think it's so nice to see the dedication in people who want to teach and make others smile. The restored homes and old furniture pieces are in excellent condition. They have a gift shop that sells some snacks, souvenirs and drinks. All sorts of hand made items and unique gifts from Portsmouth! Grab a cold drink and definitely visit if you get a chance. read more

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I absolutely loved this place! It's 10 acres of beautifully let up historical homes from different periods of time. It really makes you feel like you could live a day in the life. It's interesting to see how things have changed over time. Such a well kept up museum and honestly plan to spend a few hours here!!! read more

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I'm not a huge museum guy but this is very interesting. Multiple houses and some hosts dressed in period costume and in character. It would be nice if there was a way to get lunch (a list of walkable restaurants or something on site) on site or nearby. read more

Strawbery Banke Museum - Museums Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

This place has re-entry and you should take advantage of that. As you walk the back part of the compound, you are a block away from downtown, the restaurants, and many activities that take place in Prescott Park. You can do all this and avoid paying for parking elsewhere. The houses in this complex are interesting, some completely original, some remodeled, some have tenants. Some houses have historians that actually are eager to share the story of Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New England. These people are the most important part of the museum, and you must not leave without talking to them. There is a small cafe, gardens, and you can sit inside the cool houses to enjoy a break from the outside temperatures, specially during the summer. read more

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This is a must-see attraction while in Portsmouth! Great for families and adults. It took us a little over two hours to get through the grounds, but the houses and gardens made it all worthwhile. We enjoyed the opportunity to go into some of the houses too, including one that hasn't been renovated yet which was neat to see the layers of changes. There were also a few employees dressed in period clothes available to answer questions. The best one in my opinion was the lady from the 50s in the store. Parking: they have their own parking lot, however the whole city is very walkable and it's not a bad walk even if you park closer to Tugboat Alley. Tickets: your ticket is good for 2 consecutive days. Weather: most of this is outside with only a few houses that are open to go inside. So better to come when it's not raining. read more

My favorite New England experience!! I loved the history of being able to walk through these beautiful homes and imagine the lives of the people who lives there. The volunteers in each home were excited about their time period and made it a great experience. read more

This is not your typical museum, rather a village with buildings from different eras in Portsmouth history. Unfortunately we came on opening weekend for the season and I don't think they were quite ready to be open. Lots of work still going on. Not every building was open and there wasn't an interpreter in each of those that was open. For the buildings that had a costumed interpreter, we thoroughly enjoyed it and learned so much. They all seemed very knowledgeable. I wish every building had someone to guide you and answer questions. read more

Interesting history of Strawberry Banke/Portsmouth and its people. The buildings and homes gave you a view of how the people in that era lived. I was expecting more people portraying the historical characters, but there were only a few. A couple of the characters were quite entertaining. I loved seeing the furniture of that era and how small the rooms and the furniture were made particularly the beds, probably because people were of smaller stature at that time. The ceilings were also very low and the sitting areas did not look very comfortable. I would recommend this place for people interested in history. I thought the entrance fee was on the higher side. read more

Strawbery Banke Museum - Jackson House - Museums Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

After many recommendations we decided to visit Strawberry Banke Museum while in Portsmouth and I am so glad we did. The museum is very large with buildings from different years in history. The day we went about half of the buildings were open and about half of those had employees inside. Some were staff members giving information about the family who lived there and others were actors portraying their time period. Our favorite was the shop owner in the back who did a wonderful job playing her character. It took us about 2 hours to see everything and I highly recommend stopping by if you are in town. read more

Strawbery Banke Museum - Museums Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

- highlight of portsmouth - actors on Saturdays in the summer - we were there for about 2h and finished everything - we didn't ready much of the plaques - enjoyed the staff and their description of the houses - the replica of the store was my favorite part - its a very dope concept of a living museum - I also liked the sample kids games games are a lot harder than they look read more

