For the safety of our guests and guides, masks are required for all.
Guides will be microphoned and headsets available. You may use our thoroughly sanitized earphones, your own 3.5mm earphones, or purchase a $4 pair of earbuds at the Museum Shop.
Learn why Portsmouth is the hub of the New Hampshire Seacoast! Our downtown is filled with hidden treasures. Our knowledgeable walking tour guides will introduce you to the city’s rich past and lively present—a unique mix of architecture, specialty shops, and bustling streets nestled in a village-like setting.
- Tours are $12 for members and $20 for non-members.
- Your ticket includes admission to the Portsmouth Historical Society galleries and the John Paul Jones Historic House.
- Walk-ins are welcome, but tour space is limited. Reservations strongly encouraged.
- All tours depart from the Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center, 10 Middle Street. Please gather outside the Middle Street entrance.
- Private tours are available at $25 per person.
Please click the button below or call (603) 436-8433 to reserve a ticket and for more information
Historic Downtown Portsmouth
Daily at 10:30 am
plus Saturdays and every other Friday at 2:30 pm
This daily 75-minute walking tour covers the streets, stories, buildings, and architecture of historic downtown Portsmouth.
The Portsmouth Path of President Washington
Semi-monthly
1st and 3rd Fridays at 2:30 pm
Many people don’t know that George Washington spent time on the Seacoast in 1789! Learn about President and Martha Washington’s visit to Portsmouth in the fall of 1789. One of the stops is the Tobias Lear House, home of President Washington’s personal secretary.
“Gay” Old Times: Stories of Portsmouth’s LGBTQ+ Community
Once a month
2nd Sunday at 2:30 pm
The hidden history of LGBT clubs, organizations, and people who impacted the seacoast of NH. Tour guide, Tom Kaufhold will take you through Portsmouth for this engaging 75 minute tour. You will pass by many beautiful historic sites and learn some important facts about Portsmouth LGBT people, places and events.
Women of Portsmouth
Once a month
3rd Wednesday at 2:30 pm
Learn the untold stories of navigators, preachers, artists, authors, tavern keepers, and madams who defied stereotypes and shaped Portsmouth. Tour guide Lauren Gianino will take you through Portsmouth for this engaging 75-minute tour.
Historic Preservation
Once a month
2nd Thursday at 2:30 pm
Portsmouth Advocates presents a series of guided architectural walking tours showcasing Portsmouth’s famous neighborhoods, led by local historian and Portsmouth treasure, Richard Candee. Historic preservation tours provide an excellent opportunity to dive into the details and stories that make Portsmouth and its neighborhoods unique.
- May 13, 2021: Expanding Portsmouth: The Federal West End 1790–1830
- June 10, 2021: Creation of the Victorian West End 1840–1910
- July 8, 2021: Industrial Portsmouth 1820–1920
- Aug 12, 2021: Urban Renewal & The Lost North End
