Orchard House remains TEMPORARILY CLOSED due to COVID-19 restrictions

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard HouseLouisa May Alcott's Orchard HouseLouisa May Alcott's Orchard House
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Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard HouseLouisa May Alcott's Orchard HouseLouisa May Alcott's Orchard House
Home
Virtual Valentine
Online Store
Donate
About
Digital Discoveries
Schools & Scouts
Documentary
Photo Gallery
Orchard House Update
Annual Appeal
Visit
Events
Membership
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  • Home
  • Virtual Valentine
  • Online Store
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  • About
  • Digital Discoveries
  • Schools & Scouts
  • Documentary
  • Photo Gallery
  • Orchard House Update
  • Annual Appeal
  • Visit
  • Events
  • Membership
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  • Home
  • Virtual Valentine
  • Online Store
  • Donate
  • About
  • Digital Discoveries
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  • Documentary
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  • Orchard House Update
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Welcome to " The Home of Little Women" ... and so much more

Welcome to " The Home of Little Women" ... and so much more Welcome to " The Home of Little Women" ... and so much more Welcome to " The Home of Little Women" ... and so much more

Our Second Century of Education, Inspiration, and Preservation

How to make a "virtual visit"

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT VISITING ORCHARD HOUSE & COVID-19:

Orchard House remains closed due to Indoor Gathering Limitations;

access to our historic landscape is free and available to all.

"virtual visit" options

John Matteson Virtual Book Launch - February 9, 2021

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Celebrate the latest publication from the Pulitzer Prize-winning pen of John Matteson -- A Worse Place Than  Hell:  How the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg Changed a Nation -- by watching the recorded Virtual Book Launch hosted by Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist on Tuesday, February 9, 2021!


During the event, Prof. Matteson discussed the genesis of his new book and the poignant, inspiring, often surprising backstories of the five individuals featured within -- Louisa May Alcott, Arthur Fuller, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, John Pelham, and Walt Whitman -- as well as how this pivotal time in American history not only provided life-changing lessons in the moment, but continue to hold  relevance for turbulent modern times.  (Learn more about the book here)  This free Webinar was conducted/recorded via Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook.  A Trivia Game, Q&A, and virtual toast were also included in the festivities.  


A Worse Place Than Hell . . . is still available at a discounted price through our Online Museum Store.  Copies purchased from Orchard House include a bookplate signed by the author and a custom-designed bookmark commemorating the publication.  Prof. Matteson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Alcott biography, Eden's Outcasts - The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father, and The Annotated Little Women may also be purchased from us.


Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House has been closed to the public since March 13, 2020.  Tax-deductible contributions in support of tonight's event and future programming are gratefully accepted here.  



Many thanks to those who joined us live on February 9th.  We hope many more of you will enjoy watching the recording!

Watch the launch

Orchard House Update

Executive Director Jan Turnquist highlights the creativity and resilience at work as the beloved "Home of Little Women" has faced a year like no other.  To make a donation in support of educational programs and historic preservation that have inspired generations of visitors, please click the button below.


Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House (circa 1650) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1911; FED Tax ID #04-2126592.

donations gratefully accepted

A Message from Executive Director Jan Turnquist

Dear Orchard House Friends:

During this unsettling time, we hope you and your families are safe and healthy.

 

We miss you -- and, have noticed literally hundreds of you still stopping by Orchard House since our March 13th closure to enjoy our grounds and peer through the windows!  We wish we could invite you all inside the House right now, but we’ve created what we hope is a special “virtual treat” instead.

 

Via the magic of video, experience Orchard House with --

  • A 15-minute tour with me as “Miss Alcott.”  Having portrayed her around the world, and honored by Japan’s Empress and First Lady Laura Bush for doing so, it feels especially meaningful to portray her for you in her home!  (View trailer)
  • A 20-minute bonus video for an “up close and personal” chance to view, read about, and linger over original Alcott artifacts and the rooms of the House  (View trailer)
  • Also included is free admission for an in-person guided tour of the House “when the fates allow,” as Louisa would say

 

All this for only $10 -- less than the cost of a guided tour!


Videos with 48-hour access are available at Vimeo On Demand.  Tour admission is limited to one per rental, with no expiration date -- simply present your payment confirmation email at our Admission Desk after we re-open.  By purchasing this "virtual visit bundle" now, you also help to sustain our private 501(c)(3) non-profit, for which we are most grateful!  

 

The Alcotts’ response to the challenges of the Civil War era remind us that we can persevere through dangerous times and emerge with renewed strength born of compassion, grace, and a dose of grit!  We hope these virtual glimpses into the home of the Alcotts provide an uplifting experience for you, and thank you for your interest in and support of Orchard House.


