Shaker Discovery Tours
Take a deep dive into the Shaker world! Join us on a one-hour Shaker Discovery Tour each Wednesday through October 25. Led by experienced Village staff, each tour focuses on a single subject–architecture, textiles, foodways, woodworking, or treasures from our vault—that illuminates the Shaker experience and legacy. The featured topic changes weekly; see the complete schedule below.
Tours begin at 10 am. Pre-registration is required. The registration fee, which includes general admission to the Village, is $40/adults, $15/young people ages 6-17. (10% discount for HSV members) Not appropriate for children under 6.
- July 5 Architecture
- July 12 Textiles
- July 19 Treasures from the Vault
- July 26 Woodworking
- August 2 Foodways
- August 9 Architecture
- August 16 Textiles
- August 23 Woodworking
- August 30 Treasures from the Vault
- September 6 Foodways
- September 13 Architecture
- September 20 Treasures from the Vault
- September 27 Textiles
- October 4 Woodworking
- October 11 Foodways
- October 18 Architecture
- October 25 Textiles
Architecture: Shaker buildings may look simple, but they represent a commitment to innovation, efficiency, and excellence. Explore the Village’s architectural landscape on this guided walk. The tour will focus on several signature buildings, including the Brick Dwelling, the Round Stone Barn, and the Laundry and Machine Shop. Offered July 5, August 9, September 13, and October 18.
Textiles: Hancock Shakers were experts at producing their own textiles: from raising Merino sheep and growing flax to processing wool and flax to building looms to spinning threads and weaving fabric. They also had clever ways to launder it all! This tour includes the gardens, the sheep, the Sisters’ Dairy and Weave Shop, the Brick Dwelling, and the Laundry and Machine Shop. Offered July 12, August 16, September 27, and October 25.
Treasures from the Vault: Join the curatorial team for a behind-the-scenes look at the Village’s collection of Shaker gift drawings. Hancock’s collection boasts 25 of roughly 200 surviving drawings. Rarely exhibited, these complex images rendered in vivid color highlight the individual contributions of women to Shaker visual culture. Offered July 19, August 30, and September 20.
Woodworking: The Shakers are known for their commitment to perfection in craft, especially woodworking. This tour will focus both on the process and product of fine Shaker woodworking by visiting workshops in the Brethren’s Shop and Tannery as well as collection objects in the Brick Dwelling. The tour will include a demonstration of the water turbine in the Laundry and Machine Shop. Offered July 26, August 23, and October 4.
Foodways: The Shakers grew and processed their own food, a major factor in their overall good health. This tour will focus on the Shaker diet and dining practices through the centuries with a tour of the gardens and barns and a close look at the Brick Dwelling, especially its extraordinary kitchen. The tour will also visit the Sisters’ Dairy. Offered August 2, September 6, and October 11.