Burlington’s Shelburne Museum Displays More Than 150,000 Works Of Art

Vermont’s Shelburne Museum is known for its extensive collection of artwork and buildings. To visit Shelburne is to step back in time into a quaint village filled with artifacts that furnish a feast for the eyes and ears. The grounds feature 38 distinct buildings, of which 25 are actual historic buildings that were relocated from another place. The displays are extensive enough that many people find a single day insufficient to truly take in all that the museum has to offer. The scenic beauty of the Lake Champlain Valley adds to the appeal of this unique tourist destination that is fit for the whole family.

American folk art collector Electra Havemeyer Webb created the Shelburne Museum in 1947, eager to create a museum experience that would be vibrant and truly excite the sensibilities of those who visit. The museum is focused on art and architecture from the 1600s to the 1900s and includes more than 150,000 works of art, with particular emphasis on folk art, as well as more utilitarian examples of craftsmanship such as carriages and quilts. Together, the museum’s 38 buildings and numerous gardens form a village in which patrons are free to wander, interacting with the exhibits and taking part in the many educational programs the museum has to offer.

The buildings that make up the museum give a good taste of what life was like in previous centuries in New England. The buildings that act as galleries house not only American paintings but also many examples of toys, circus memorabilia, decoys and costumes. Among the buildings that are displays in and of themselves are the apothecary, the jail, the schoolhouse and the blacksmith shop.

The museum boasts more than 20 different gardens, each offering its own natural beauty to complement the human ingenuity on display within the buildings. Among the many flowers on display, particularly prominent are lilacs, of which there are over 400 plants on the museum grounds. Peonies are also plentiful, with 25 different varieties to peruse, and visitors will find geraniums, zinnias and daylilies aplenty.

The full grounds of the Shelburne Museum are open from mid-May through October. During that time, adult admission is $22, while children cost $10. During the rest of the year, when only the main building is open, adults cost $10 and children cost $5. Hours are generally Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See http://ift.tt/SZsoQ1.

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