There's a new art gallery in town and I love it. The Parlor at Plainspoke is a small gallery with…read moredifferent exhibits to see. The space is clean and sleek, and doesn't distract from the art at all. And the relatively small size means that small unknown artists can have a show in their own gallery. This is a really good thing for Portsmouth and it deserves everyone's support.

MY friend and I went to their weekend Summer Solstice Native Plant Sale. There were vendors with…read moremany blooming perennial native plants and shrubs, even unusual species. I have been adding to our native plant gardens for many years, and I found three healthy unusual plants I have been looking for as well estaished plants already in bud, very reasonably priced. Unfortunately I have trouble walking , and could not walk up and visit their lovely gardens. You might be able to call ahead and arrange a riding tour with them when it is not a busy plant sale weekend. Niniann, from Evenmore Gardens in Canaan, NH.

One of the best integrated sculpture garden/landscape garden/botanical garden/art installations we…read morehave ever experienced. Excellent guide map gives a little blurb about each significant stop, and leads you around so you don't miss a thing. It is not a huge place where you walk half a mile in between sculptures, it is a pleasant path of regularly-occurring creative elements to observe and appreciate. Look up, down, and all around so you don't miss the many sculptures made from reclaimed salvage. Barbells, band saws, cymbals, farm implements -- all welded together in artistic ways that guide you along the path. Meanwhile, flora and fauna of unique varieties abound. Benches and chairs here and there. We strolled along and spent about 90 minutes doing the loop on the grounds. So much to see, so many deep breaths to take, plenty of picnic spots. Good bathrooms, interesting gifts, something for all ages. Hidden gem.

This is the place to go for all your framing. Sandy has decades of framing experience and good…read moretaste. Her eye is impeccable. Her prices are extremely reasonable, the quality is excellent, and the turn-around time is fast. Her studio is large and well-lit. If you need/want input, Sandy will offer several suggestions and will lay out options. If you know what you want - no problem! She'll make sure it's exactly that. She has an enormous array of frames and mats and does amazing work on wrapped canvases and shadow boxes as well as more traditional art framing. I've had five items framed at Mill River in the last two years, and will bring future artwork only to her. Sandy is friendly and welcoming, and treats a new customer as if you've been friends for years. She's self-deprecating and has a wonderfully dry sense of humor. Her work time estimates are always right on the nose. I whole-heartedly recommend Sandy and Mill River Custom Framing.

The last time I went to the Woodman Museum, I was in utero. But I found out today that they have a…read moreteacher discount, so I should have gone again much sooner! There were several highlights but I'll just share a few. First was the room dedicated to our nation's 250th anniversary. This historical tribute renewed my respect in the values upon which the United States was founded. Thomas Jefferson writes about King George: "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States: for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners: refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither..." Jefferson reminded me that like the Woodman Museum, the country was built on a foundation of open arms. I have to mention the bronze statues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mounted on granite in a special exhibit dedicated to these lovable heroes. It was an impressive and whimsical display. If there is a movement to make a grand-scale version in a public park in town, sign me up to campaign for that! This would be so cool with a splash pad in the center of it for kiddos. Finally, I have to say how impressed I was with the staff who were friendly, helpful, and incredibly well-versed in the history of the grounds. They answered all my questions with ease in a welcoming Dover style. It was totally gnarly, dude.

The Woodman Museum was a very pleasant surprise. It contains a wide variety of exhibits and…read moreitems/specimens. People working there are pleasant and helpful. Parking is on street we grabbed a spot on Summer St next to the museum). There are three buildings total to walk through. There are stairs involved once you are in the museum. Plan to spend a couple of hours there. It's a hidden gem in Dover, NH.

Great visit. Every employee was a pleasure to talk to. The gift shop has a nice selection. The…read morelittle 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.

Strawberry Banke Museum was wonderful place to spend a few hours. There was a charge of $25 for…read moreadults. It's a self guided tour of original homes in area. The museum shows how the people lived from the late 1600's to mid 1940's. Set in the puddle dock neighborhood. A strawberry Banke Museum site is the earliest European settled neighborhood In Portsmouth. Many of the homes had people in them explaining who lived in the home and what they did for a living. They do have several events so check their calendar.

This collection of art galleries has decreased by one location since our last visit, but still…read moreworthy of an extended visit. We once again started off at the lobby of the Grand Hotel which featured several paintings by Nataya DeSena. We then went up the hill to Shows where enjoyed the work of David Whitlock. The Gallery offers the works of many artists and currently offers an exhibition of those by William B. Hoyt and, as always, the wind sculptures by Lyman Whitaker.

Great experience! Tess was very helpful and knowledgeable, which made the visit both easy and…read moreinformative. The staff was welcoming, and the gallery has a strong range of artwork that appeals to different tastes. An excellent place to check out and discover great artists.

I absolutely adore visiting this beautiful gallery. It's perched on the southern Maine coast in a…read moresmall town, on a residential street. It feels tucked away like a secret. Theres limited parking, but an overflow lot helps. Even as you walk across to the entrance door, you'll see some artwork in the gardens. Inside, there are multiple rooms and the exhibits change throughout the year. The signage and commentary is excellent, and it's very well curated. The best part is the sculpture garden out the back, but the views of the ocean are quite distracting - so make sure you save time to wander around and take it all in! OMAA is well worth the visit.

A small and intimate museum, but very well curated! I visited for the Looking For America and…read moreAmerican Conversations exhibits. I liked that these exhibits didn't just feature art that was conventionally pretty, but rather featured works that were more provocative. This surprised me considering the museum is relatively small; I expected more traditional and old-fashioned works. I felt like each piece challenged the idea of what it truly means to be American. As an added bonus, the museum grounds are GORGEOUS. They are a must-explore when visiting Ogunquit. Next time I will bring a picnic blanket and plan to spend the day there. I think you can even take a dip in the ocean on their pebble beach. Overall such an amazing experience.

This house is very spacious. On the bottom levels has changing exhibits. The upstairs has two…read morerooms for view. There is not much furniture in this house. The most interesting part of the whole house is the staircase. It has a very elaborate banister. Garden is pretty well maintained and leads to a forested clearing. Bathrooms are available and clean. It is located in the carriage house.

The Col. John Langdon is very worth the price at $6 per person. The house came free with the Walk…read moreWith Washington tour run by Historic New England. The tour was excellent! We were taken all over Portsmouth on foot by our tour guide, Jeff Thompson, following the stops that Pres. Washington made on his presidential tour of Portsmouth in 1789.