Permanent Collections

The Alcott's Fruitlands Farmhouse
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In June of 1843, Bronson Alcott and a handful of followers left Concord and moved to this farmhouse in Harvard,Massachusetts.  Alcott brought his wife and four young daughters, including a 10 year old Louisa May Alcott.  They called this place Fruitlands because they intended to live off the "fruits of the land", by growing fruit, vegetables and grain to sustain the fledgling community.

Hudson River School Landscapes
Albert Bierstadt, San Rafael

Among Fruitlands extensive collection of Hudson River School landscapes, the Art Gallery features two works by Albert Bierstadt. The Hudson River School is a nineteenth century American art movement which focused on depicting a romanticized vision of an unexplored American landscape.

Native American Collection
Native American Gallery at Fruitlands Museum

Our Native American collection includes over 1000 objects divided between New England, the Plains, Southwest, and Northwest Coast culture areas. Standing outside the Native American Museum, look out over the Nashua River valley and imagine what life was like here thousands of years ago.  We collaborate with Native Americans from all across the country to interpret the Native American past and present.

19th Century Vernacular Portraits
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Fruitlands holds one of the largest collections of vernacular portraits in the country. During the nineteenth century, New Englanders became increasingly interested in the concept of self representation through art.

Shaker Museum
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The Shaker Museum at Fruitlands was originally constructed in the Harvard Shaker Village in 1796 as an office. Fruitlands Museum founder, Clara Sears, moved it to Fruitlands Museums in 1920 after the Harvard Shaker village closed.
The Land
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The story of Fruitlands is the history of an evolving landscape. Located in rural Harvard, Massachusetts, Fruitlands has an unparalleled view across the Nashua River valley. Our 210 acre grounds contain composed of varying cultural traditions and ecological habitats, we tell stories about the New England past.

Native Americans, Shakers, Transcendentalists, and nineteenth century artists each represent an important moment in the history of our New England landscape.