Woodman Institute Museum
NileGuide Expert Says:
This destination is a real find for those who enjoy an old fashioned museum-visiting experience.
Address:
15 Summer Street
Dover, NH 03820
Phone:
603-742-1038
Description:
Sponsors of the Woodman Institute Museum take pride in offering an experience that harkens back to the amateur museums of the 19th century. The museums of this era were often located in the homes of amateur historians and archaeologists eager to share the love of their pursuits with the public. Similarly, the Woodman Institute Museum features a fascinating hodge podge of archaeological discoveries, rare collectibles, and assorted curiosities that will prove compelling to any museum lover. On a recent visit, for instance, I viewed a small statuette of the god Osiris, retrieved from an ancient Egyptian temple, in the same room that featured a complete suit of Japanese warrior armor from the 16th century. Also in this room is an exhibit honoring John Parker Hale, the nation's first anti-slavery U.S. Senator whose daughter was reportedly engaged to Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. Among the museum's more unusual artifacts are a preserved four-legged baby chicken and the saddle from legendary U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's horse. A major feature of the museum property is a fully preserved garrison house. These structures served as defensive forts against attacks by Native Americans during the colonial era. Inside this fortification is a vast collection of colonial cooking implements, furniture, glassware, clothing and other items that provide an in-depth view of early American life. One interesting note: Just outside the fort is a Napoleon brass cannon used by Civil War Union forces to defeat General Pickett's regiment during his famous charge at Gettysburg. With unusual finds seemingly just around every corner, the Woodman Institute Museum will both intrigue and captivate visitors of all ages.
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