Museum ABCs: Toys of Long Ago

Bring in a favorite toy and we’ll talk about what it is made of. Then we’ll travel back in time to see what kinds of toys children played with long ago. Were they made of the same materials? Did they need charging? Were they fun to play with? Come find out! Museum ABCs ......More

Bring in a favorite toy and we’ll talk about what it is made of. Then we’ll travel back in time to see what kinds of toys children played with long ago. Were they made of the same materials? Did they need charging? Were they fun to play with? Come find out! Museum ABCs is a collaboration between Bennington Museum and the Bennington Free Library, designed for children ages 3 to 5 and their adult companions. Siblings are welcome! Museum ABCs is FREE thanks to funding from The Bank of Bennington. Join us on the second Saturday of each month, April through November, for artwork, stories, and more! presented in partnership with the Bennington Free Library sponsored by additional support from

Research Your Veteran

Drop into the Regional History Room any time between 1:00 and 4:00 PM to meet RHR and Historical Society volunteers who will help you find your veteran’s history. We will show you how to uncover the story of your family veteran using internet sources, books, and local h......More

Drop into the Regional History Room any time between 1:00 and 4:00 PM to meet RHR and Historical Society volunteers who will help you find your veteran’s history. We will show you how to uncover the story of your family veteran using internet sources, books, and local hard copy resources. Find out the details of their service – where they entered the service, their unit, where they went, and what they did upon return. From the Revolutionary War to present conflicts, their stories can be traced. Bring documents, photos, or other information you have about your veteran, and we will help fill in the blanks. Entry to the Regional History Room is included with regular Museum admission and always free to Museum members.

Bridges of Bennington County

a Bennington Historical Society presentation Vermont is home to the third highest number of covered bridges in the United States, after Pennsylvania and Ohio. If you look at the number per square mile, Vermont ranks number one. There are five of them right here in Benni......More

a Bennington Historical Society presentation Vermont is home to the third highest number of covered bridges in the United States, after Pennsylvania and Ohio. If you look at the number per square mile, Vermont ranks number one. There are five of them right here in Bennington County – three in Bennington alone! These bridges are part of Vermont’s identity, captured in paintings, the subject of ghost stories, and part of many of our daily commutes. In this presentation, local researchers will share what they know about our county’s beautiful and historic covered bridges. Avis Hayden lives in Sunderland, on property that adjoins the Chiselville Covered Bridge. She has a curiosity about local history, spurred on by her genealogical research involving Vermont residents. She holds a Certificate from Boston University in Genealogy. She volunteers at Bennington Museum’s Regional History Room and assists with projects at the Russell Collection (Arlington/Sunderland/Sandgate).   David Pilachowski has lived in Bennington for 25 years, worked in college and university libraries, and has long been interested in history. He volunteers in Bennington Museum’s Regional History Room (RHR) and is a Museum Trustee. He was one of several people involved for the past several years in reorganizing and cataloging the RHR collection. Through that work, he became aware of Professor Louis Puffer’s remarkable collection of covered bridge materials and associated resources donated to the RHR. supported by

Pursuit of Happiness- Artist Reception

Pursuit of Happiness – Artist ReceptionExhibition and Closed Bid Auction benefiting Bennington Museum and Regional Artists November 19 through December 31 (bidding ends on December 20) Preview the pieces and purchase at BUY IT NOW prices. Gala Ticket Holders and Museum ......More

Pursuit of Happiness – Artist ReceptionExhibition and Closed Bid Auction benefiting Bennington Museum and Regional Artists November 19 through December 31 (bidding ends on December 20) Preview the pieces and purchase at BUY IT NOW prices. Gala Ticket Holders and Museum Members are FREE, but please use the Get Tickets function below to RSVP. Not-Yet-Members: $5 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:Berta Burr, Rose C. Castor, Katie Cleaver, Peter Crabtree, Kristin Donegan, Alice Eckles, Dakin Fuller, Emily Gold, Marisa Green, Chip Haggerty, Jesse Harrod, Liz Howe, Jane Hudson, Craig Jaster, Jessica Lewis, Jennifer McCandless, Joan Nichols, Rick Oller, Leslie Parke, Sarah Pike, Katie Poore, Rhonda Ratray, Stacey Sherman Pursuit of Happiness: 250 years later 250 years ago, America declared its independence from Great Britain. The first sentence of the second paragraph from that declaration has become one of the most memorable and quoted lines in the English language: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The last of the “unalienable Rights” listed ⎼”the pursuit of Happiness”⎼ has always seemed unusual and slightly out of place in this context, though certainly not unwanted. What does the right to “the pursuit of Happiness” even mean then, and now? As we continue to strive and struggle to attain the ideals outlined for our country 250 years ago, approximately two dozen regional artists have created artwork in an attempt to answer that question. Sponsored by:

