betty & barney
April 1 through November 2, 2026
Their world, and ours, was never the same again.
While the Hills rose to fame due to their tale of alien abduction and subsequent influence on pop culture, the Hills’ impact reaches far beyond the extraordinary events of that night. As Portsmouth residents, civil rights activists, and community leaders, Betty and Barney Hill were part of a powerful and often overlooked chapter in local and national history.
Portsmouth Citizens & Civil Rights Champions
While their abduction captured headlines, the Hills were deeply engaged in the real-world struggles of their time. The Hills were both activists and public speakers on topics surrounding civil rights, working tirelessly to effect change in their home city. Barney served as the legal redress officer of the Portsmouth branch of the NAACP, working to end racial discrimination, including joining a lawsuit against a barber who refused service to a Black customer. Betty was a social worker and active member of South Church for decades after Barney’s death. Their activism helped shape a more equitable Portsmouth.
From Personal Experience to Pop Culture Phenomenon
The Hills’ story changed lives and helped shape the cultural imagination of a generation. The Hills’ narrative of their abduction and descriptions of their captors influenced how aliens were portrayed in science fiction for decades. After the release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977, the imagery from their story became cemented in popular culture and fueled a growing fascination with the unknown.
A Reflection of the Times
The Importance of Archivists
Thanks to the careful preservation of the Hills’ personal papers by their family and dedicated archivists, we can explore their story in full complexity. These documents, recordings, and objects remind us that even the most contested or unbelievable narratives can carry deep cultural value.
By examining their lives, we gain a better understanding of where we’ve been, how far we’ve come in our ongoing fights for justice, and how vital it is to preserve stories that challenge our understanding of truth, memory, and identity.
Love this! Are you planning an event with a guest speaker at all? I’m planning on hosting a related event at Rye Public Library… Might be fun to co-host or co-promote events at local libraries? LMK your thoughts!
Scott
Asst. Director
RPL
This sounds great, we’re in early planning stages and will reach out to you via email.
Looking forward to it! Our general inbox contact@ryepubliclibrary.org will get to me.
This sounds Amazing id love to join
I live in Portsmouth and I have a longtime related podcast. I am interested to know what event, Scott?
Are you local Martin? Are you doing any public speaking?
Besides being a member, longtime antiques/art appraiser, I do a longtime show on UFOs and know Kathleen Marden (Betty’s niece). I am really happy this is being done in such a positive way
I met Betty Hill in the early 70s. She was the guest speaker at a gathering of psychics in Rye, NH. A friend invited me.
Hello! I’ve lived in Betty and Barney’s house for the past 18 years. I perform in the musical group Kong Moon, and was interested in contributing to your exhibition. We wrote a song about the Betty and Barney Hill experience, entitled Enchanted Nights.
I know there is a call to artists for this exhibit, and wonder if a song would somehow fit in the show.
The song is unique, accessible, and melodic. We recently recorded it in town at the Electric Cave, so this, as of yet, unreleased song could be ready for the opening.
Is there someone at the Portsmouth Historical Society that would be interested in hearing Enchanted Nights?
Please let me know, and thank you for your time.
That sounds really interesting, our Outreach Director will be in contact soon!
Excellent!
Wow, that’s pretty interesting that you are in their old home. I live near state street and have been intrigued by an interview where Betty Hill mentioned that, prior to their well-known incident, she had witnessed an object explode in the sky and that a family member recovered some of the debris. She said she kept the pieces for a time, but eventually threw them into her backyard, where they were later covered with fill.
It would certainly be interesting to see if anything like that could ever be recovered – happy to volunteer if there’s ever a backyard archaeology project 😄
How do we secure an opportunity to visit on 4/1?
We’ll be open to the public. Please stop by 10 Middle St and we can get you set up for the visit!
Hello.
I’m wondering if you have any speakers that will be coming to the Betty and barney exhibition?
And if so can you purchase advanced tickets?
How much is it yo see their exhibition?
Hours are 10a to 5pm correct?
Thank you.
Hi Elizabeth. We are finalizing speakers related to Betty & barney. It’s looking like additional programming will take place in late summer or fall (potentially around the September 19 anniversary of the incident). We will put events on the website and share via our email and socials once we have dates confirmed (tickets will be available in advance). You can visit the exhibition daily 10 am – 5 pm, admission is between $5-10. Hope you get a chance to stop by!
Betty Hill and I worked together as social workers for the State of NH DCYF program in the mid 1960s. This is when Barney and Betty decided to go under hypnoses to see if what they were remembering about their 1961 encounter was true. What interesting stories Betty told! Did we fellow workers believe her? I do not think so at the time!