Historic Deerfield, Inc., is dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley. Historic Deerfield, Inc., which maintains more than 50 buildings in Old Deerfield, focuses on the significance of small-town America to the national culture. Founded in 1952, the museum includes 12 historic houses, which are regularly open to the public as well as the exhibition building, the Flynt Center of Early New England Life. It stewards a nationally significant collection of approximately 28,000 household artifacts both rare and common – including furniture, metalwares, textiles, needlework, ceramics, and more – many with documented histories of local ownership or manufacture. These authentic objects document the stories and founding years of our nation, and through them, visitors learn the stories of generations of real people whose beliefs, belongings, lifestyles, conflicts, economy, and technology unlock the door to the past and help us to better understand today.
The Josiah Dwight House, built around 1725, features striking architectural elements, such as window, door, and dormer pediments as well as a brightly colored facade. Once used as a rooming house, the home originally stood in Springfield, Massachusetts, but was later moved to Deerfield after the structure was threatened with demolition.
Memorial Libraries
Open Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Museum Gift Shop & Bookstore
Open Wednesday- Monday (Closed Tuesdays) 10:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m.
The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day.
• A free orientation film is shown throughout the day at the Visitor Center at Hall Tavern.
• Museum Houses Guided Tours start on the hour.
• Two museum houses are open all day for self-guided tours.
• The Apprentice’s Workshop at Dwight House is open for demonstrations from 12:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Plan your visit using our village map.
Winter Hours
Historic Deerfield’s winter hours go into effect on Monday, December 24. The Flynt Center of Early New England Life will be open Saturdays and Sundays, December 29, 2018 – April 9, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Visitors can enjoy current exhibitions and “The Museum’s Attic” gallery. The Henry N. Flynt Library will be open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. The Museum Gift Shop & Bookstore is open every day except Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The museum will reopen for the 2019 Season on Saturday, April 13, 2019.
Seasonal Winter Admission: $7 Adults, $5 Youth (ages 6-17), under 6, Deerfield/South Deerfield residents, and members free. Historic Deerfield’s museum houses are closed to the public during the winter months (January-mid-April), however pre-arranged tours-by-appointment, school tours and group tours are scheduled.
Historic Trade Demonstration: Woodworking Featuring Furniture Making and Carving with Craig Farrow Woodworking Featuring Furniture Making and Carving with Craig Farrow October 12 and 13 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. each day. Join us at the for woodworking with Craig Farrow. Included in general admission.
Meet at the Visitor Center at Hall Tavern for a spooky walk through the village to hear ghost stories of Deerfield. A Tour Leader will take your group on a walk to meet characters who will tell you stories of Deerfield’s fascinating history and mysterious past. You will encounter historical storytellers waiting in doorways and […]
Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: Indigenous Foods, The Three Sisters, and the Fall Harvest Oct. 4, 5 ,11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 25, 26 from 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Hall Tavern Come visit our open-hearth cooks as they prepare “traditional” New England dishes made with Indigenous ingredients such as corn, beans, and squash.
Historic Trade Demonstration: Blacksmithing with Rick Martin and Friends Blacksmithing with Rick Martin and Friends October 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Stebbins Lawn Join us for blacksmithing with Rick Martin and friends. Included in general admission. Historic Trade Demonstration: Tailoring with Henry Cooke Tailoring with Henry Cooke October 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Hall Tavern Join us […]
Historic Trade Demonstration: Silversmithing with Steve Smithers Silversmithing with Steve Smithers October 5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Silver Shop Join us for silversmithing with Steve Smithers. Included in general admission. Historic Trade Demonstration: Gunsmithing with Richard Colton Historic Trade Demonstration: Gunsmithing with Richard Colton October 5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Hall Tavern Join us for gunsmithing […]
Creating with Colors History Workshop 12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 21, 22, 28, 29; Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 26, 27; and Nov. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 Create and take home your own vibrant Deerfield landscape using pastels just like Deerfield artist James Wells Champney, who produced scenic views of Deerfield […]
Historic Trade Demonstration: Dr. Jack Richman, USS Constitution and the Marine Guard of 1812 Dr. Jack Richman, USS Constitution and the Marine Guard of 1812 September 29, 10a.m.–4p.m. Hall Tavern Join us to learn about the USS Constitution and the Marine Guard of 1812. Included in general admission.
