Dear Friends,

If you visited the Park-McCullough on any given day in 2026, you witnessed something extraordinary.

If you visited on a Tuesday morning in April or May, you might have joined local experts from the Bennington Garden Club on a wildflower walk. Or, if it was a Sunday morning in the summer, you could have joined a gentle yoga or qigong class among the trees, led by community stewards and teachers, Sam and Helen.

If you visited between May and October, you might have stepped inside the house and museum. Maybe it was your first time, or your first time in a while. We increased the museum’s open hours by nearly 200% this year over last, while launching our most exciting new initiative: free admission for all. The combination of increased hours and free admission has allowed us to welcome nearly 1,500 museum visitors so far this year, up more than 60% from recent years. This is what it looks like to break down barriers to history, culture, the arts, and open space.

This season’s new exhibit, The Stitches Between Us: Women’s Handwork & Our Shared Stories, was the result of a new collaboration with Bennington College students, who spent the early months of 2026 in the house researching and caring for our collection while learning about exhibit design and collections management. We’re excited to have another Bennington class on site this fall as we deepen and foster the connections built through collaboration.

Maybe you were so inspired that you decided to join us for a free History & Heritage Lunch or Arts & Artistry gathering, also new in 2026 and inspired by the exhibit. These fun and informative sessions, held throughout the season, brought neighbors together to break bread, learn, and create together.

Out on the lawn, you might have joined in spirited croquet matches, or attended free performances of Weston Young Company’s Schoolhouse Rock, Live! and Hubbard Hall’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

On the Veranda, maybe you joined a conversation about what goes into bringing a play to life with Randolyn Zinn of Living Room Theatre, or enjoyed the music of Tom Fels, Tony & Judy Seeger, or any of the seven incredible acts who joined us for International Play Music on the Porch Day at the end of August.

In the Carriage Barn, perhaps you attended a reading by one of the esteemed authors who visited as part of the new reading series presented by our friends at Prospect Street Writers House, in partnership with the Bennington Bookshop.

Collaborating with neighbors to host free performances from touring productions and visiting artists is one of the ways we help bring accessible arts and cultural experiences to our community. So far this year, we have offered 75 free and low-cost programs and events, welcoming over 1,800 attendees in addition to our museum visitors.

For over 160 years, this landmark estate has helped define the cultural and community landscape of Southern Vermont. But it is not a relic frozen in time. It is alive with student projects, museum exhibits, theatrical performances, shared learning opportunities, readings, live music, croquet matches, wellness activities, daily strolls, celebratory moments, and so much more.

Past generations built the house, tended the grounds, and gave generously over the years to preserve it all and pass it down to us. Now, it is our turn to keep it vibrant and open for all to learn and gather.

In the final months of 2026, our goal is to raise $125,000 toward our annual operating fund. Every dollar you give supports the preservation and maintenance of our buildings and grounds, helps power our community programming, and ensures that we can pass this landmark on to future generations to steward and enjoy.

Your support makes everything we do here possible. Thank you for stepping up as a generous caretaker of our shared history, our vibrant present, and our hopeful future.

With gratitude,
The Park-McCullough Team