Children's Museums

Strawbery Banke Museum

Name: Strawbery Banke Museum
Address: 14 Hancock St, Portsmouth, NH 03801, Portsmouth, NH, US
Telephone: (603) 433-1100
Rating: 4.7

★★★★☆ 4.7 (1544 reviews)

📍 14 Hancock St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

📞 (603) 433-1100

🌐 www.strawberybanke.org

Visit Website 📍 Get Directions

🕐 Hours

Monday	10 AM–4 PM
Tuesday	10 AM–4 PM
Wednesday	10 AM–4 PM
Thursday	10 AM–4 PM
Friday	10 AM–4 PM
Saturday	10 AM–4 PM
Sunday	10 AM–4 PM

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About Strawbery Banke Museum

Large, outdoor living-history museum. Outdoor living-history museum on 10 acres featuring numerous buildings, gardens & crafts. Strawbery Banke Museum spans more than 350 years of history on 10 acres, including Indigenous history through the present day, making it a comprehensive living history of Portsmouth's evolution. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 1,544 visitors.

Quick Facts

Type: Historic House Museum
Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire waterfront neighborhood
Time Period: 350+ years of history, Indigenous to present day
Highlights: Historic houses, costumed interpreters, traditional crafts, gardens, summer camps
Recognition: USA Today #7 Best Open Air Museum, TripAdvisor Award of Excellence, Best Museum in New Hampshire

💡 Did You Know?

🏛️Strawbery Banke Museum spans more than 350 years of history on 10 acres, including Indigenous history through the present day, making it a comprehensive living history of Portsmouth's evolution
⭐The museum features the Cousins Apartment, a unique exhibit documenting the lived experience of a Black family in 1930s-1940s Portsmouth, providing rare historical perspective on African American life in this era
⭐The museum hosts a U.S. Naturalization Ceremony on July 4th, making it an active civic gathering space that connects historical education with contemporary citizenship experiences
⭐Review data shows knowledgeable staff mentioned in 70 separate reviews and gardens mentioned in 65 reviews, indicating exceptionally high visitor satisfaction with interpretive staff and landscape preservation

💬 What Visitors Say

🕐Visit on weekday mornings or during off-peak seasons to avoid crowds in the smaller historic houses, which have single entrance/exit doors and can feel cramped when busy. Winter evenings are beautiful but particularly crowded.
💬Plan to spend 2-3 hours to fully explore the outdoor historic district. The museum spans multiple buildings across the grounds, so wear comfortable walking shoes and allow time to interact with costumed interpreters in each location.
💡Book guided tours in advance to enhance your experience—the knowledgeable docents and interpreters provide valuable context about the 350+ years of history represented across the buildings, including the important Cousins Apartment exhibit about Black family life in 1930s-40s Portsmouth.
💡Combine your visit with the adjacent downtown Portsmouth waterfront area, making it a walkable historic district experience. The museum's location near the water makes it easy to explore complementary attractions in the same visit.
💬Consider membership if visiting multiple times or register early for summer camps—the venue offers special events year-round (Revolutionary War tours, theatrical productions, cultural celebrations) that provide different learning experiences beyond standard house tours.