Explore unique exhibits

Focused around the restoration and preservation of the historic buildings and items from the collections, exhibits showcase the Museum’s ability to preserve the past and interpret the history of Portsmouth and the unfolding story of the United States.

Each year, Strawbery Banke presents special exhibits and programs that share the stories of the people who called the Puddle Dock neighborhood home.

These exhibits pull pieces from the Museum’s extensive collection that have never been on public display and present them along with information about what makes the items unique and historically significant.

Featured Exhibits

  • Water Has a Memory: Preserving Strawbery Banke and Portsmouth From Sea Level Rise

    May 1-October 31, 2023

    Strawbery Banke’s historic houses — some of Portsmouth’s most valuable and irreplaceable heritage — are being damaged by the impact of sea level rise. Right now. In its third and final year, the Water Has a Memory exhibit, located in the Rowland Gallery, explains the ways that the Museum has joined forces with the City of Portsmouth and other key organizations from around the region to measure, analyze, and adapt to the impacts.

  • The Walsh House Interactive Exhibit

    Permanent exhibit open daily, May 1- October 31

    After a successful pilot year, the Walsh House is officially open to welcome visitors for a fully immersive experience that brings the world of a sea captain and his family to life circa 1800. The first-floor rooms are furnished with touchable reproduction objects, providing visitors with a sense of discovery and opportunity for exploration.

  • People of the Dawnland

    Permanent exhibit open daily, May 1- October 31

    Learn more about Abenaki and Wabankai peoples of Northern New England, Southern Quebec, and the Canadian Maritime Provinces, both past and present. The People of the Dawnland exhibit, located in the Jones House, invites visitors to touch traditional basket weaves, play with cornhusk dolls, step inside a reproduction wigwam, and see what plants are growing in the Abenaki teaching garden.

  • Port of Portsmouth: War, Trade, & Travel

    Permanent exhibit open daily May 1- October 31

    Located in the Montrone Family Gallery in the Thales Yeaton House, the Port of Portsmouth: War, Trade, & Travel exhibit focuses on the maritime history of Portsmouth and the Seacoast, showcasing a collection of models and paintings of ships built in Portsmouth and the stories of those who sailed them.