Woven In Time: 11,000 Years at Amoskeag Falls

A Permanent Exhibit at the Millyard Museum

Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Included with museum admission

See the stone tools of the Paleo-Indians who fished at Amoskeag Falls  thousands of years ago, learn how raw cotton was made into cloth during the Industrial Revolution, and stroll under the lighted arches of Elm Street during its heyday. Learn how the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company developed its famous “mile of mills” and how it shaped Manchester into the largest planned city in New England. Discover what life was like for the people who came here from many different countries to start new lives. The city’s stories are told through creative and colorful displays of original artifacts, documents and photographs, as well as murals and multi-media presentations.

New features of the exhibit include the Ashland No. 1 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine, manufactured by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in 1871, and the Manchester Wall of Fame, an interactive panel that showcases 48 individuals from Manchester who have made a lasting impact.

Special Exhibit: Manchester's Urban Ponds: Past, Present, and Future

In the Henry M. Fuller State Theatre Gallery in the Millyard Museum

Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - Included with museum admission.

Although ponds may not be the first thing one thinks about in Manchester, the Queen City has several ponds that have played an important role in the area’s history. More recently, the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program, established in 2000, has led cleanup efforts to help return the city’s ponds to their historic uses. This exhibit looks at the history of several of Manchester’s urban ponds, including Crystal Lake, Dorrs Pond, Maxwell Pond, Nutts Pond, Pine Island Pond, and Stevens Pond and celebrates the accomplishments of the Urban Ponds Restoration Program over the last 20 years.

Sponsored by City of Manchester, Department of Public Works, Environmental Protection Division

 The Special Exhibit, Doctor's Orders: Public Health in Manchester, closed on July 8, 2017.  Click here to see a video of a tour of the exhibit, led by MHA Executive Director John Clayton.  

People You Should Know...Portraits from the Collection - PDF of exhibit handout

 Featuring fifteen portraits of men and women from Manchester by artists including  Edward L. Custer, Burris Jenkins, Jr., Henry W. Herrick, Sidney Dickerson, George Soule, and Omer T. Lassonde.

 New Hampshire Landscapes - Paintings from the Permanent Collection  - PDF of exhibit handout

Featuring ten landscape paintings depicting scenes of Manchester and other areas of New Hampshire. Among the locations represented are Lake Massabesic, the Uncanoonuc Mountains, Rock Rimmon, and the Presidential Range. Several paintings also depict some of Manchester’s historical buildings, including the P. C. Cheney Paper Mill, the Smyth Mansion, the City Farm, and the Amoskeag Train Station.  Local artists whose works are represented in the exhibit include Edward L. Custer, Henry W. Herrick, Omer T. Lassonde, Arch McDonnell, Frank French, and L. Luthy.

Visitor Orientation Center For the Amoskeag Millyard Scenic & Cultural Byway

Open most days during business hours

Free and open to the public (museum admission not required)

The Visitor Orientation Center features artifacts from the MHA collection, giant photo murals of the millyard at its height, and maps. The center introduces visitors to Manchester, the historic Amoskeag Millyard and the New Hampshire Scenic and Cultural Byway System.