The 220-foot SS Ticonderoga was moved overland from Lake Champlain to the museum grounds in a massive engineering feat during the 1950s.
The campus includes a fully operational 19th-century carousel that still functions for visitors.
The museum features a circular 'Round Barn' originally built in 1901, representing a unique Vermont agricultural architectural style.
The collection contains over 800 wildfowl decoys, many carved by A. Elmer Crowell.
The Electra Havemeyer Webb Memorial Building recreates the interiors of the founder's New York City apartment.
The museum preserves a private 19th-century jailhouse complete with iron bars and original cells.
The grounds feature a lighthouse originally built on the shores of Lake Champlain at Colchester Reef.
The museum holds a significant collection of European Impressionist paintings acquired by the Havemeyer family, including works by Degas and Cassatt.
Shelburne Museum is a 45-acre open-air campus featuring 39 distinct buildings that house an extensive collection of American folk, decorative, and fine art. The museum was founded in 1947 by Electra Havemeyer Webb to preserve and display her vast collection of Americana. The site incorporates historic structures relocated from across Vermont and the surrounding region, including a covered bridge, a jail, and a lighthouse. A centerpiece of the grounds is the SS Ticonderoga, a 220-foot side-wheel steamboat that traveled Lake Champlain from 1906 to 1953. The collection spans over 100,000 items, ranging from 19th-century trade signs and carriages to works by Impressionist painters like Monet and Manet. Visitors navigate the museum's sprawling landscape via walking paths that connect the diverse architectural styles preserved on-site. The museum holds one of the largest collections of wildfowl decoys in North America. It also functions as a center for textile and needlework preservation, holding thousands of antique quilts and dolls.
The deck of the SS Ticonderoga steamboat offers a commanding view of the museum campus.
Wear comfortable, broken-in walking shoes as the museum is a large, sprawling outdoor campus.
Check the museum's map upon arrival to prioritize specific collections, as seeing everything in one day is difficult.
Bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated while walking between the various historic buildings.
Trying to see all 39 buildings in a single visit without mapping out a route first.
Open seasonally from spring through late autumn; closed during winter months.