Family Day & Children's Shopping

Saturday December 5 is Family Dayat Bennington Museum!Admission$5 per person for everyone!Whether you’re an adult, a member, a child, Santa Claus, or anyone else, admission is $5. Your $5 contributes to our annual year-end fundraising to support programming in the comin......More

Saturday December 5 is Family Dayat Bennington Museum!Admission$5 per person for everyone!Whether you’re an adult, a member, a child, Santa Claus, or anyone else, admission is $5. Your $5 contributes to our annual year-end fundraising to support programming in the coming year. Kids 17 and younger can get in free IF……they bring an item to donate to this year’s Family Day Donation recipient, Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless Suggested donation items include new and unopened: BackpacksEasy to make non-perishable foods (ex: instant noodles, canned foods)Coffee, tea, sugar, etc.Personal hygiene products and toiletries (smaller travel sizes are often best)Towels and washcloths Children’s Shopping BoutiqueNow accepting donations!New and gently used items needed for the Children’s Shopping Boutique! Donations can be brought to Bennington Museum’s admissions desk any time the Museum is open. Items for men, women, children, and pets accepted. We do not accept books for adults or clothing. Items in the sale are not priced higher than $15. We also accept donations of gift bags, wrapping paper, small boxes, tissue paper, ribbon, bows, and batteries – especially AA, AAA, and LR44 Button Cells.. Children’s Shopping BoutiqueChildren ages 5 to 12 are invited to browse the selection of new and gently used items, all priced from $1 to $15, with the assistance of our Shoppers’ Helpers. Adults help their children write out gift tags and set their shopping budget, then hang back while the kids do the shopping. Gifts are wrapped before the children reunite with their grown-ups, so everyone can be surprised when it’s time for gift exchange! Cash only, please! Reservations are highly recommended! Walk-ins will be accommodated as openings in the reservation schedule become available. Reserve a Shopping TimeBake SaleOur volunteers have been hard at work, baking treats for you to enjoy while waiting for your shopper or to bring home. All items are available for a donation of your choice. Cash or Venmo only! Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, 10:00 – 12:00Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the Grandma Moses Schoolhouse from 10:00 – 12:00. There is no charge to visit with Santa! Remember to bring your camera! Craft Activities, 10:00 – 2:00Craft activities will be available in the Bennington Pottery Gallery. Children can participate in three easy-to-make crafts, celebrating the things that bring us joy. No additional charge. Classroom CreationsEach year Bennington Museum invites elementary classrooms to work with a theme and create a work of art to donate to the Museum. Then we give our visitors a chance to take home one of these wonderful creations by purchasing chances to win for just $1 each. This year’s theme is The Pursuit of Happiness. Family Day is made possible by:

Pursuit of Happiness Gala

250 years ago, America declared its independence from Great Britain. The first sentence of the second paragraph from that declaration has become one of the most memorable and quoted lines in the English language:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are......More

250 years ago, America declared its independence from Great Britain. The first sentence of the second paragraph from that declaration has become one of the most memorable and quoted lines in the English language:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The “Pursuit of Happiness” informs the theme of both the regional artist exhibit and the gala.  As we continue to strive and struggle to attain the ideals outlined for our country 250 years ago, what does the “Pursuit of Happiness” look like to YOU today? We invite that to influence your choice of dress for this Gala, which leaves for very open-ended fashion choices. Think 3 corner hats,  yoga pants, glitzy ball gowns, colors of the flag, or even more subversive gear is welcomed. We invite you to express yourself in a way that makes you HAPPY. SILENT AUCTIONComing this Fall, the Silent Auction features fun trips, fine dining, and fantastic goods from our regional businesses. Online bidding opens November 27 and will close on December 10. Final in-person bids may be placed at the Gala. AUCTION ITEMS COMING THIS FALL

