This was my second trip to Old Sturbridge, and did not disappoint. The Phantoms by Firelight program is a combination of history about death/grief practices as well as performances by fire/acrobat/contortionists in a human circus of historical entertainment. The team at Sturbridge are wonderful, the decorations and music in the covered bridge are spooky fall fun (particularly on Friday the 13th), and the evening flies by. The wake and the demonstration of hair art as remembrance were touching. If you have to choose between the Christmas and Halloween programs, I would go with the Christmas experience as all the buildings were open and staffed, there were more demonstrations of crafts, and better food/dinner options (Christmas had a full dinner service, but Phantoms only had soup/wrap options). The parts that were open for Phantoms were great, but I was bringing a guest who had not been and felt we missed out on more of the history this time. As a second visit, it was fantastic and the special performers were absolutely top notch and amazed the crowds. Go and support this great organization as often as you can--it is a rare treasure and a place to make memories.

Whats terrific experience! The characters were friendly and happy to share their knowledge as well as encouraging picture taking. The grounds were clean and well maintained for walking. Rest rooms were clean and easily accessible and available at various spots along the exhibits. You would really need 4 to 5 hours to see everything. We would definitely go back!

hadn't been here in over 30 years so I was excited to relive the experience. it was a quiet day but there were interpreters in most of the buildings who were happy to share their skill with us. shout out to Tom who took a lot of time to show us how to make band boxes and even gave us some materials so we could do it ourselves at home. our favorites, besides Tom, were the Cooper, the blacksmith and the lady in the general store. they really love what they do and their enthusiasm comes through. won't wait so long to go back!

My wife an I are very much into history and historic villages such as Sturbridge. We were incredibly pleased with the care to detail taken with everything presented here. The historic interpreters, dressed in period clothing and style, were informative and very natural in their delivery of information. They did not seem scripted and were very interactive with the guests. They answered questions with detailed knowledge of the topic without hesitation and with curtesy. In the pottery shop he let children try turning the potters wheel, the blacksmith interacted with the children taking many questions. This is exactly how it should be, a low key fun learning experience for all. The entry fee is fair, especially when you walk the grounds and take into consideration what it takes to maintain such a museum. The tavern, shops, and ice cream shop are all reasonable too. All in all, it will be a great experience for anyone who loves history and learning about a different, simpler, but hard working time in America.

This was our first visit; it was wonderful. We really enjoyed the old buildings, especially the stone blacksmith shop. But the best part was speaking with the various craftspeople. It was fascinating to watch them work and explain their crafts. We saw a potter, blacksmith, typesetter, linen maker, wool dyers, cooper, typesetter, and more. All the craftspeople obviously enjoy their work and are quite talented. We learned a lot about how hard people had to work to get by. The village was well laid out, and easy to get around. Not all the buildings were staffed, but most were. The Salem Towne house tour was well-presented and informative. I am glad we were able to do it. It was fun,too, to see the farm animals . We didn’t have a meal there, but enjoyed a drink and good molasses cookies. We spent about five hours here and saw a lot. I would like to return to see even more.

One of the most enjoyable things I did on this year's trip to New England. Expect to stay about 4 hours and have fun interacting with the local craftsmen and woman. The place is absolutely gorgeous. From the pond, the waterfall, covered bridges to the forest. Such a great place to visit with the entire family.

We have been to many historic villages, both in Canada and the USA. Old Sturbridge Village is certainly one of the better ones. It is very well done and we quite enjoyed touring this property. It was obvious that our cousins who live in Sturbridge enjoyed it also. We are grateful to them for suggesting this visit and for accompanying us as well. Long before this was a museum, the mill pond (dug with a team of oxen and a scoop in 1795) provided waterpower for various mills, including the sawmill, grist mill, carding mill, etc. Old Sturbridge Village is a living museum located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, which recreates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. It is the largest living museum in New England, covering more than 200 acres (81 hectares). The Village includes 59 antique buildings, three water-powered mills, and a working farm.

What really makes this place special is the quality of the interpreters. So willing to engage and most of them have extensive knowledge - able to go well beyond basic questions. The town of course is contrived, but many (most) of the buildings themselves are historical and your access through them is pretty good. Plenty to keep you busy, many demonstrations going on (never heard a hurdy gurdy before, lol). Plan on 2.5 hours to see everything moving at a decent pace but with time to interact. You could easily do a whole day looking for a more involved experience and some food. I'd put this up with Greenfield Village and Black Creek (Toronto). Good for families of course but this solo adult left pleased as well.

The day we went happened to be very rainy; but we had such a good time, anyway, and despite the mud. Many of the buildings were open, and we learned a lot. Not all the activities listed, seemed to be happening as and where scheduled. Most of the workers were great, and happy to explain what they do, and answer questions. Just the wood-worker, at one of the first places, was not particularly interested in talking to us, or in answering the question I asked. There's a lot to see! Just know that a lot of walking is involved, and that at least some of the roads are dirt roads. Many of the buildings have stone steps leading up to them.

We bought tickets in advance, online although when we arrived, which was rather late, there wasn’t a line. There is quite a lot to see and we only saw perhaps half of it, as we were (unexpectantly) short on time. This is a great place for those interested in history and/or school children learning about American history. The docents wear period clothes and give a quick talk/history of the building and family that had lived there. The printing press, tin maker, wood shop, etc. were actively making items that could be sold/used. All in all, it was quite interesting and exceeded expectations. I would like to return when I have more time.