Plein Air Painting Workshop Looking forward to fall? Mark your calendars for the start of the season to try your hand at painting en plein air under the tutelage of a local artist and a Historic Deerfield curator! En plein air, a French expression meaning “in the open air,” gives experienced artists and novices alike an opportunity […]
September 14, 21, 28 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in the Hall Tavern Kitchen The Sheldon House has a food exhibit featuring dishes described in a 1797 letter. Our open-hearth cooks will be preparing several of the dishes on display. Come and read the letter and find out why Mr. Field was so angry when his sister […]
August 31, 2024 - 9 AM - February 23, 2025 - 4 PM In Pursuit of the Picturesque: The Art of James Wells Champney Image: James Wells Champney, Young Woman in Red, ca. 1890, pastel (63.366). Through an array of paintings, pastels, photographs, and material culture, In Pursuit of the Picturesque takes a fresh perspective on […]
Creating with Colors History Workshop 12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 21, 22, 28, 29; Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 26, 27; and Nov. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 Create and take home your own vibrant Deerfield landscape using pastels just like Deerfield artist James Wells Champney, who produced scenic views of Deerfield […]
September 14, 21, 28 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in the Hall Tavern Kitchen The Sheldon House has a food exhibit featuring dishes described in a 1797 letter. Our open-hearth cooks will be preparing several of the dishes on display. Come and read the letter and find out why Mr. Field was so angry when his sister […]
September 14, 21, 28 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in the Hall Tavern Kitchen The Sheldon House has a food exhibit featuring dishes described in a 1797 letter. Our open-hearth cooks will be preparing several of the dishes on display. Come and read the letter and find out why Mr. Field was so angry when his sister […]
A Rich and Varied Palette: Coloring New England’s Past Historic Deerfield’s 2024 Fall Forum, A Rich and Varied Palette: Coloring New England’s Past, convenes a group of leading researchers and scholars to explore the vast subject of color and its history. Research and publication in the history of color has been growing in recent decades, but few studies […]
Take a guided walk around Old Deerfield! Join us on a guided Natural History Walk around Old Deerfield. Come every second Sunday through November for a fun morning of looking and discovering. How do the seasons change? How do the plants, animals, and environment respond? Watch summer give way to autumn and then winter with […]
Special Living History Event: Ladies’ Association of Revolutionary America. Preparing for a Revolution The Ladies’ Association is a researched-based 18th century living history group that encourages, supports, and promotes increased women’s voices and stories at historical sites and events. They will be portraying Deerfield in 1774, on the eve of the American Revolution. Included with […]
Special Event! Book Arts Day Taking place on the Dwight House Lawn and at Wilson Printing Office Come join us for a day-long event celebrating historic book arts. Visitors can meet artisans and see demonstrations of wood cut illustration with noted artist Barry Moser, paper making with Elisa Lanzi, bookbinding with Barbara Blumenthal, and letterpress […]
Family Fun Day! The Cure for the Summertime Blues Did you know that one of the things Deerfield is known for is blue embroidery? You can create the color blue straight from a plant! Transform a silk handkerchief from white to blue with ice water and fresh-leaf Japanese indigo gathered from the History Workshop garden. […]
Free admission for all! In partnership with the Highland Street Foundation, Historic Deerfield will offer no-cost admission to the museum on Thursday, August 1st! Visit the museum’s historic houses and Flynt Center, watch historic demonstrations, and participate in hands-on activities and crafts.
Free Summer Lecture Series: Black Experiences of the Early American North Historic Deerfield’s 2024 Summer Lecture Series–building upon the exhibit Unnamed Figures–will feature three scholars of the visual, textual, and material cultures that reveal the Black experience of the early American North. Join us in-person at the Deerfield Community Center or by Zoom. Attendance is free, but registration […]
