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Portsmouth’s changing vistas

by Portsmouth Athenaeum | Sep 17, 2020 | Announcements, Photographs

By Keeper Tom Hardiman   Recently Sherry Wood wrote an article about how the Vaughan Street Urban Renewal Project removed neighborhoods and rerouted streets to create the Bridge Street parking lot. While some Portsmouth vistas have been altered suddenly and...

Recent News

  • July 2026: The Red Light District
  • Exhibit Shines the Red Light on City’s Past
  • Portsmouth Athenæum Chamber Music 2026
  • Athenæum Interim Director
  • A Letter from Tom Hardiman, Keeper and Executive Director

Events Calendar

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26
27
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30
1:30 PM - 1805 Building Tour
31
1
2
3
4
5
5:30 PM - Franklin Club
6
1:30 PM - 1805 Building Tour
7
5:00 PM - Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
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9
10
11
12
13
1:30 PM - 1805 Building Tour
14
4:00 PM - Twilight Tour 2026
15
16
17
18
19
20
1:30 PM - 1805 Building Tour
21
22
23
24
25
5:00 PM - 33rd Annual Athenaeum Pot-Luck Picnic
26
27
1:30 PM - 1805 Building Tour
28
29
30
3:00 PM - 2026 PACM Series: New England Baroque
31
1
2
5:30 PM - Franklin Club
3
4
5:00 PM - Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
5
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
July 30, 2026    
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
$0.00 - $10.00
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Building Tours
1805 Building, Building Tours, Library Room, Sawtelle Reading Room
Come view our 200+ year-old historic membership library. This 45-minute tour takes you through spaces usually reserved for our members. The tour will start at [...]
More Info Book Now!
Franklin Club
Franklin Club
August 5, 2026    
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Franklin Club
Franklin Club, Sawtelle Reading Room
The Junto, also known as the Leather Apron Club, was a club for mutual improvement established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. The Leather [...]
More Info
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
August 6, 2026    
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
$0.00 - $10.00
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Building Tours
1805 Building, Building Tours, Library Room, Sawtelle Reading Room
Come view our 200+ year-old historic membership library. This 45-minute tour takes you through spaces usually reserved for our members. The tour will start at [...]
More Info Book Now!
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
August 7, 2026    
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Art Round Town
  • Exhibit Events
Exhibits, Randall Gallery, Red Light District
Join us for Portsmouth's Art 'Round Town featuring our latest exhibit "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th [...]
More Info
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
August 13, 2026    
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
$0.00 - $10.00
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Building Tours
1805 Building, Building Tours, Library Room, Sawtelle Reading Room
Come view our 200+ year-old historic membership library. This 45-minute tour takes you through spaces usually reserved for our members. The tour will start at [...]
More Info Book Now!
Twilight Tour 2026
Twilight Tour 2026
August 14, 2026    
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Portsmouth Historic Sites Associates
  • Community Event
Twilight Tour
The Portsmouth Historic Sites Associates will hold its popular Twilight Tour this year, on Friday, August 14, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. One ticket [...]
More Info
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
August 20, 2026    
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
$0.00 - $10.00
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Building Tours
1805 Building, Building Tours, Library Room, Sawtelle Reading Room
Come view our 200+ year-old historic membership library. This 45-minute tour takes you through spaces usually reserved for our members. The tour will start at [...]
More Info Book Now!
33rd Annual Athenaeum Pot-Luck Picnic
33rd Annual Athenaeum Pot-Luck Picnic
August 25, 2026    
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Seacoast Science Center
  • Members Events
Picnic, Proprietors
The annual picnic is held at the Seacoast Science Center (in the tent, rain or shine!), Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NH. Bring a dish [...]
More Info
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
August 27, 2026    
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
$0.00 - $10.00
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Building Tours
1805 Building, Building Tours, Library Room, Sawtelle Reading Room
Come view our 200+ year-old historic membership library. This 45-minute tour takes you through spaces usually reserved for our members. The tour will start at [...]
More Info Book Now!
2026 PACM Series: New England Baroque
2026 PACM Series: New England Baroque
August 30, 2026    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
$10.00 - $250.00
St. John's Episcopal Church
  • PACM Concert Series
  • Performance & Concert Series
2026 PACM Concert Series, Concerts, New England Baroque, St. John's Church
New England Baroque was formed in 2025 by outstanding professional musicians from the Northeast united by their passion for playing Early Music on period instruments. [...]
More Info Book Now!
Franklin Club
Franklin Club
September 2, 2026    
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Franklin Club
Franklin Club, Sawtelle Reading Room
The Junto, also known as the Leather Apron Club, was a club for mutual improvement established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. The Leather [...]
More Info
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
September 4, 2026    
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Portsmouth Athenaeum
  • Art Round Town
  • Exhibit Events
Exhibits, Randall Gallery, Red Light District
Join us for Portsmouth's Art 'Round Town featuring our latest exhibit "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th [...]
More Info
Events on July 30, 2026
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
30 Jul 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 5, 2026
Franklin Club
Franklin Club
5 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 6, 2026
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
6 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 7, 2026
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
7 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 13, 2026
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
13 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 14, 2026
Twilight Tour 2026
Twilight Tour 2026
14 Aug 26
Events on August 20, 2026
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
20 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 25, 2026
33rd Annual Athenaeum Pot-Luck Picnic
33rd Annual Athenaeum Pot-Luck Picnic
25 Aug 26
Rye
Events on August 27, 2026
1805 Building Tour
1805 Building Tour
27 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on August 30, 2026
2026 PACM Series: New England Baroque
2026 PACM Series: New England Baroque
30 Aug 26
Portsmouth
Events on September 2, 2026
Franklin Club
Franklin Club
2 Sep 26
Portsmouth
Events on September 4, 2026
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
Art 'Round Town for "The Red Light District: Vice in Portsmouth, NH, at the Turn of the 20th Century"
4 Sep 26
Portsmouth

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