We look forward to seeing you here as soon as it is safe to do so.  Please keep checking our website and social media posts for updates about our re-opening.


With gratitude and affection,


Jan Turnquist, Executive Director

Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House

About Us

Painting of Orchard House, circa 1850, by the youngest Alcott daughter, May

What

Orchard House (c. 1650) is most noted for being where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women in 1868.  This noble home also has a rich history stretching back two centuries beforehand, as well as more than 100 years of life as a treasured historic site open to the public.

The Alcotts and Orchard House, circa 1865

Who

The Alcotts were a famous yet flawed family who firmly believed in the power of unconditional love, personal agency, and social justice.  Discover the many ways in which they impacted literature, education, philosophy, art, reforms of all kinds -- and each other.

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When

Orchard House is open year-round for guided tours, educational programs, living history, and special events.  No matter the season, or whether you are a Little Women fan, educator, family, student, or scholar, there's always something to enjoy!

Connect with Us Virtually!

Facebook Live with Director Jan

140 years of "Hillside Chapel" & The School of Philosophy

140 years of "Hillside Chapel" & The School of Philosophy

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Join Executive Director Jan Turnquist nearly every Sunday at 2:00 pm for Facebook Live events affectionately called "Hope, and Keep Busy" broadcasts!

Join live / watch saved

140 years of "Hillside Chapel" & The School of Philosophy

140 years of "Hillside Chapel" & The School of Philosophy

140 years of "Hillside Chapel" & The School of Philosophy

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Celebrate the unique and evocative structure that has welcomed scholars and students since July 12, 1880!

Find out more

Digital Discoveries of Orchard House & Our Collection

140 years of "Hillside Chapel" & The School of Philosophy

Digital Discoveries of Orchard House & Our Collection

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All episodes of our Digital Discovery series are available to view any time in our Vimeo Showcase, with more to come as time goes by

see any episode any time

"Maxims of Teaching"

Little Women Garden Updates

Digital Discoveries of Orchard House & Our Collection

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Bronson Alcott was a revolutionary educator and passionate educational reformer -- be inspired by his own words!

download maxims

Little Women Lessons

Little Women Garden Updates

Little Women Garden Updates

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For educators, parents, or students who want to learn about Little Women and Louisa May Alcott

download lessons

Little Women Garden Updates

Little Women Garden Updates

Little Women Garden Updates

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Follow the beautiful transformation of our Little Women Garden -- a perennial favorite of visitors for decades

enjoy our progress

News & Events at Orchard House

Orchard House featured on Chronicle - March 1st at 7:30 pm on WCVB-Channel 5/ABC

Discover our Emmy Award-Winning Documentary: Orchard House - Home of Little Women

Orchard House featured on Chronicle - March 1st at 7:30 pm on WCVB-Channel 5/ABC

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During the "Main Streets and Back Roads" segment of beloved Boston TV newsmagazine's Chronicle, host Anthony Everett will highlight the rich history, culture, and natural beauty contained within Concord, Massachusetts.  Look for footage of their visit to Orchard House on a snowy February 10th!  For a preview, watch the 59-second video using the link below.

Watch the trailer

Orchard House featured in the March/April issue of Yankee Magazine

Discover our Emmy Award-Winning Documentary: Orchard House - Home of Little Women

Orchard House featured on Chronicle - March 1st at 7:30 pm on WCVB-Channel 5/ABC

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In the “Weekend Away” section (pages 68-73, accessible via the link below), Orchard House is one of the sites that Yankee recommends to visit -- even if only on the outside -- during a Spring weekend trip to Lexington and Concord.  You may read the entire issue as well, without a subscription, using the link.

Read the story

Discover our Emmy Award-Winning Documentary: Orchard House - Home of Little Women

Discover our Emmy Award-Winning Documentary: Orchard House - Home of Little Women

Virtual Book Launch - A Worse Place Than Hell ... by John Matteson - February 9, 2021

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Orchard House has a rich 350-year historical and literary significance that has finally been captured on film.  Viewed by millions nationwide on public television, it has now been awarded an Emmy and is available for purchase from our Museum Store (special pricing available for online orders only).

Find out more

Virtual Book Launch - A Worse Place Than Hell ... by John Matteson - February 9, 2021

Mark your Calendars for the Virtual 16th Annual Benefit Walk/Run: October 14 - 24, 2021

Virtual Book Launch - A Worse Place Than Hell ... by John Matteson - February 9, 2021

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 Celebrate the latest publication from the Pulitzer Prize-winning pen of John Matteson -- A Worse Place Than  Hell:  How the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg Changed a Nation -- by watching the Virtual Book Launch hosted by Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist on Tuesday, February 9, 2021!

watch the launch

Summer Conversational Series - POSTPONED to JULY 2021

Mark your Calendars for the Virtual 16th Annual Benefit Walk/Run: October 14 - 24, 2021

Mark your Calendars for the Virtual 16th Annual Benefit Walk/Run: October 14 - 24, 2021

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 "The Divining Power of Women:

Louisa May Alcott and the

Fight for Woman Suffrage"

To celebrate the 19th Amendment's Centennial, this year’s adult education gathering and teacher workshop will explore the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of the journey toward securing woman suffrage both here and abroad.

