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Saturdays, December 7th & 14th
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sundays, December 8th & 15th
12:00 - 5:00 pm
Tuesday, December 17th
7:00 pm
The Concord School of Philosophy
on the grounds of Orchard House
Select dates in February, March, & November
9:00 - 11:00 am
By reservation only
The sights, scents, sounds, and sensibilities of an Alcottian Christmas celebration come alive within our festively decorated rooms and through interactions with Living History portrayers as Victorian music, games, and crafts will be enjoyed by all!
Reservations are strongly urged for this perennially popular program
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Orchard House will also be decorated for the holidays through January 12, 2025
A unique opportunity to enjoy beloved holiday music performed by talented Revolutionary War re-enactors will be provided in our acoustically inspiring School of Philosophy! Centuries combine to produce an unforgettable evening of merriment as The Concord Minute Men Fife & Drum Corps offer delightful medleys of seasonal songs while honoring the fact that Orchard House (c. 1650) was home to two Concord Minute Men in 1775!
Ever wonder what it was like for Louisa May Alcott to unleash the simmering stories in her brain onto paper? Orchard House now offers a unique chance for visitors to encourage the same spirit of creativity and determination Miss Alcott exhibited by spending private time within the evocative atmosphere of her bedchamber.
Not interested in writing? You may instead read, sketch, meditate, or reflect.
(1 person / Up to 2 hours / Must be 18+ years)
Orchard House has a rich, fascinating, and inspiring 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)
Visitors from around the world or across town consider our gardens and grounds to be a perpetual source of hope, joy, and beauty. While Mr. Alcott spent years honoring the historic landscape by carefully tending it, Louisa paid tribute to the family’s love of horticulture in Little Women by having the March sisters cultivate their own flower beds. Read what all the buzz is about in a delightful article written by Executive Director Jan Turnquist — then try your hand at creating your own Little Women Garden!
A marvelous time was had as The Taming of the Shrew met Twelfth Night during the performance of Hannah Cowley's uproarious -- and refreshingly modern! -- 1783 play by Theater in the Open on our evocative grounds! We also thoroughly enjoyed our first-ever collaboration with Theater in the Open, and look forward to more opportunities to partner with them and revive forgotten classics!
(Click button to find out more about them)
Youngsters ages 8 - 12 participated in our uniquely entertaining and educational week-long intensive, experimenting with writing poetry, fiction, correspondence, journaling, and stories inspired by nature and art. Campers got the rare chance to spend time writing in Louisa's room, closely observed wonderful artifacts in the House, and immersed themselves in the beautiful grounds of The Wayside and Ralph Waldo Emerson's garden. In addition, they found ways to move their physical bodies and enjoyed games that encouraged playfulness, inspiration, and creativity, making memories to last a lifetime!
Youngsters ages 8-12 participated in a joyful, varied week of activities inspired by the March family and their fictional friends and neighbors from Little Women, as well as the real-life Alcotts. Crafts, games, nature walks, writing, reading, reflecting, performing a play, and even exciting "you are there!" history lessons and live Colonial music courtesy of The Concord Minute Men re-enactors! Adults are now clamoring for a Little Women Camp, too, so keep your eyes peeled for next Summer's offerings!
"The Alcotts & Resilience"
Scholars and attendees from around the world converged in person and tuned in virtually to enjoy a most inspiring, enlightening, and entertaining week of presentations and discussions -- as well as the world premiere reading of Act I of a new adaptation of Little Women by acclaimed playwright Lauren Gunderson!
Participate through December 31st;
Donations accepted year-round
Walk, run, stroll, or shimmy during our fun, fitness-focused event that can be done anywhere in the world, in any weather! Participants, their families, friends, and fans are invited to virtually join UTA PIPPIG — marathon legend, fitness motivator, and event Honorary Chair — to support our public education and historic preservation initiatives.
Nashobah Praying Indian descendant Strong Bear Medicine and scholar/author Dan Boudillion discussed the Nashobah Praying Indians’ millennia-long presence in our area, their journey of survival, and the current thriving community. They also referred to Dan's recently published book, The History of the Nashobah Praying Indians: Doings, Sufferings, Survival, and Triumph, as a valuable resource for those who wish to know more.
Requests to receive a recording still being accepted
In honor of the Concord Free Public Library's Sesquicentennial and Concord Museum's celebratory "Perpetual Invitation . . ." exhibit, Orchard House displayed many rarely-seen artifacts related to May Alcott's life and artistic career in every room along our guided tour. Visitors were enlightened by, impressed with, and astonished at May’s talent, and came away with a greater appreciation for this gifted artist whose life (all too brief . . .), joie de vivre, and legacy continue to uplift and enrich us!
Treating ourselves to a February full of Marches, all four major motion pictures of Little Women (1933, 1949, 1994, 2019) were shown chronologically on consecutive Thursdays in collaboration with and celebration of The Concord Players, honoring their Spring 2023 Decennial Production of Little Women [The Musical]!
Academy Award winner Chris Cooper joined Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist for a scintillating Zoom webinar about the making of Greta Gerwig’s 2019 Little Women film!
We are extremely grateful to Mr. Cooper for giving generously of his time so that all proceeds from this event can benefit Orchard House’s educational programs and historic preservation!
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.
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!
"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 these tours are temporarily suspended
Walk, run, stroll, or shimmy to feel the joy of movement and benefit Orchard House from November 29 through December 31, 2023 — support our educational programming and preservation efforts by participating in or donating to our Annual Walk/Run
Can't participate? Donations accepted year-round!
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Event registration has concluded for 2022, but donations are accepted year-round. Please consider a gift in any amount today to keep the doors of Orchard House open for many tomorrows to come!
Our 2023 event will take place between November 23rd and December 31st
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 was closed to the public since March 13, 2020, but re-opened on August 1, 2021. Tax-deductible contributions in support of this event and future programming are always 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!
"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 these tours are temporarily suspended
Orchard House is a "mask-friendly" site; face masks are optional for entry. To guarantee admission, we encourage reserving Timed-Entry tickets online, but “walk-ins” may also be accommodated. As always, our gardens and grounds remain free and accessible to all, while Virtual Tours provide an enjoyable way to experience Orchard House from the comfort of your own home.
399 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742 USA
General Phone: 978.369.4118 Jan Turnquist, Executive Director
Open today | 11:00 am – 03:30 pm |
April - October Hours of Operation:
Weekdays & Saturdays, 10 am - 5 pm; Sundays, 11 am - 5 pm
CLOSED: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day; December 31-January 3
Open at Noon: Patriots' Day (Saturday, April 19th in 2025)
Open Extended Hours (10 am - 5 pm): Veterans' Day, day after Thanksgiving, weekdays between Christmas and New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr Day, & February School Vacation weekdays
© 2024 Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House - All Rights Reserved
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization