It is still early in the COVID-19 crisis and we cannot yet tell how lives and businesses will be affected as the economy takes the hit from the necessary Stay At Home orders.

But we wanted to let you know as soon as possible that the Board of Trustees and I have made the difficult decision to postpone the seasonal opening of Strawbery Banke Museum until July 1, 2020.

Recreational domestic travel is also being discouraged at the moment. But we are looking forward to answering the pent-up demand when we do open, with some new programming that focuses on outdoor activities and demonstrations that keep people at a safe physical distance.

Senior staff continues to work remotely on new programs and exhibits, including “Water Has a Memory: Preserving Strawbery Banke and Portsmouth from Sea Level Rise,” with plans to implement these later in the summer.

Meanwhile, the museum has ramped up access to our collections, developing new content, virtual classroom activities, and virtual tours to provide resources and leadership in the area of online learning.

Your support of those efforts is more valuable than ever (if you’d like to make a gift, please visit strawberybanke.org/donate.cfm

Be well. Let us know how we can help with the rich resources we have at hand. We look forward to seeing you again at Strawbery Banke.