This event will now be held Sunday - Thursday, July 11th - 15th, 2021

Mark your Calendars for the Virtual 16th Annual Benefit Walk/Run: October 14 - 24, 2021

Mark your Calendars for the Virtual 16th Annual Benefit Walk/Run: October 14 - 24, 2021

Mark your Calendars for the Virtual 16th Annual Benefit Walk/Run: October 14 - 24, 2021

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We'll be Virtual -- and perhaps In-Person, too!

Runners, walkers, and all those who support them are invited to virtually join elite marathon legend and joyful fitness motivator UTA PIPPIG in support of our public education and historic preservation initiatives during the Annual Benefit Walk/Run October 14 - 24, 2021.  "If the fates allow," as Louisa liked to say, we will hold an in-person event on Sunday, October 24th.  Registration opens in April; stay tuned for more details.

"Meet Louisa May Alcott" Virtual Living History Event - November 8, 2020

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: John Matteson - October 25, 2020

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: John Matteson - October 25, 2020

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The Providence (RI) Athenaeum hosts a virtual "meeting" with Louisa May Alcott -- portrayed by Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist -- on November 8, 2020 at 2:00 pm.  Discover the courage and determination of this unconventional Victorian woman and her unusual family in this unique, unforgettable program!

Advance registration required for this free event

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: John Matteson - October 25, 2020

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: John Matteson - October 25, 2020

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: John Matteson - October 25, 2020

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Join Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Matteson on Sunday, October 25th at 7:00 pm as he explores how three New Englanders -- Louisa May Alcott, Arthur B. Fuller, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. -- used their experiences of war to come to terms with the expectations and legacies of their illustrious and often difficult fathers.

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: Jan Turnquist - October 20, 2020

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: John Matteson - October 25, 2020

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: Jan Turnquist - October 20, 2020

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Emmy Award-winning Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist presents "Little Women From Page to Screen" -- her own insider's perspective on the Concord/Hollywood collaboration that helped Director Greta Gerwig turn a beloved book into a film sensation with such attention to detail and historic integrity!  

"Welcome to Our Home" Monthly Living History Tours

"Welcome to Our Home" Monthly Living History Tours

Concord Festival of Authors Virtual Event: Jan Turnquist - October 20, 2020

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"Welcome to Our Home" offers an interactive tour with an expert living history guide, allowing for intimate access to fascinating anecdotes about the Alcotts' lives and times.  19th Century games, songs, and a treasure hunt round out this memorable experience suitable for all ages.  Offered the fourth Saturday of each month through November, as well as during February and April school vacation.

Please note that due to COVID-19, these tours have been temporarily postponed

Documentary Wins Emmy!

Louisa May Alcott's desk in Orchard House with Emmy statuette; Trey Powers, photographer

  Our Orchard House:  Home of Little Women Documentary was honored with the Emmy for Outstanding Historical/Cultural  Program/Special during the 42nd Boston/New England Emmy Awards at the Marriott Boston Copley Place on 15 June 2019


find out more about this amazing achievement

Make a Visit

We remain TEMPORARILY CLOSED due to COVID-19 restrictions

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

399 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742 USA

General Phone: 978.369.4118

Closed:   January 1 & 2, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas


Open 10:00 am - 2:00 pm:  Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve


Open at Noon:   Patriots' Day (third Monday in April)


Open Extended Hours (10:00 am - 4:30 pm): Veterans' Day, day after Thanksgiving, weekdays between Christmas and New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr Day, weekdays of February School Vacation

Contact Us

For postal mail correspondence, please use the following address:

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

PO Box 343 Concord, Massachusetts 01742-0343 USA

General Phone 978.369.4118 | General Fax 978.369.1367 | Museum Store Fax 978.369.9611 Jan Turnquist, Executive Director | jturnquist@louisamayalcott.org | 978.369.4118 x102

Support Us

Your contribution enables us to keep the legacy of Orchard House, the Alcotts, and Little Women alive for generations to come.  Find out more about how we put your donations to work.


Please consider giving generously to support our mission of public education and historic preservation.  Thank you!


Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

Stay Connected to Us

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In this time of COVID-19, the mission of Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House is funded in part by a CARES Act Grant provided by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities

© 2021 Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House - All Rights Reserved

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