Went for the candlelight stroll . There was a baby actor named Robert that really got into character, he deserves a raise ! Had a great time ! read more

terrible service. I was one a nice family vacation for California when me and my family were on vacation in Portsmouth when we decided to get a historical tour but that was the biggest mistake ever. we were harassed right from the start and verbally abused. when we started to tour the tour guide looked me in the face and said " take you and you family to the back. f**kface" I would NOT recommend going here read more

A very nice stop for us. Very few buildings were open, but, we enjoyed walking around the historic buildings. The gardens are beautiful and the views of the historic harbor are excellent. If they had a historic walking guide, or, a marked walking tour this historic spot would be even better. read more

Strawbery Banke Museum - Worth a Look Around - Museums Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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We didn't give ourselves enough time, you can't enjoy this place in only a couple hours. Give yourself half a day. A unique living history museum where you can experience different eras. Our daughter enjoyed the hands-on experiences. We enjoyed the stories from the workers in the museum. A must, if you're in the area or driving through like we were. read more

Went to the candlelight walk for Christmas. They don't tell you that they sell so many tickets that the parking lot will be full. And every house will have lines out the door. And they also don't tell you that most of the houses are themed based on their time in history which in most of them was before Christmas was celebrated so there is nothing to see that is Christmas themed. Then to boot, I get a $35.00 fine for parking on the street after being told by the parking attendant that you don't have to pay on Sunday. Never going back to Portsmouth again. read more

What an enjoyable time we had here!. It was fun watching the crowd ice skating on what felt like a warm September afternoon on the day after Christmas. We strolled around the 10 acre grounds of the museum and took the guided tour of six buildings. That ended up being fantastic! As we walked through the houses, our tour guide Joe took us on a journey spanning over 300 years that concentrated on the history of Winter holidays in the area. He covered the New World/New England history of Christmas trees, Christmas cards, Christmas gifts, Christmas decorations, Christmas lights, Christmas carols, gingerbread houses, as well as New Years and Chanukah. The tour covered colonial times through World War Two, and traced the changes in American culture, technology, housing, food science and preparation, cooking, groceries, and society in general. It was excellent in every way. read more

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Visiting Strawberry Banke Museum was the highlight of my trip! Solo adult attendee. I loved walking from house to house using the map as a guide. Not all houses are open, which is unfortunate but understandable. The houses that are open have been restored and interpreted to certain time periods. There are museum employees in most of the open houses who will answer questions about the house's history etc. On the day I attended, there were two role play actors. I learned a lot and had so much fun! I spent several hours there read more

Super cool experience! I don't think I've been to such a unique and authentic museum before. The fact that many of these homes are still in the original site that it was built on is pretty incredible. I really enjoyed walking though this outdoor museum that is basically a capsule in time. If you're into history you cannot miss this experience If in the area. read more

Typically, I adore Strawbery Banke. One can genuinely feel transported back in time walking among the Georgian architecture and atmosphere. I just attended the 2023 Candlelight Tour and was sadly disappointed. It was frustratingly overbooked and overcrowded. First, we couldn't find parking due to the overwhelming turnout and eventually parked curbside somewhere obscure, muddy and some distance away from the event. At $34 a ticket I expected more of a romantic, leisurely Holiday experience but instead my husband and I felt like cattle, as we lined up for a minimum of 20 minutes to enter homes that were not really date-appropriate for Christmas-themed decorations. I felt especially claustrophobic in the Chase House. Lots of strung lights but as for actual Candlelight, it was sparse. I still love the Banke but I think I'm skipping the Stroll next year. read more

This was a fun activity. We were in town for a family reunion and needed an unscheduled activity. Always nice to see history preserved and actually used--people lived in some of the units and some office space was rented. If you only want to look at exteriors walking the public streets would be free. If wishing to see the interiors a entrance fee is charged and a tag provided. Price of admission is justified, especially if you have an interest in building methods and materials from previous eras. There were also some demonstrations as techniques were explained by costumed volunteers. I really think that a great opportunity is being missed in not having an ice cream shop here. I really had a hankering. Food was available at snack bar near entrance by parking lot. read more

