Canterbury Shaker Village

Programming. The goal of humanities programming at Canterbury Shaker Village is that we envision the Village as:an internationally recognized educational and cultural resource, museum, and historic site.a living, productive, learning community expanding the knowledge of the Canterbury shakers and their 200-year relationship to american culture and presenting their values and accomplishments through research, programs, tours, exhibits and education, to a diverse audience.a place for reflection and renewal of the human spirit, for the common pursuit of Shaker values and ideals in the affairs of people, and for the demonstration of Shaker principles of equality between the sexes and religious tolerance.as a history museum, the Village strives on the one hand to present the shakers to the public on their own terms - in their Canterbury context, expressing their work, views and values as they themselves delineated them over time. On the other hand, the Village endeavors to present the shakers in light of american history and culture, based on contemporary historical and religious scholarship.the core experience consists of guided tour options, self-guided exhibits, historic gardens, and demonstrations and interpretations of Shaker trades and industries (oval boxes, brooms, poplar fancywork, spinning, weaving, gardening and farming). These components engage visitors in a dialogue between past and present. Interpretive programs present Shaker values and issues such as pacifism, women's rights, celibacy, and gender equality, and illustrate the tension between individualism and life in community. Throughout the season, the core experience is supplemented by music and dance programs in the meeting house and chapel, as well as thematic tours that highlight topics such as Shaker industries and architecture. Students participate in workshops which introduce them to Shaker history, science concepts and industry.during the season, the Village presents five family festivals and several mini-events that have multi-generational appeal: heifer day parade with food and fiddle, Village rising, artisan festival, ghost encounters, christmas at Canterbury, etc. Attracting 600 to 1500 visitors per day, these events include concerts, lectures, "make-it, take-it" activities, costumed characters, herbal, garden and orchard-related activities, storytelling, demonstrations (of coopering, dyeing, etc.) And special guided tours (e.g., tour of Shaker mill sites).

Collections. Canterbury Shaker Village is a preserved historic community in contrast to restored and/or reconstructed historic sites. The Village received national historic landmark status in 1993 for its national significance, architectural integrity and its historical authenticity. The Village's collection is of national significance because it is the largest and most comprehensive body of material remaining in an original Shaker community. Nearly 90% of the Village's 100,000 objects, manuscripts, and photographs have never left the community which created or purchased them.the material culture collections, which represent the written and material record of two hundred years of Shaker community life, are preserved within the community in which they were produced and used. The collection's preeminent historic and cultural importance derives from these spatial and material associations. The Village's collection is of local, state, regional, and national significance in the categories of american history, art, architecture, religion, technology, material culture, domestic life, domestic industries, women's studies, and communitarianism.

Building preservation. The museum preserves and maintains its building collection - comprised of 25 of the 100 original buildings constructed by the Canterbury shakers - under strict adherence to national preservation standards and mandates. The structures date from 1792 through 1923 and document the 200 years of Shaker occupancy of the site. Types of structures represented include religious, residential, industrial, and agricultural buildings, as well as the Village infirmary, school, and laundry. Late 18th, 19th, and early 20th century interiors retain high integrity. Foundations of mills and other associated structures remain on the property, all of which have been recorded and mapped by professional archaeologists. The buildings represent 200 years of evolving building technology and are used for the purpose of interpreting the Shaker legacy of fine craftsmanship and entrepreneurship.