Gingerbread Reception and Awards Party
2025-12-05 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Gingerbread Reception and Judge’s Awards
Friday, December 5, 5:30–7:30 pm
Join us to celebrate the opening of our 35th Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition! Get in the holiday spirit and see our marvelous cookie creations, while also enjoying some cider and small treats. Stay for the big reveal of the winners of our Judges’ Choice prizes!
This event is free and open to the public.

See all the sweet details

Thank you to our sweet sponsors:

Avery Insurance
Devine Millimet
Louis F. Clarizio, DDS PA
Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce
Seacoast Lately

A part of:

Open Late for Shop & Stroll
2025-12-06 10:00 - 21:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States

Reinventing Portsmouth Book Launch
2025-12-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Celebrate the launch of Reinventing Portsmouth

RSVP to the Book Launch

About the Author:

Robert Thoresen served as Portsmouth’s Planning Director from 1971 thru 1977. During that time he contributed to the City’s revitalization effort and many other planning efforts. He later consulted nationally on downtown revitalization, historic preservation, and other planning issues. He became a development consultant and has rehabilitated historic properties. He has served in leadership positions on many non-profit boards. He holds an AB in Sociology and a Master of Regional Planning degree from Syracuse University and a Master of Public Administration degree from UNH.

Extended Gingerbread Hours
2025-12-12 10:00 - 20:00, 2025-12-19 10:00 - 20:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States

Gingerbread Tips & Tricks Tour
2025-12-12 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-12-19 17:30 - 18:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States

Gingerbread Workshop
2025-12-13 10:30 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Join us in the gallery for more gingerbread workshops!

Register for the Gingerbread House Workshop!

Explore the Gingerbread Contest

New Favorites Cookie Swap
2025-12-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Discover a new holiday tradition and enjoy the Gingerbread Contest!

RSVP to the Cookie Swap

Gingerbread Workshop
2025-12-20 10:30 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Be inspired by the gingerbread contest and make your own gingerbread house!

Register for the Gingerbread House Workshop!

Explore the Gingerbread Contest

Museum Closed- Christmas Day
2025-12-25 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Portsmouth Historical Society Closed 12/25
The historical society will be closed on Thursday, December 25 in observation of Christmas Day. We will reopen the next day, Friday, December 26 at 10 a.m with more delicious holiday fun at the 35th Annual Gingerbread Contest and Exhibition.

Learn More About Gingerbread

Holiday Hours: 10 am – 4 pm
2025-12-26 - 2025-12-30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States

Homeschool Day: the Portsmouth Peace Treaty
2026-01-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Learn about the special connection between Portsmouth and Japan, all based on the peace treaty signed here that ended the Russo-Japanese War.

Register for the Homeschool History Program!

Gingerbread Smash
2026-01-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Register for our Gingerbread Smash!

Can we smash more houses than last year?

Thank you to EnviroVantage for assistance in providing safety equipment and tools for our smash and Mr.Fox for composting the sugar remnants.

Homeschool Day: The Women of Portsmouth During WWII
2026-02-06 10:00 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Celebrate the Women of Portsmouth who stepped up and took on new roles during World War II.

Register for the Homeschool History Program!

PHSA Life & Death Symposium: America 250th
2026-02-14 10:00 - 15:00 | Masonic Temple, 45 Miller Ave, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Benefit Night: Community Oven Hampton
2026-03-02 16:00 - 21:00 | NH
Who knew that pizza night was the perfect way to keep history alive!

Plan your order for March 2

Monday, March 2, 2026
Join us for a delicious way to support the Portsmouth Historical Society! From 4:00 to 9:00 pm, The Community Oven in Hampton will generously donate 20% of all dine-in and take-out sales to help fund our exhibitions, education programs, and preservation initiatives.

UNABLE TO ATTEND? You can still keep Portsmouth’s history alive. Consider a donation to support Portsmouth Historical Society’s mission to connect the community to our past, present and future through collections, interpretation, education, and preservation.

Keep History Alive!

Homeschool Day: Reinventing Portsmouth
2026-03-06 10:00 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
So much happened in Portsmouth in the 1960s and 1970s. Learn about how the phyical city changed and the citizens who came together to create community.

Register for the Homeschool History Program!

