MEMBERS-ONLY | Exhibit Opening: Hands & Hearts

Registration is full! 

MEMBERS ONLY | Not a member? Join Today!

Members are invited to celebrate the opening of Hands & Hearts: Courtship and Marriage in 19th-Century New England with an exclusive first look! Stroll through the new exhibit, chat with the curators who made it possible, test your knowledge with courtship trivia, learn a 19th-century dance with the Old Sturbridge Village Dancers, sample delicious sipping chocolate, make your own heart-shaped cookie cutter, and enjoy a glass of pink champagne or non-alcoholic punch with cheese, crackers, and chocolate truffles. There will also be a cash bar with beer and wine. This entire event takes place in the Visitor Center at Old Sturbridge Village. Space is limited and pre-registration is required by February 5, 2025. Click here to register.

PLUS: Be sure to join us for Valentine's Weekend too! 

About Hands & Hearts:

The vast majority of young people in New England expected to marry at least once in their lifetime. Marriage was both a societal expectation and an attempt to secure personal security and companionship. Financial security, personal welfare, pregnancy, childcare, and, of course, love were some of the many other factors that influenced a couple’s decision to form a partnership.

This exhibit explores marriage and partnership in 19th-century New England by telling the stories of four couples. Each story points to a different aspect of courtship and marriage, from choosing a compatible partner, to navigating a premarital pregnancy, remarrying as a widower, and the challenges of having a same-sex relationship before it was socially acceptable or, in some cases, even legal to do so.

As is still the case today, some nineteenth-century New Englanders chose not to marry or decided to divorce their spouse. This exhibit also addresses how people navigated those realities.

Hands & Hearts was made possible thanks to the generous support of Keith and Elaine Knowlton and the Felicia Fund.