Concerts in the Courtyard: Erin Harpe Country Blues Duo

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission appli......More

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission applies. Please bring your own blankets or lawn chairs! Sage Pizza will set up shop in front of the NEW Courtyard serving delicious pie. The Museum will serve beverages. In the event of rain, the event will be cancelled by 2pm on Fridays. Check our facebook page for updates. Museum educators will provide free children’s activities during Concerts in the Courtyard. Kids of all ages will find a fun makerspace at the picnic tables where they can create art based on art and objects featured in the Museum. Erin Harpe Country Blues DuoErin Harpe Country Blues Duo delivers soulful, roots-driven blues inspired by the Piedmont and Mississippi traditions. Featuring award-winning vocalist/guitarist Erin Harpe and longtime collaborator (and husband) Jim Countryman, the duo blends masterful musicianship with warm, intimate storytelling.

Museum ABCs: Odds and Ends Art

Art can be made from anything! We’ll visit the Folk and Craft gallery to see some art made from unusual materials, then dig into the Odds and Ends Art Bin to make unique artwork of our own. Museum ABCs is a collaboration between Bennington Museum and the Bennington Free......More

Art can be made from anything! We’ll visit the Folk and Craft gallery to see some art made from unusual materials, then dig into the Odds and Ends Art Bin to make unique artwork of our own. Museum ABCs is a collaboration between Bennington Museum and the Bennington Free Library, designed for children ages 3 to 5 and their adult companions. Siblings are welcome! Museum ABCs is FREE thanks to funding from The Bank of Bennington. Join us on the second Saturday of each month, April through November, for artwork, stories, and more! presented in partnership with the Bennington Free Library sponsored by additional support from

Disappearances

In 2006, Vermont director Jay Craven released Disappearances, a film starring Kris Kristofferson and based on the Howard Frank Mosher novel of the same name. Now celebrating 20 years since its release, we bring you a screening of Disappearances including a discussion wi......More

In 2006, Vermont director Jay Craven released Disappearances, a film starring Kris Kristofferson and based on the Howard Frank Mosher novel of the same name. Now celebrating 20 years since its release, we bring you a screening of Disappearances including a discussion with Craven following the film. The themes in Disappearances relate directly to Vermont Vice, on view from May 30 through November 1, 2026. Tickets are $15 for Bennington Museum Members and $20 for Not-Yet-Members. Use the links below to make your purchase. About the film: Forced to smuggle whiskey in an attempt to save his family, Quebec Bill (Kris Kirstofferson) and his son embark on a spellbinding and unforgettable trip. This treacherous journey through the wilderness will lead them to discover a haunted and elusive past. Disappearances features one of Kris Kristofferson’s finest performances in a beautifully shot western style adventure – with an added touch of Mosher’s magical realism.  The cast also includes Academy Award nominee Genevieve Bujold, Gary Farmer, William Sanderson, Lothaire Bluteau, and Charlie McDermott as Quebec Bill’s son, Wild Bill. Rated PG-13, 103 minutes About Jay Craven: Kingdom County Productions co-founder, Jay Craven, is an award-winning director, writer, and producer, whose narrative films include High Water  (1989) Where the Rivers Flow North (1993) A Stranger in the Kingdom (1997) In Jest (1999) The Year that Trembled (2003) Disappearances (2006) Northern Borders (2012) Wetware (2018) Blood Brothers (2021), Jack London’s Martin Eden (2023) and George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara (2026). Craven also directed, produced, and co-wrote the 2005 Emmy Award-winning public television comedy series, Windy Acres, along with four episodes of the Queen City Radio Hour—a comedy and music variety show performed before a live audience and broadcast over Vermont Public Radio. His documentaries include After the Fog: Interviews with Combat Veterans (2006) Dawn of the People (1984) and Gayleen (1985).  Learn more at kingdomcounty.org/jay-craven-films

A Monument Society Event

Join Bennington Museum’s Executive Director for a tour of Fort Ticonderoga, a visit to the amazing Start Trek Enterprise replica set, and then have dinner at Paper and Pencil. Sign Up Here!Join the Monument Society

