Portsmouth Historical Society

Family Day: Portsmouth on Foot
2026-05-09 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
Explore downtown Portsmouth with your junior historians!

RSVP to our Family Day

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

Women of Portsmouth Walking Tour
2026-05-13 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-06-10 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-07-08 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-12 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-09 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-10-14 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.

Homeschool Days: Loyalist or Patriot
2026-05-22 10:00 - 11:30 | Portsmouth Historical Society at 10 Middle Street, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 01801, United States
For our final lesson, we will head to the John Paul Jones House and see the new exhibition “Revolutionary Portsmouth” to learn about the lives of everyday citizens.

Register for the Homeschool History Program!

Curator Tour "Revolutionary Portsmouth"
2026-06-05 12:00 - 13:00 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Join our Curator for a Guided Tour of “Revolutionary Portsmouth”
Step into a house that witnessed the American Revolution and may have housed important Revolutionary Figures. Join our Curator, Gerry Ward, as he walks through this exhibition examining the choices of everyday citizens in Portsmouth during the 1760s and 1770s. Democracy or monarchy? Patriot or a Loyalist. What did the Revolution actually mean for local African Americans, Native Americans, or women? What was life on the homefront like? What did the town look like at this time, in terms of its architecture and material life?
Tours happen at 12:00 and 5:30 pm.This is a free tour, no registration required.

Learn more about the exhibition

Loyalist to Liberty Walking Tour
2026-06-05 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-07-03 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-07 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-04 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-10-02 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.

Curator Tour “Revolutionary Portsmouth”
2026-06-05 17:30 - 18:30, 2026-08-07 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-10-02 12:00 - 13:00 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States

Family Evening: Stargazing
2026-06-13 21:00 - 22:00 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Join us for a night looking up at the sky

RSVP to our Family Day

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

"Betty & Barney" Curator Tour
2026-07-03 12:00 - 12:30, 2026-07-03 17:30 - 18:00, 2026-09-04 12:00 - 12:30, 2026-09-04 17:30 - 18:00 | 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

Family Day: House Birthday Party
2026-07-11 10:30 - 12:00 | John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
Help us celebrate the 268th birthday of this historic property!
Join us on the John Paul Jones House lawn all day for lawn games and crafts, fit for a revolutionary-era birthday bash as we celebrate the construction of this Portsmouth home.
All Day Activities:

Yard Games: croquet, graves (french hoops), cornhole, sack races, and more
I-Spy house tour
Coloring Activities
Cupcakes!

Free admission to the John Paul Jones House 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Plan your visit

About the House
The building known today as the John Paul Jones House was built in 1758 for Gregory Purcell, a sea captain and merchant. When built, the house was considered to be at the edge of downtown and was amongst only a handful of stately three story homes in the city. The house changed hands several times during the nineteenth century. Owners included Woodbury Langdon, Henry and Alexander Ladd who rented the home to Senator John F. Parrott, and Samuel Lord.
It’s name comes from the potential resident, Captain John Paul Jones, who is believed to have stayed there during the American Revolution.
