Plan Your Visit       Hours & Directions       About Peterborough       Teachers       Lesson Plans       Booking Tours       Contact Things to See       Explore the Museum       Our Artists       Our Performers       Community Showcase       Instrument Collection       For Kids       Gift Shop       Library       Please Touch       Resources       Slide Show Things to Do       Calendar       Upcoming Events       Dance       Galleries       Workshops       E-News Signup       What's New? About the Museum       Description       Dreamer & Founder       Mission       Membership       History       Board & Staff       Job Opportunities       From the Director Home		Mission Statement Elementary School students performing the White Dove Dance for the Cambodian New Year, Peterborough Townhouse, April 2002 The restored building houses a community museum serving all ages. Mariposa Museum has created an intriguing, touchable environment to celebrate the rich cultures of America's many family heritages: American Indian, Euro-American, Asian-American, Latino-American, African-American, and more. When children are raised with respect and curiosity for all cultures, the world will know more peace and less war. This is the mission of Mariposa Museum, a gathering place for all ages which will celebrate international folkart, folklore and the many cultures that create the diversity and resilience of modern America. The Museum opened July 1, 2002 on Main Street in Peterborough, southern New Hampshire's year-round arts community. "Mariposa" is Spanish for butterfly — a universal symbol of transformation and rebirth, a fitting name for the hands-on teaching museum rising from the ashes of the historic Baptist Church building. The restored structure, designed by architect Tom Weller of Keene, houses a light, airy three-tiered gallery combining performance space, resource library, workshop, store and interactive exhibits. We house permanent exhibits honoring Monadnock folk artists Willard & Robert Richardson, and the New England Marionette Opera Theatre. Each visitor will find something from his/her family culture, and is invited to contribute a family story, tradition, or recipe. The American tapestry is composed of many lovely threads. We admire each strand as well as the vibrant whole. We share family traditions and by sharing, keep them alive. The core collection of intriguing costumes, folk toys, instruments and artifacts is lent by storyteller Linda Marsella and educator David Blair of Harrisville. In thirty years of travel and teaching abroad, they collected articles from daily life in many cultures. With these and community resources, the two curated gallery exhibits on Vietnam, Africa and Japan. They also prepared teaching manuals and trained student docents to conduct hands-on tours. At the Augusta Savage Gallery, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, their "Facing Vietnam" exhibit & video introduced Asian-American public schoolchildren from Springfield to their native culture for the first time. Folkart is the playful, creative spirit which has infused daily life of all people in all times. As such, we have chosen it as the unifying theme of the Museum. Performance and rehearsal space will encourage other living cultural legacies like dance, music, storytelling, puppetry, and theatre. Workshops explore world art forms and feature modern folk artists at work. Come visit us, and learn more! The Mariposa is designed to serve school & community groups, individuals & families. All exhibit areas are wheelchair accessible. Staff are chosen for skills in teaching and storytelling. Local teachers are our educational advisers. Volunteer guides of all ages introduce visitors to exhibits and invite them to handle the artifacts. Our business plan anticipates substantial income yearly from visits, outreach programs and grants. The Mariposa is a community museum. Displays in the storefront windows front onto the daily life of the town. We host brown bag lunches on world topics. We hope you will volunteer: to lead tours, staff our store, do research at home, prepare exhibits, fundraise! We welcome your participation in this exciting project. When children are raised with respect and curiosity towards other cultures, the world will know more peace and less war. Plan Your Visit | Things to See | Things to Do | About the Museum | Home | Contact 26 Main Street ~ Peterborough, New Hampshire ~ 03458 Southern New Hampshire's Year Round Arts Community 603.924.4555 © 2007 Mariposa Museum & World Culture Center. All rights reserved. Top