Strawbery Banke Museum - 1790 house is now a store for tourists. - Museums Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I had so much hope that this place was going to be really interesting. Calling it a living museum, like osv, is being very generous. There were a couple of people in character, and a couple guides, but by and large we were left to ourselves. We did go mid week, so maybe less staffing? But got no context on the historical relevance of the place. The few people we did interact with were very friendly and informative. They did have a nice concert in the evening. But overall, would not go back or recommend really. read more

Went here today. Toured many old homes from the 1700 and 1800 hundreds. All homes are original to the location except for one which was moved. The gardens throughout are gorgeous. There is an old general store too. Most of the homes are open for touring. There is a gift shop too where you buy your tickets for the tour. A benefit is that once you buy a ticket you can leave and return that day or the next. If you enjoy history this is a fun day. read more

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What a wonderful time we had. We visited the Museum during the Fall festival and had a blast. They had so many activities for young and old. We spent about 3 hours visiting the different sites on the premises, both indoor and outdoor. Many of the people there were dressed in period related costumes. My grandson had a blast but I must confess I had a blast as well. The people who were there provided a clear understanding of what life was like for individuals who lived in the area, what an education. During the fall festival they had tents set up with vendors which actually was pretty cool. The ticket we purchased was actually good for two days, but unfortunately we could not make it back because we wanted to visit other places. Overall it was a great visit and I would definitely visit again. read more

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This was arguably my favorite stop in Portsmouth. I felt like a little kid on this self-guided tour of Old Portsmouth across the centuries and decades, anchored to a few of the most compelling stories. I particularly enjoyed the tavern, cooking demo, and Jewish immigrant home, though I could have easily spent another two hours here. All the staff and reenactors make the experience enjoyable without drowning in cheese. Highly recommended if you have the faintest interest in American history. read more

Though I did not have time to a tour this time during a short visit to Portsmouth, I enjoyed walking the grounds and viewing these well maintained historic buildings early one morning. read more

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I wish I could rate zero. This establishment promotes a time period where slavery and racism was prominent. The staff are both rude and overbearing. Watched an old lady who tried to park there because she wanted to go to Prescott Park get screamed at by an employee and she drove off. Terrible place, my children and I will not be back and make sure everyone else knows not to go here. read more

This past spring we visited this museum and loved it. Strawberry Banke has 42 buildings representing the span from 1695 to 1950. There are houses to tour inside, pretty gardens, and a WWII era grocery store. One of the houses had a demonstration of hearth cooking. The guide, Joe, was super knowledgeable, entertaining and talked about food and cooking in general during colonial times. That was probably my favorite place there. I liked that it was self-guided and we could take as much time as we wanted. read more

Great museum! Well preserved and a good amount of information. Guides and employees clearly know their stuff. The historian that gave our introduction talk was clearly the most knowledgeable person there but did not speak slowly enough to understand everything he said, and he really didn't connect with the children in our group by explaining anything he said on an age-appropriate level. If this is a family museum, kids ages 7-10 shouldn't be totally left out of understanding what a guide shares- they should be learning! read more

My 6 and 7 year old daughters and I loved it here! There are many houses to tour and to learn about this port city through the span of a couple of hundred years. It is very unique, much different from the experiences of Plimoth Plantation and Sturbridge Village because not every house is from the same time period and also, since these people were a bit affluent, you can see pretty furnishings and a well pump in a sink, doll furniture and a 1940s washing machine that was really cool (wish I had taken a pic). Many of the staff are "residents" from the time period and stay in character so you'll learn even more if you ask questions. My favorites were the 1940s general store with real food packaging from that time and black shades (to hide lights from enemy navel ships that could have entered the harbor and saw the town at night) and WW2 ration stamp prices. I also loved, in one house that went from 1775 to the 1940s, the 1940s kitchen equipped with metal fridge and oven and the living room with the floral linoleum floor and wallpaper with the chair height ash trays and record player. Also a favorite was the general store that kids could play in and the half 1790s, half 1940s kitchen where the kids get to touch everything and role play. It includes pewter dishware and brick oven to bake bread in and wood table from the 1700s and 1940s along side the metal stove and metal table and bread box. The kids also loved that in many houses there are time period toys. And it's fun to pretend which bedroom would be your's in the bigger houses/mansions. $25 per adult. Children are $10. Pass is good for 2 days I a row (I think). Plenty of places to shop/eat around and a nice park and tall ship right near by...all a very short walking distance away. We found street parking but the museum does have a lot. read more

