On our trip next summer, I would like to visit a Shaker village. I have been to Sabbathday Lake in Maine (where a few Shakers survive), so I would like to visit on of the others. ANy input on

Hancock (near Pittsfield Mass)
Canterbury (near Concord NH)
Lower SHaker (near Lebanon NH)

I can't speak about the other two, but the one in Pittsfield is definitely worth your time.

ditto: Pittsfield.
(boy, you're keeping us busy today with the questions about New England sites
Gets me thinking about places I should revisit soon!)

I've only been to the one in Enfield {near Lebanon, NH} and found it quite interesting, but friends tell us that the one in Canterbury is even more extensive.

Hands down....The Hancock Shaker in Pittsfield.
Went expecting to spend a few hours and we were there all day.
One of the best museums I've ever visited and very complete.
Fascinating!!!

I've been to Hancock and Canterbury. I really enjoyed Caterbury and found the tour fascinating. The last time I went, it was for a Shaker style candlelight dinner followed by a folk singer in the school house. A memorable experience.

ttt

I loved them both. They have different
focuses. The one in Pittsfield often has festivals and they have a candlelight dinner that gets raves. The Canterbury one is smaller and they give lots of info on the history of the communities and the such. It is more scholarly and less child friendly if that helps. Why not visit their web sites? They are also not so close--why not do both if you are interested in that society?

I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I was with the Hancock Village. I found tour guides who made up information, and provided information that just was not fact. I come from a Quaker family so my husband and I have a solid understanding of the Shakers. The grounds (gardens) are lovely, the gift store overpriced, and the guides, well intended but the expensive tour fell short...I too have heard good things about the NH sites, but then, I heard good things about the MA site as well.

We eneded up going to the Hancock Village and found it very impressive. We especially liked the round barn.

The only thing I didn't like was the gift shop not having a tee shirt/polo shhirt with a 'tree of life' design in my size.