Concerts in the Courtyard: SIRSY

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission appli......More

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission applies. Please bring your own blankets or lawn chairs! Sage Pizza will set up shop in front of the NEW Courtyard serving delicious pie. The Museum will serve beverages. In the event of rain, the event will be cancelled by 2pm on Fridays. Check our facebook page for updates. Museum educators will provide free children’s activities during Concerts in the Courtyard. Kids of all ages will find a fun makerspace at the picnic tables where they can create art based on art and objects featured in the Museum. SIRSYS I R S Y – B I O“Rock Pop Artist of the Year” + “Record of the Year” 2024 Thomas Edison Music Awards “Eddies Music Hall of Fame Inductee” 2025“Solo Duo Artist of the Year” 2023 Thomas Edison Music Awards It’s hard to imagine a sound this big coming from two people. The Boston Globe calls Sirsy “The little band with the big sound.” Fans call them “the little band with a big heart.” Hailing from NY, SIRSY plays compelling singer-songwriter rock and pop with a charming intensity, a bit of sass, lots of soul, and loads of heart. They write honest, engaging songs that are instantly relatable and catchy. The Times Union says “Sirsy’s clever, smart songs have more hooks than a tackle box”. Sirsy’s passionate and down to earth live shows also include storytelling and even some nerdy jokes. They can somehow make an audience sing along, dance, laugh, and cry – all at the same show. Melanie Krahmer’s passionate and immediately arresting vocals are sultry and seductive. They can be a floaty whisper or at times raspy and rocking – with a little bit of a tongue-in-cheek tone, as if she’s singing with a wink. She has “one of the most powerful and flexible voices you’ll ever hear”. Mel is also the band’s drummer (and featured in Modern Drummer). She simultaneously plays bass on a keyboard with her drumstick. Live, she also plays piano, melodica, and the occasional badass flute solo too. Mel’s bandmate, co-writer, & husband/bestie is Rich Libutti. Rich masterfully plays a well-loved and road worn Rickenbacker through a pedal board full of vintage effects. He sounds like 3 guitarists all on his own. SXSW music blog says “The guitar player is flawless and raw. Clean enough to be enjoyed, and just edgy enough to make you grin.” Rich also plays bass (and at live shows often does it on a pedal board with his feet).These 2 multi-instrumentalists manage to sound like a full band and somehow do it all with big smiles on their faces. It’s clear they love what they do. And that love is contagious when you see them live. You can’t help smiling along with them. With song lyrics that center around empowerment and resilience, it’s no surprise that Sirsy’s fans have supported the duo through the pandemic, over a dozen records, 20+ years of touring, and Mel’s 2 bouts with cancer. Every show is like a celebration for this couple and their fans. Come celebrate life with them! Sirsy’s warmed stages for Brandi Carlile, Maroon 5, Train, Grace Potter, Joan Jett, Cheap Trick, Collective Soul, Blues Traveler, Spindoctors, Adam Ezra Group, Lifehouse & many more. They’ve had songs on the hit tv show “Shameless”, the NFL, HBO, MTV, and PBS. Their latest single, “Stupid Little Heart” (Jan 7, 2025) debuted at #10 on the folk chart. They are regulars on NPR. In 2024, Sirsy was given the lauded ‘Thomas Edison Music Award’ for “rock/pop artist of the year” and “Record of the year” and in 2023 “solo/duo artist of the year”. Their last several records were produced by Grammy-Winner Paul Q Kolderie. The SXSW Music Blog says “Sirsy’s not just a 2 piece but a head scratching WOW!” And the Houston Music Blog says “Sirsy makes edgy feel-good music that’s fun to watch. You must see them live!” “SIRSY is your favorite band, you just don’t know it yet.” – Rochester City Newspaper.