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Great place for adults and older kids, although our 6 year old granddaughter enjoyed herself today, even though she had her mind set that since she had been there before she didn't like it. My wife and I came on Sunday and looked at a lot of the historic houses. Since the passes are good for two consecutive days, we took our granddaughter and used our second days. They have one of the oldest houses still standing in New England, built in 1695 and many other historic houses, many of which have been partially or fully restored. The buildings are based on different periods from colonial times through the 1940 / WWII. Several of the buildings have actors who play period roles. Our granddaughter really enjoyed them. This is a great slice of history and well worth the admission price. If you are a senior citizen, be sure to ask for their senior discount. read more

I had a great day at the Strawbery Banke Museum! I personally thought the $17.50 admission price was a bit steep but, I do understand that they must run into A LOT of costs to keep that place updated. Some of the employees in the houses were knowledgeable and told us a bit of history about the house and the story behind the people who once lived there, others just gave a smile as we walked in. One of the houses had a role player chatting away about her husband who had died in the early 1800's and my friend Laura T. couldn't get out of there fast enough. I guess roll playing just isn't her thing. :) The gardens are beautiful and I can definitely appreciate all the attention to detail that goes into everything about this place. My favorite house was the one that showed you side by side one of the first residents to live there and the last. The first was a merchant in the early 1800's (I could be making that up but, it was somewhere around that time frame) and the last person to live there was in the 50's, I loved the 1950's styled home. The day we went the parking was free but, I did notice on the other side of the sign it said parking $10. I'm not sure what criteria they use to decide if the lot will be free or not during what times. We just parked downtown and walked over; it was only a ten minute walk or so from the main parking garage in Portsmouth. An interesting thing is that some people rent apartments in the historical houses. It must be weird to literally live in a museum! read more

I enjoy confusing my kids. It can be a learning experience, it gives them a shot of skepticism, and it builds character. (At least that's my excuse.) My ultimate object is to get the WTHIGO look or "what the hell is going on?" look Enter Strawbery Banke, an excellent historical museum of restored homes on the shores of the Piscataqua River in Portland, NH (named for the wild Strawberries that used to grow there). The museum concept by itself is not confusing. In fact, it was all too clear to my kids, and we practically had to drag them here. What really blew their minds were the "role players" at some of the houses. These are actors who behave as residents, and treat you like a traveler visiting during their respective era. That's when the WTHIGO look from the kids came up in spades. First we met Mrs. Goodwin, the wife of the NH Governor during the Victorian era. She was out tending her garden. I made the mistake of asking her what year it was, and she answered "Dear me sir, everyone knows it is 1870...Have you been to the tavern much today?" I sheepishly lied that I had. Then she proceeded to give a tour of her garden and tell us abut the latest "modern" touches she had implemented. My kids asked lots of questions, many of the sort: "are you really...?" The actress really knew her stuff, staying in character the entire time. My kids were hooked and wanted to see more. Other role players included Mrs. Shapiro, an elderly Jewish woman from 1919 had just made some Mandelbrot in the working coal oven (she really had) and was waiting for her daughter to come home from school. There was also Mrs. Cooper, who was running a general store in 1943 and talked to the kids about collecting grease and scrap metal for the war effort, among other things. There were even some children role players, a group of younger girls pretending to prepare dinner in the Pitt Tavern in the year 1773. The home restorations themselves are extremely well done and there is also a cooper and a potter that you can watch in action. There is even a house dedicated to antique and hand-made toys, where we spent a lot of time. We liked it so much we went back the next day (tickets are good for two days), and that time we didn't have to drag the kids kicking and screaming. read more