Lakes Region Museums: History, Craft and a Castle on the Mountain

The Lakes Region is known for boats, beaches and Lake Winnipesaukee, but the towns around the lake also hold a surprising range of museums: a 1914 mountaintop mansion, a World War II museum, a working farm museum, a restored railroad freight house and a gallery representing hundreds of New Hampshire craftspeople. Late September is a good time to visit, when summer crowds have thinned and the foliage is starting to turn. Many of these places are seasonal, though, so this is also the time to see them before they close for the winter.

We have a separate guide to museums and galleries in Laconia. This one covers the rest of the lake: Moultonborough, Wolfeboro, Meredith and Milton. If you are looking for museums in the Lakes Region NH for a rainy day or a break from the water, start here.

Castle in the Clouds, Moultonborough

Castle in the Clouds is the most dramatic historic site in the region. The estate, also known as Lucknow, centers on a 16-room mansion on a 5,294-acre mountaintop estate in Moultonborough that overlooks Lake Winnipesaukee and the Ossipee Mountains. It sits on a rocky outcropping of Lee Mountain once known as the Crow's Nest.

The house was built in 1913 and 1914 in the Craftsman style for Thomas Gustave Plant, a millionaire shoe manufacturer. It was designed by the Boston architect J. Williams Beal and included features that were rare at the time, such as a circular shower and a central vacuum system, along with glass by Tiffany. Plant lost his money in bad investments in the 1930s, but his creditors let him stay until his death in 1941, and the furnishings stayed with the house.

Today the estate is owned and run by the Castle Preservation Society, a nonprofit. The castle, carriage house, gift shop, art gallery and cafe are open to the public seasonally, from late May to early October. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. The grounds also include hiking and walking trails, and the woodlands are protected by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust.

Plan on a half day. The views over the lake are the draw in autumn.

Wolfeboro: three museums in one town

Wolfeboro, on the southeastern shore of Winnipesaukee, has more museums than most towns its size. The town was incorporated in 1770, and its motto calls it "The Oldest Summer Resort in America," a nod to Governor John Wentworth's 1771 country estate beside what is now Lake Wentworth, the first summer country estate in northern New England.

The Wright Museum of World War II

The Wright Museum of World War II on Center Street describes its mission as introducing the next generation to the greatest generation. A rotating exhibit of its vehicle collection includes tanks, half-tracks, jeeps and motorcycles, and its Time Tunnel walks visitors through the period. The museum also runs an education lecture series. It is open seasonally, from May 1 through October 31, so late September is well within its season.

The Clark Museum Complex

The Wolfeboro Historical Society runs the Clark Museum Complex on South Main Street. The Clark House was donated to the town by Greenleaf Clark, and three generations of the Clark family lived in it for more than a century, from 1817 to 1917. The museum's displays cover Wolfeboro's local history, its volunteer historians help with family research, and it hosts a summer lecture series. Its regular visiting season is in summer, so check its schedule for any autumn events before you go. In 2025 the society received a proclamation from the governor of New Hampshire honoring 100 years of museum management and history preservation.

Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum

The Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum is set in a restored freight house in downtown Wolfeboro, built in 1872 and listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places as the Wolfeboro Freight Shed. Its layout shows how the arrival of the railroad turned isolated farm villages between Boston and North Conway into manufacturing centers and tourist destinations, and visitors can try driving a model train. The museum has been working toward a full opening and has offered preview tours by appointment, so contact it before you visit.

The New Hampshire Farm Museum, Milton

The New Hampshire Farm Museum is on Route 125 in Milton, on the eastern edge of the region. It presents three centuries of rural New Hampshire life on two adjoining farmsteads on Plummer's Ridge. The site, the former Plumer-Jones Farm, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and its farmhouse dates to the late 18th century.

The highlight is the Great Barn, a three-story barn 104 feet long that holds a collection of farm machinery, tools, wagons and sleighs. The museum is also a working farm with heritage breed animals, gardens, trails and an octagonal cider mill outbuilding. It is part of the New Hampshire Barn Trail. Autumn, with harvest season under way, is a natural time to go.

Meredith: local history and fine craft

Meredith, a town of 6,662 people at the 2020 census, sits at the head of Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee. The Meredith Historical Society works to bring the town's history alive. It runs the Main Street Museum, which holds a collection of local artifacts, along with vintage photographs and an oral history project, and it hosts a speaker series with programs on New Hampshire history. Its website also gathers a good deal of background on the town, from a timeline and population figures back to 1768 to notes on the early history of the Winnipesaukee islands. Check the society's site for the museum's current schedule.

Craft lovers should also stop at the League of NH Craftsmen's Meredith Fine Craft Gallery on Route 3. It represents more than 250 New Hampshire artists and craftspeople, with pottery, jewelry, glass, wrought iron, fiber art and more, and it offers craft workshops and lectures. The two make an easy pairing for a morning in Meredith.

Planning a museum day

The museums are spread around the lake, so it helps to group them by area.

1. Western shore: start in Meredith at the historical society museum and the craft gallery, then drive to Moultonborough for Castle in the Clouds.

2. Eastern shore: spend a day in Wolfeboro for the Wright Museum, the Clark Museum and the freight house, with lunch in town between them.

3. Southeast: combine the Farm Museum in Milton with a drive through the countryside.

Tips for visiting

• Watch the season. Castle in the Clouds is open from late May to early October, and the Wright Museum from May through October. Several historical society museums keep shorter summer hours.
• Check before you go. Hours and programs change from year to year. Confirm with each museum directly.
• Combine with foliage. Late September and early October bring color to the hills around the lake, especially from high points like the castle.
• Bring the kids. The farm museum's animals and the Wright Museum's vehicles both work well for families.

FAQ

What is Castle in the Clouds?

A 16-room Craftsman-style mansion built in 1913 and 1914 on a mountaintop estate in Moultonborough overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. It is run by the nonprofit Castle Preservation Society.

When is the Wright Museum open?

The museum lists its season as May 1 through October 31.

What is at the New Hampshire Farm Museum?

Historic farmhouses and barns, including a 104-foot Great Barn, plus farm animals, gardens and trails in Milton.

Where can I buy New Hampshire crafts in the Lakes Region?

The League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery on Route 3 represents more than 250 New Hampshire artists and craftspeople.

Are Lakes Region museums open in winter?

Many are seasonal. Check each museum's website before planning a winter visit.

Sources

• Castle in the Clouds, Wikipedia (history, architecture, season, National Register): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_in_the_Clouds
• Castle in the Clouds official site: https://www.castleintheclouds.org/
• Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (incorporation, motto, Wentworth estate): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfeboro,_New_Hampshire
• Wright Museum of World War II official site: https://www.wrightmuseum.org/
• Wolfeboro Historical Society official site: https://www.wolfeborohistoricalsociety.org
• Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum official site: https://lrmrm.org
• New Hampshire Farm Museum, Wikipedia (Great Barn, National Register): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_Farm_Museum
• New Hampshire Farm Museum official site: https://www.nhfarmmuseum.org
• League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery official site: https://meredith.nhcrafts.org
• Meredith, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meredith,_New_Hampshire
• Meredith Historical Society official site: https://meredithhistoricalsocietynh.org