Manchester is ideally situated for easy access to New Hampshire’s beautiful coastline as well as many other attractions in the southern part of the state. There’s plenty to explore when in Manchester, the former textile town has successfully reinvented itself as a major cultural centre and is home to a renowned art museum.
State of the Art
The Currier Museum of Art on Ash Street is one of the city’s major draws, housing works from both American and European artists. Founded in 1929, it has wealth of exhibits to explore.
Its permanent collection includes artists such as Jan de Bray, Monet and Picasso. If you need some refreshment after all that great art, pop into the Winter Garden Café.
The Museum also owns Zimmerman House, located on Heather Street in a residential area on the north side of town. With a place on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, this beautifully preserved mid-century home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and much of its interior, is still intact. The house is the only Wright building open to the public in New England and tours are organised by the Currier Museum of Art.
Another great Manchester attraction is the Millyard Museum, housed in the vast Amoskeag Textile Mill. The museum tells the fascinating story of the city and the people who lived and worked here, going back as far as 11,000 years ago. The focus of the exhibition is the Amoskeag Textile Manufacturing Company, one of the largest in the world, which at one time employed over 17,000 people in the city.
The coast with the most
For some classic New England seaside charm, head for New Hampshire’s east coast. The historic seaport of Portsmouth is a must for lovers of colonial history. Here you can stroll along the cobblestone streets of its old harborside area, soak up the atmosphere at an open-air café or browse its colourful storefronts and little galleries.
You can travel back in time at the 10-acre site of the Strawbery Banke Museum, which features period homes dating back to the late 17th century. During the summer months you can enjoy a swim at one of the state’s attractive beaches.
Travel back in time to the American Independence
In the attractive little town of Exeter, a short drive east of Manchester, you’ll find the American Independence Museum, housed in the 18th-century Ladd-Gilman House.
This fascinating museum celebrates the town’s early history and as well as the furnishings and possessions of the Gilman family, who lived here from 1720 to 1820. Highlights include two original drafts of the US Constitution and the personal correspondence of George Washington.
Visit America’s Stonehenge
Only half an hour’s drive south from Manchester is said to be the oldest man-made construction in the United States. Known as ‘America’s Stonehenge’, this 4,000-year-old archaeological site is a maze of chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places and makes for a truly unique experience. The 105-acre woodland site is an accurate astronomical calendar and can still be used to predict solar and lunar events of the year, but to this day no one is sure who built it.
Car rental in Manchester is the perfect way to discover this charming corner of New Hampshire at your own pace.
