DEERFIELD — Just as the flowers bloom each spring, Historic Deerfield’s doors opened last weekend as the museum’s 2023 season kicks off with several special events and exhibitions planned for this spring and summer.

The season began with a day of festivities anchored around the opening of the Barnard Tavern, which had been closed for restorations for several years. The new season also brings the opening of an exhibition at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life centered on New England’s Arts and Crafts movement.

Historic Deerfield President and CEO John Davis said they’re excited to welcome folks back to the full museum as it undertakes an exploration of Deerfield’s early commercial history through taverns, the reopening of the Wilson Printing Office and the craft movement.

“We’ve had a number of houses that we have had open to the public for quite some time, but we have had fewer commercial establishments,” Davis said. “It’s that kind of life of the town we’re trying to show our visitors.”

Davis said there were several taverns running down Historic Deerfield’s street, but the Barnard Tavern is “one of the only remaining 18th-century purpose-built taverns.”

Alongside the opening of the tavern, the museum hosted historic trade demonstrations of broom making, 18th-century medicine and coopering (cask making). Other opening day festivities included Printer-in-Residence Martin Antonetti and Musician-in-Residence Tim Eriksen offering historical insight into the area’s printing and musical histories.

Davis said it was “fairly unusual” for a town the size of Deerfield to have had a print shop printing more than just the local newspaper, but The Wilson Printing Office produced books, almanacs and promissory notes, among other uses, and the building itself has moved seven times since being built.

At the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, the museum is exploring the American Arts and Crafts Movement through its new exhibition, “Garden of Hearts: Madeline Yale Wynne and Deerfield’s Arts and Crafts Movement.” The exhibition features Wynne’s masterpiece, The Garden of Hearts, which is an oak bride’s chest ornament with hammered copper panels, intricate woodcarving, iron hinges and semi-precious stones.

This rare piece will be featured alongside Wynne’s other work and the work of Deerfield crafters from the early 20th century, with many of the works unseen by the public in decades, if ever. Works are taken from Historic Deerfield’s collection, as well as the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association’s.

“(The Garden of Hearts) will be seen by folks on Saturday for the very first time, essentially since 1903,” Davis said.

Other season highlights include the return of last year’s successful “Sheep in the Street” under the new name of “Wooly Wonders” on the weekend of May 20-21. The family-oriented event brings our woolen friends to Historic Deerfield’s street, where visitors of all ages can learn about textiles, wool processing methods and the role of sheep in New England. Local wool vendors will be on hand, as well as sheepdogs to demonstrate herding practices.

The museum also is bringing back the Antiques Dealers’ Association of America’s antique show on Father’s Day weekend, June 17-18. The show, which hasn’t been in town in at least six years, according to Davis, brings some of the country’s most renowned collectors to Deerfield. Admission to the show is included with general museum tickets.

“It’s a really great show for people who are already collectors and also a great show for people who want to learn about (collecting),” Davis said.

Tickets to Historic Deerfield may be purchased online or in person at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life or at the Hall Tavern Visitor Center.

A full calendar of events and more information can be found on Historic Deerfield’s website here: historic-deerfield.org/events.

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