How to Research Your Historic Property
2026-03-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Portsmouth Public Library, 175 Parrot Ave, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Get started on your historic plaque journey

RSVP to the Portsmouth Plaques Program Library Event

Portsmouth Historic Plaque Program
Learn more about the program and sign up to start your plaque research.

Learn more about our program partner and see their full list of events:

"Betty & Barney" Preview Party Member Event
2026-03-26 17:30 - 19:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
A special night to celebrate our members

RSVP to the Preview Party

Not yet a member? Join anytime!
Join today to be among the first to see our 2026 exhibition and get access to numerous other member benefits, including free admission, discounted tickets, 10% off the gift shop year-round, and more.

Become a Member

Women's History Month Walking Tour
2026-03-28 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-03-29 14:00 - 15:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Women of Portsmouth Walking Tour
Learn the untold stories of navigators, preachers, artists, authors, tavern keepers, and madams who defied stereotypes and shaped Portsmouth on this 90 minutes tour.

Join the Women's History Month Walking Tour

Tour Description:
For over 400 years women have been shaping the course of Portsmouth’s history. After the 90-minute walking tour, we hope you will walk away surprised by all the ways that women have impacted the fabric of this city. Your tour will cover almost two miles including Prescott Park and the Old Harbor.

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.

Opening Day
2026-04-01 10:00 - 17:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Join us for our 2026 exhibitions!
Reopening on Wednesday, April 1.

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.

We are proud to announce we our continued collaboration with NHAA and artists across New Hampshire.

Homeschool Days: Preserving Our Stories
2026-04-03 10:00 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
How have historians preserved the past and how will our stories be preserved in the future? Join us and become a preservationist-in-training!

Register for the Homeschool History Program!

"Betty & Barney" Curator Tour
2026-04-03 12:00 - 12:30, 2026-04-03 17:30 - 18:00, 2026-05-01 12:00 - 12:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Take a Guided Tour Around “Betty & Barney”
Join Meredith Affleck, our Exhibitions Manager and X-Files fan, as she guides you through the “Betty & Barney” exhibition. This exhibition will cover the reported UFO abduction, leaving you to draw your own conclusions, and showcase Betty and Barney’s active role within the Portsmouth community. Learn how broad of an impact their experience had on pop culture and the way we think of aliens.
Finish your tour with a visit to the complementary, contemporary exhibition upstairs featuring a juried selection of NHAA artists.
Tours happen at 12:00 and 5:30 pm.This is a free tour, no registration required.

Learn more about the exhibition

Women of Portsmouth Walking Tour
2026-04-08 14:30 - 16:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Women of Portsmouth Walking Tour
Learn the untold stories of navigators, preachers, artists, authors, tavern keepers, and madams who defied stereotypes and shaped Portsmouth on this 90 minutes tour.

Tour Description:
For over 400 years women have been shaping the course of Portsmouth’s history. After the 90-minute walking tour, we hope you will walk away surprised by all the ways that women have impacted the fabric of this city. Your tour will cover almost two miles including Prescott Park and the Old Harbor.

Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.
All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.
Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.

Family Day: Artifact Investigation
2026-04-11 10:30 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Get hands-on with historic artifacts

RSVP to our Family Day

Thank you to our Family Day sponsor for making this free, family-friendly event possible:

Loyalist to Liberty Walking Tour
2026-05-01 14:30 - 16:00 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
From Loyalist to Liberty
Semi-Monthly at 2:30 pm
First and third Fridays of the month
This 90-minute walking tour traces the path of Portsmouth during the 1770s. From a hub of British loyalty, a series of events in the 1770s fanned the flames of independence and turned Portsmouth into a hotbed of Patriotism.

Book your walking tour!
Tour Description:
Learn about British settlement of the Seacoast and the economic prosperity that made Portsmouth the capital city of the royal colony and then see how the events of the 1770s changed public opinion to that of revolution. During your 90-minute walk, you will visit sites that are related to the American Revolution including: North Church and State House Plaque, Queen’s Chapel, Liberty Pole, Pitt Tavern, and more.
Walking Tour Rates:
Tours are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, $15 for discounted groups (Children 5-18, Seniors 62+, Students, Portsmouth Residents), and free for children 5 and under.
All tours depart from Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth NH.
Online reservations close 30 minutes prior to tour departure. Please call (603) 436-8433 for last minute bookings.
Upgrade your ticket for just $5 to also visit our galleries and John Paul Jones House.
