All programming, with the exception of a ticketed American Girl Tea Party, is free with paid museum admission, and children under 12 receive free admission.
“It would be great to have people who have never come before experience the museum and see that Manchester’s history is far more than just the mills and manufacturing,” said Kristy Ellsworth, MHA Director of Education. “History museums are often created for adults or more mature audiences, but we have so many things for children—hands-on activities, crafts, games, children’s audio tours narrated by children, and picture scavenger hunts.”
The day begins at 10:00 a.m. with the museum and its temporary exhibit, A Derryfield Perspective, available for exploration. At 10:30 a.m., children are invited to Story Time in the Gallery featuring “Redcoats and Petticoats.”
At 11:00 a.m., the museum will host its “American Girl Tea Party,” the only ticketed event of the day at $20 per guest. Children under 3 attend free with a ticketed adult. At the party, guests will sample Revolutionary-era fare, including Shrewsbury cake and apple tartlets, and take part in calligraphy and punched tin crafts.
Felicity, the 1776 American Girl doll, and her best friend Elizabeth will be present from Ellsworth’s personal collection. Guests are encouraged to bring their own dolls or teddy bears, with extras available for those who need one.
“Afternoon tea was sort of part of English life, even in America,” Ellsworth said. “It could mean pastries and snacks or sandwiches with salmon on them. It was probably different for every class of people and every ethnic group…Tea was certainly a staple in the colonist diet.”
A hands-on butter churning demonstration follows at 12:30 p.m. At 1:00 p.m., historian Jeff Myrdek will present “New Hampshire’s First Hero and the Man Who Would Set the State’s Image: John Stark.”
“Massachusetts gets all the glory for being the leader in the Revolution, but New Hampshire had a big role too,” Ellsworth said. “We don’t often display artifacts that are that old, so it’s been a great opportunity to showcase some fun stuff in our collection that doesn’t necessarily see the light of day.”
At 3:00 p.m., Ellsworth will present “Undressing History: 1776 Edition,” a living history demonstration in which she will dress, from shift to gown, in roughly 18 layers of period clothing while narrating the history of each piece. Her portrayal is based on Molly Stark, a working middle-class woman of the era.
“We’ll talk about how her clothes were adapted so she could dress herself—like closing in the front instead of the back and not very fiddly,” she said. “Everything is mostly secured by ties and pins.”
Throughout the afternoon, docents will lead hands-on activities in the galleries, including “Red Coats & Rebels.” The day concludes when the museum closes at 4:00 p.m.
Ellsworth encouraged visitors to come for as much or as little of the day as their schedules allow. “Pick one of the events, whether it be the lecture on John Stark or the living history clothing demonstration, or just come check out the new exhibit with more interactive pieces,” she said. “Spend an hour or the entire day.”
Manchester Public Library cardholders are encouraged to check whether their library offers free museum passes.
Open Tue – Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Millyard Museum is operated by the Manchester Historic Association, a nonprofit dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Manchester, New Hampshire.