vermont folklife center

We went to the Folklife Center. They had a wonderful exhibit of one room school houses in Vermont. My husband is a teacher and it was great to read about the reflections that the teachers of that time had. The pictures were very moving. The hand crafted wooden toys in the back were great as well! Had a wonderful chat with the owners!

This isn't really a museum which was what I was expecting, but a center for different crafts and folk life programs. There was, however, an excellent spshop displaying all handcrafted Vermont offerings from baskets, braided rugs, whirlygigs, woven mats, blacksmith items etc. and this was excellent to see. Like a little museum of contemporary crafts. The fellow on duty was oersonable and friendly, and he was willing to tell me all about the different craftsmen whose goods I was seeing - I wished I'd had more time there. There was also a small gallery with a very good exhibit, Faces of Putney, good photos. I assume this gallery changes exhibits regularly. All in all, a very nice stop as you wander through Middlebury. It's just in the center of the Middlebury downtown area, towards the college end of the main street.

The Folklife Center is an interesting place to visit with all of the changing shows (Gingerbread Contest, Peeps, photo exhibits, etc.). The gift shop is eclectic with items from all over the world. Nice place to visit.

Fittingly, The VT Folklife Center is placed in an old historical building in the heart of Middlebury. Their is always a display focusedon one theme - African weavings, oral history videos... There is a wide selection of handcrafted gifts in many price ranges that could be from anywhere in the world. I really enjoy strolling through even when I'm not shopping to buy. The attendant is knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. It's a very pleasant spot to spend some time.

When we visited the VT Folklife Center, there was a fabulous show of black and white Vermont photography being displayed. Mostly of faces, and sometimes of their rural settings, it described the reality of small-farm life as it has been and is today in Vermont. Really fascinating. For each photograph, the artist had hand-written a description of the person and/or the situation the picture described. But the most unusual feature of this museum is their audio accompaniment. Apparently, this is one of the things the VFC prides itself on, and no wonder. They get each of the artists in a show to talk about their pictures, their subjects and their art, which you can then use to augment your experience. The curator described events in the past where photographers would (years later) recall the names of their subjects, and have them interviewed, providing even more detail and information regarding their shows. Situated between Two Brothers Tavern and the Otter Creek Bakery, this is one stop not to miss. Good-quality local crafts are also available in the gift shop, so stop in and get something Vermonty to take home, which doesn't involve maple syrup.