Southern Vermont Sinfonia

Noon Year's Eve Party for Kids

Ringing in the New Year isn’t just for Adults!Want to celebrate the arrival of 2027 but bedtime is at 8:00? No problem! Put on your party clothes and join us at Bennington Museum as we welcome in the “Noon” Year with music, party hats, noisemakers, sparkling grape juice......More

Ringing in the New Year isn’t just for Adults!Want to celebrate the arrival of 2027 but bedtime is at 8:00? No problem! Put on your party clothes and join us at Bennington Museum as we welcome in the “Noon” Year with music, party hats, noisemakers, sparkling grape juice, and the countdown to Noon! Bennington Museum’s annual Kids’ “Noon” Year’s Eve Celebration is on Thursday, December 31, 2026 from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm. Admission is $5/child. Adults are welcome to join the party at no charge. Registration is not required. We hope you can join us. This event is made possible by:

Bennington Museum

Student Art Show Opening Celebration

Free admission thanks to our sponsorsCelebrate the opening of the annual Student Art Show which includes artwork from Kindergarten through high school students from Bennington and the surrounding towns. More than 250 pieces illustrate artistic development from learning ......More

Free admission thanks to our sponsorsCelebrate the opening of the annual Student Art Show which includes artwork from Kindergarten through high school students from Bennington and the surrounding towns. More than 250 pieces illustrate artistic development from learning about color and shape, to creating with ceramics and digital art, to producing high quality portraits and landscapes in pencil, oils and more. Student artists can pick up their participant certificates during this event. The Student Art Show is on view from January 23 through March 7, 2027.

Every Day Big and Small

During the 2023 and 2024 floods, Vermonters saw how their neighbors came together to support each other through difficult times. Every Day: Big and Small uses the floods as a backdrop to remind us that actually every day across Vermont folks lift each other up, cross cu......More

During the 2023 and 2024 floods, Vermonters saw how their neighbors came together to support each other through difficult times. Every Day: Big and Small uses the floods as a backdrop to remind us that actually every day across Vermont folks lift each other up, cross cultural divides, create places where people can learn, grow and share a sense of belonging with each other. This new documentary film by Vermont producer and director, Bess O’Brien, focuses on a series of short stories and vignettes about people making a positive impact every day by doing small things that can make a big difference in people’s lives. Highlights include a teen center that helps kids find a sense of place, a farm that focuses on black solidarity and joy, an elder woman who shares her home with an immigrant, a feisty dance class for folks dealing with Parkinson disease, a group of passionate girls building their own plane, a celebratory drag show at the Elks club in Rutland, a writers group for folks in substance abuse recovery, a military museum run by a 13 year old kid in his backyard, a space where foster parents can get free clothes and support, a generation of young teenage women making a difference in farming, a men’s group that focuses on compassionate communication, a horse farm for folks dealing with PTSD, and of course a good time at the Barnet mud bog, fiddle playing in Hardwick and more! This is a film about the importance of community. Every Day: Big and Small is about how Vermonters create small miracles, show up for each other, stand up to adversity and create positive change. The film is about how folks prevail, and can rise above the often fragmented society we live in to make a better place for us to live. Tickets can be purchased using the links below until 5:00 PM on the day of the screening. They can be purchased at the door as long as tickets remain. Bess O’Brien is the director and producer of award-winning documentaries including  Just Getting By which is focused on Vermonters struggling with food and housing insecurity The Hungry Heart, about prescription drug abuse in Vermont  All of Me, about body image and eating disorders and Ask Us Who We Are, about foster care in Vermont. She is also the director/producer of the highly acclaimed feature film Shout it Out based on the lives of Vermont teens and the original Voices Project live musical. Bess O’Brien co-founded Kingdom County Productions with her husband Jay Craven in 1990.