Vermont Coppers Symposium - The 14th Star: Currency & Independence

Bennington Museum holds an extraordinary collection of Vermont Coppers, the unique currency minted during Vermont’s years as an independent republic (1777–1791). These coins are central to Vermont’s culture of innovation and represent a rare period when a non-state enti......More

Bennington Museum holds an extraordinary collection of Vermont Coppers, the unique currency minted during Vermont’s years as an independent republic (1777–1791). These coins are central to Vermont’s culture of innovation and represent a rare period when a non-state entity exercised the sovereign right to coin its own money. The Museum’s collection includes some of the finest known examples of these rare 18th-century coins. Speakers will include Dr. Jesse Kraft: American Numismatic Society (ANS) Jamie Franklin: Curator, Bennington Museum and Tony Corlotto: Author of The Copper Coins of Vermont and Those Bearing the Vermont Name (1998) Admission for the symposium (and the Museum) is $25.Bennington Museum Members receive a 50% discount!Purchase tickets using the link below.Online ticket sales end at 5:00PM on August 14. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the event.

Concerts in the Courtyard: The Velvet Wave

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission appli......More

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission applies. Please bring your own blankets or lawn chairs! Sage Pizza will set up shop in front of the NEW Courtyard serving delicious pie. The Museum will serve beverages. In the event of rain, the event will be cancelled by 2pm on Fridays. Check our facebook page for updates. Museum educators will provide free children’s activities during Concerts in the Courtyard. Kids of all ages will find a fun makerspace at the picnic tables where they can create art based on art and objects featured in the Museum. The Velvet WaveDive into the timeless sounds of your favorite instrumental surf rock classics with The Velvet Wave, who deliver an electrifying performance that’ll have you dancing on the warm sands of nostalgia.

Concerts in the Courtyard: Soul Porpoise

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission appli......More

CONCERTS IN THE COURTYARDWe are pleased to announce that Bennington Museum has received an anonymous grant once more for 2026. Performances are free of charge. All events take place from 5-7pm. The Museum will remain open until 7pm on these days, regular admission applies. Please bring your own blankets or lawn chairs! Sage Pizza will set up shop in front of the NEW Courtyard serving delicious pie. The Museum will serve beverages. In the event of rain, the event will be cancelled by 2pm on Fridays. Check our facebook page for updates. Museum educators will provide free children’s activities during Concerts in the Courtyard. Kids of all ages will find a fun makerspace at the picnic tables where they can create art based on art and objects featured in the Museum. Soul PorpoiseSoul Porpoise lays down all original organ driven funk and soul inspired by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Dr. John, and Herbie Hancock. Collin Cope’s gritty vocals have been compared to Joe Cocker and Ray Charles and breathe fire into Ira Friedman’s heartfelt original songs. This soul drenched band will move your body with craft songs and airtight grooves.

Vermont Vice Gallery Talk

Join Bennington Museum curator Jamie Franklin for a tour of Vermont Vice (on view through November 1, 2026). Jamie will share highlights of the exhibition and talk about how and why he chose what to include in this exploration of Vermont’s darker side. The talk is inclu......More

Join Bennington Museum curator Jamie Franklin for a tour of Vermont Vice (on view through November 1, 2026). Jamie will share highlights of the exhibition and talk about how and why he chose what to include in this exploration of Vermont’s darker side. The talk is included with regular admission and registration is not required.

Museum ABCs: My Family Tree

Your family tree starts with you and branches out from there. Add your siblings if you have them and the grown-ups who take care of you at home. Do you know who they grew up with? More leaves for your tree! Each family will go home with a copy of today’s story, Alma and......More

Your family tree starts with you and branches out from there. Add your siblings if you have them and the grown-ups who take care of you at home. Do you know who they grew up with? More leaves for your tree! Each family will go home with a copy of today’s story, Alma and How She Got Her Name, by Juana Martinez-Neal. Museum ABCs is a collaboration between Bennington Museum and the Bennington Free Library, designed for children ages 3 to 5 and their adult companions. Siblings are welcome! Museum ABCs is FREE thanks to funding from The Bank of Bennington. Join us on the second Saturday of each month, April through November, for artwork, stories, and more! presented in partnership with the Bennington Free Library sponsored by additional support from

