Activity Overview
Drive a half hour south of Burlington to Ferrisburgh, VT, where you can explore the former sheep farm which now has nine historic farm buildings that make up the Rokeby Museum.
Buildings include a fully furnished home containing 200 years worth of household items such asfurniture, kitchenware, clothing, textiles, books, diaries and papers.
Additional buildings include a small creamery, where one will find milk pans, a churn, and other items instrumental to the milk-making process; a granary, where one will find a grain cradle, flail, corn sheller, and fanning mill; a toolshed which houses drills, augers, planes, and measuring devices; and more.
The museum's exhibit Free & Safe: The Underground Railroad in Vermont is a must-see, displayed on the second floor of the property's Education Center. Through this exhibit, visitors may trace the story of two fugitives from slavery who traveled north to find shelter on the Rokeby estate in the 1830s.
Things to Do
- Bring a picnic lunch and relax on one of the tables in the backyard of the house.
- Grab a site map at the reception desk or print one out online so that you can explore the grounds and the nine farm buildings present on the property, which are open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily during the season.
- Take a hike on the scenic trails and through the orchards that surround the property. These trails are open year round during daylight hours.
Rokeby Museum Insider Tips
- The museum may be seen by guided tours only, which are limited to 12 guests.
- Tours last 45 minutes and take place Friday through Monday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
- Admission prices: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 for students, and free for children under 5.
- Admission to the Free & Safe: The Underground Railroad in Vermont is free on Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
