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Fruitlands seeks to inspire individuals to find personal connections to the art, nature and history of New England, and offers opportunities for visitors to express their own modern voice through the lens of history.

Every year we present dozens of educational events that offer exciting connections to the museum’s historic, environmental and fine arts collections. Choose from a variety of public programs, enriching student field trips, interactive adult group tours, one of many on-site art classes, customized birthday parties, or experiences just for scouting groups.

Public Programs

Fruitlands Museum supports lifelong learning for adults, children and families with a variety of educational experiences throughout the year. Films, concerts, lectures, walking tours, gallery talks, artist demonstrations, family days and more – many free with admission – await our visitors. Each program we offer is designed to connect to the museum’s mission to celebrate and honor the art, history and landscape of Fruitlands. That means finding presenters, artists, scholars and experiences that draw upon our collections in entertaining, informative, and unexpected ways -- ultimately sparking curiosity, extending knowledge, or creating personal meanings within our visitors. Learn more...

Students and Teachers

Fruitlands provides a wide assortment of enrichment opportunities to K-12 students and educators. Find out more...

• Student Programs: Developed with classroom curriculum connections in mind, our K-12 fieldtrips provide interactive, hands-on, object-based learning opportunities on a variety of topics. Our student programs awaken the imagination, build connections, and inspire conversation.
• Outreach Programs: Fruitlands Outreach Programs bring great educational experiences to schools and youth organizations that are unable to visit the museum because of financial or seasonal barriers.
• Professional Development Programs: Created especially for educators, Fruitlands’ Professional Development Programs explore important themes in the museum collections while giving teachers tools needed to effectively use museum objects as resources in their classrooms.

Adult Group Tours and Outreach Programs

Fruitlands Museum believes that we all continue to learn even long after finishing a formal education. That’s why we have developed a variety of informative and entertaining tours designed to especially for adult and senior groups. During a group visit to Fruitlands, participants receive customized tours led by trained historic interpreters who tailor programs to respond to the interests of the group. Fruitlands Museum also offers lecture style presentations to regional assisted living facilities, libraries, and community organizations. Drawing on the rich history and diverse collections of Fruitlands, these Outreach Programs bring the museum right into community living rooms, making access to the museum that much easier for seniors and adults. Find out how you and your group can participate in one of Fruitlands’ programs for adult learners...

Art Education

Fruitlands Museum offers an array of art classes and workshops in fine art, crafts, and traditional art. We have an outstanding roster of professional artists who provide instruction for students -- from beginners to the most advanced. Art classes at Fruitlands are rooted in the museum’s exemplary collection of Hudson River School landscape paintings, early American portraits, traditional art such as cabinetmaking and crafts such as weaving, beading, and more. Many classes also take inspiration from the museum’s breathtaking landscape. Oils, watercolors, baskets, pastels, nature journals, ceramics, photography, Shaker weaving and more can be found in our seasonal calendar of classes.