Canterbury Shaker Village is excited to invite our local and regional visitors to “ReDiscover Canterbury Shaker Village” for the 2026 season, offering new programming, active preservation projects, and fresh experiences for people to ReDiscover what’s special about this incredible National Historic Landmark.
Canterbury Shaker Village has long celebrated the innovative legacy of the Shakers who lived here for 200 years, their outsized impact on local and national history, and the intentional community they created. With the Shakers and Shakerism receiving a general increase in cultural exposure this winter with the release of Golden Globe-nominated film The Testament of Ann Lee, starring Amanda Seyfried, it was a great opportunity to open our doors for new people to discover this history for the first time, invite past visitors and locals to rediscover their connection to this place, and provide new events and experiences to deepen everyone’s engagement with the Village.
“For first time visitors, Canterbury offers a portal of discovery into a fascinating, historic world, exploring how nearly 300 Shakers lived and worked together in community,” said Manger of Communications and Engagement Garrett Bethmann. “Additionally, there are many people who have deep, emotional ties to the Village, whether it be memories of the last generation of Sisters who lived here until 1992, or the sense of sanctuary that came with enjoying the serenity here. But, maybe, those ties have been inactive for whatever reason, and we hope we can remind them why they cared about the Village in the first place and inspire them to connect with where we are today.”
For all visitors, the season introduces new events and experiences designed to deepen their engagement with the Village:
An updated tour model provides a great introduction to the Canterbury Shakers, while giving guests the opportunity to follow their curiosity to different open spaces and buildings.
The Movers and Shakers Trail Club is a monthly recreation group that enjoys active (walk/run/exercise) and creative (photography/painting/reading) recreation on the trails, on the last Saturday of every month.
A new Bee House exhibition arriving this summer will highlight the agricultural history of the land and how the Shakers provided for themselves.
A pilot partnership with Sanborn Mills Farm activates the vegetable gardens and greenhouses with locally grown produce, with opportunities to view traditional farming techniques, like using livestock for tilling.
In addition to these programmatic additions, Canterbury Shaker Village is in an exciting season of multiple preservation projects unfolding at once. Both the Meeting House (1792) and East House (1810) are undergoing significant preservation and restoration efforts, offering a rare opportunity for people to view this work in-person and understand the craft and dedication it takes to keep these historic buildings fresh and thriving.
Canterbury Shaker Village remains what it has long been, a place of fascinating history, innovation, and community. Whether the Village has been sitting on someone’s “To-Do” list for years, or it’s been years since a guest last visited, everyone is invited to ReDiscover Canterbury Shaker Village in 2026.