CANTERBURY HISTORY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Behind the Boards: A Director‑Led Descent into Canterbury’s Attics and Basements
A one‑hour, behind‑the‑scenes tour at Canterbury Shaker Village led by Director of Education Kyle Sandler that lets visitors explore off‑limits attics and basements and learn how those spaces shaped daily life.
Behind the Boards: A Director‑Led Descent into Canterbury’s Attics and Basements.
Canterbury Shaker Village keeps its stories in plain sight and tucked away above and below its floors. On this Summer Special Tour Series event, Director of Education Kyle Sandler guides a small group through spaces normally closed to the public — attics and basements where tools, storerooms and day‑to‑day operations once sustained village life — offering an intimate, tactile lesson in how the Shakers organized work, storage and domestic routines.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Off‑limits Attics and Basements
Explore restricted attic and cellar spaces not usually open to visitors, seeing the physical infrastructure that supported daily life in the Village.
Led by the Director of Education
The tour is conducted by Director of Education Kyle Sandler, who provides context on why these tucked‑away spaces mattered to Shaker routines and operations.
Revealing the Village’s Hidden Work
Attics and basements are more than storage; they reveal patterns of labor, material use and everyday life — the kinds of details that change how you read the Village’s public rooms.
What the day feels like
A concentrated, tactile deep dive into the Village’s hidden spaces
Over the course of an hour, the group gathers at the Village and moves through a focused sequence of off‑limits spaces. The pace is deliberate: short stops for close inspection and interpretation by the Director, with an emphasis on how attics and basements functioned as essential parts of Shaker life rather than mere storage areas.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this tour suits — and who should think twice.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
This Summer Special session takes place on Tuesday, August 26 at 2:00 pm and runs approximately one hour.
Meet at Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Rd, Canterbury, NH 03224 before the tour start time.
Be prepared to ascend and descend several flights of historic stairs; wear safe, comfortable walking shoes.
The tour lasts about one hour.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the tour?
The tour is one hour in duration.
Where do we meet?
Participants meet at Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Rd, Canterbury, NH 03224.
Will we go into attics and basements?
Yes — the program specifically explores off‑limits attic and basement spaces to illustrate their role in Village life.
Who leads the tour?
The tour is led by Director of Education Kyle Sandler.
Are there physical requirements or things I should bring?
Participants should be prepared to ascend and descend several flights of historic stairs and should wear safe, comfortable walking shoes.