Woodman Museum

The Woodman Museum was founded in 1916 from a trust established by Annie E. Woodman to: “To advance and develop passion for History, Nature, and the Arts. To educate, excite, and inspire current and future generations about . . . a changing nation by preserving and exhibiting objects of historic significance, decorative and fine art, and natural science that connect Dover and its citizens to . . . the world.”

On the grounds of the Woodman Museum you will find the oldest Sycamore Tree in Strafford County, a Medicinal & Industrial Garden designed and installed by Strafford County Master Gardeners and a functioning Rain Garden installed several years ago in cooperation with Soak NH, the EPA, NHDES, Strafford County Master Gardeners and other local volunteers, two auxiliary exhibit sheds housing a Civil War Cannon exhibit for our 1863 12lbs Bronze-Napoleon cannon, and a Victorian funeral exhibit complete with an 1890s horse-drawn hearse.

The Hale House (1813)

The John Parker Hale House tells the story of one of America’s foremost Abolitionists and informs visitors of the socioeconomic history of Dover, primarily from the 19th-century mills and textile designs that traveled the world.

The Woodman House (1818)

The Woodman House holds the Museum’s collection of rocks, minerals, fossils, and taxidermy specimens (animals, aquatic life, birds, and butterflies).

The Damm Garrison House (1675)

The Damm Garrison House is the oldest house in Dover and contains galleries displaying local Colonial and Early American history.

The Keefe House (1825)

The Keefe House contains our library, where we store our collection of the city records of Dover, as well as the Thom Hindle Art Gallery and administration offices.

A visit to the Woodman Museum offers an intimate and personal opportunity for visitors to explore and experience history, natural sciences, and the arts.