Katie Beck in Concert

Katie Beck presents an afternoon of music – classical, crossover, and more – taking inspiration from the Museum’s exhibition, Vermont Vice on view now through November 1, 2026. Hailed by the Boston Globe as “balmy-voiced” and for her “uniformly excellent” performances, ......More

Katie Beck presents an afternoon of music – classical, crossover, and more – taking inspiration from the Museum’s exhibition, Vermont Vice on view now through November 1, 2026. Hailed by the Boston Globe as “balmy-voiced” and for her “uniformly excellent” performances, mezzo-soprano Katherine Beck has performed with operas, orchestras, and symphonies throughout the country, from Los Angeles to Florida and everywhere in between, but she calls Bennington “home.” While best known for operatic roles such as Marquise Melibea in Il viaggio a Reims and Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Katie’s repertoire also include jazz, showtunes, folk music and more. Kaite is a winner of the prestigious George London Foundation Award, among others. She earned her Master of Music degree from the Thornton School of Music at the University of California, in which she sang Béatrice in Béatrice and Bénédict and Sesto in La clemenza di Tito. Katie lives in Shaftsbury, Vermont with her husband and son. See Katie’s full bio here. Music at the Museum programs are presented at no charge, thanks to our generous sponsors,Alison Nowak and Robert Cane.

Back to School Celebration

Start the new school year off right with a visit to Bennington Museum!Celebrate the start of the new school year with us! Admission is free for the day, thanks to sponsorship from Stewart’s Shops. Enjoy live music in the galleries and hands-on activities throughout the ......More

Start the new school year off right with a visit to Bennington Museum!Celebrate the start of the new school year with us! Admission is free for the day, thanks to sponsorship from Stewart’s Shops. Enjoy live music in the galleries and hands-on activities throughout the Museum from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Teachers, show us your school ID for a 20% discount in the Museum Store, enter for a chance to win a Bennington Museum gift, and stop by our School Programs Information table to learn about what we have to offer. Also, from 2-4pm, the Museum will host an annual meeting and presentation of the Arnold Ricks Award for community service. Anyone is welcome to stop in to learn about the successes of our past year and get a preview of what we have coming up. Made possible in part by

Annual Meeting and Arnold Ricks Award

Join the Bennington Museum Board of Trustees for our annual meeting where we will review all the successes of Bennington Museum in fiscal year 2026 that you have helped to make possible, and discuss exciting projects slated for the coming year. At this meeting, which is......More

Join the Bennington Museum Board of Trustees for our annual meeting where we will review all the successes of Bennington Museum in fiscal year 2026 that you have helped to make possible, and discuss exciting projects slated for the coming year. At this meeting, which is open to members and non-members alike, we will also be presenting the Arnold Ricks Award which is given to an individual or organization in recognition of exceptional contributions to the Bennington community and Bennington Museum. This year we are pleased to honor Tom Dee, recently retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC).  Under his leadership, the health system attained twelve consecutive years of positive operating performance, became an institutional member of Dartmouth Health, and received numerous state and national awards for quality of care, community leadership and workplace excellence.  During his tenure, Tom also made sure to give back to the community by directing SVMC’s philanthropic priorities in ways that made a local difference at Bennington Museum and beyond. He encouraged and helped lead economic development in Bennington through his involvement with the repurposing of the former Southern Vermont College campus and the renovations of the downtown Putnam building.  With his late wife, Rita, he committed countless hours of personal advocacy and volunteerism across many sectors including to equine and animal rescue efforts, Catholic charities, and the arts and culture. “Tom has stewarded a truly transformational change in the way the people of this area experience health care,” says Martin Mahoney, Executive Director. “But more than that, he understands that a healthy community is built through strong partnerships. This exemplary vision has paved the way for organizations like ours to begin bold projects, to make new connections, and to dream bigger for the benefit of the entire region. For that, we are deeply grateful.” Suggested donations of $20 will support our education programming so that we can continue to provide equitable access to the arts and culture for our youngest community members throughout the year! Refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres will be served in the Ada and Paul Paresky Court. The annual report will be available at this meeting, and will also be available for download and viewing online. RSVPMAKE A DONATION IN HONOR OF TOM DEE