Using the humanities, we connect with people across Vermont to create just, vibrant, and resilient communities and to inspire a lifelong love of learning.
Dive into our two humanities podcasts to engage and learn about new perspectives.
Banner illustrations include a photo by Rory Stein and an illustration of Vermont’s Capital district by National Book Award Finalist Dan Nott.
October 12
In the years running up to the current 250th commemorations of 1776, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum has focused its research activities on the American Revolution.
October 12
Join us for light refreshments and stimulating discussion as Vermont State University students and faculty from the Castleton Hidden History Project present the early results of our archaeological and archival research on Granger House, as well as our plans for its future as a museum of local history and center for hands-on learning.
October 13
Have you ever found something in your backyard or attic and you don’t know what it is? Bring it on down to Granger House and let VTSU archaeology students and faculty identify it and help you learn more about your found object. Light refreshments will be served.
October 14
Love, music, art, business…how do they all fit together? How is music created around a unique story? What does a commission look like? Join us for a listening party as we dive into a world premiere from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s opening concert of the 2026-27 season.
October 14
The use of Granger House has always reflected the needs and values of the people who lived there. Come join VTSU geography students and faculty as we tour this historic house, concentrating on how it was used and how it changed through time.
October 14
Join VTSU geography students and faculty on a tour of Castleton’s Hillside Cemetery, focusing on the final resting places of some of Granger House’s former occupants and what those places say about their lives.
October 14
At this presentation you will learn that the mission statement of A Revolutionary Press, inspired by the Declaration of Independence, directs us in our efforts to bring about an entirely distinct Revolution for the present and the future, as we listen to, and print some of today’s lesser known radical and revolutionary visionaries. Everyone at this event will have the opportunity to print one of these pieces to help imagine that next Revolution.
October 15
This presentation is based on the research Michele Pagan has done into the Revolutionary War ancestors of the girls who made 19th century schoolgirl samplers. Needlework samplers are a visual record of the values that guided early female education in Vermont, including its focus on needlework as an essential skill for all girls and women. As artifacts of female education, they provide insight into family dynamics, local history, and community values.
October 15
Granger House is located in a community rich in Native American heritage. Come learn about Vermont’s Native American history and culture through stories, songs, and discussions with Chief Roger Longtoe of Vermont’s Elnu Abenaki. Light refreshments will be served.
October 15
Join the Manchester Historical Society Curator, Shawn Harrington for a presentation about regional tailor “Fred” Nicklewhite. Born on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, he moved with his family in 1898 to Vermont. Trained as a master tailor, Nicklewhite spent summers working at the Equinox Hotel in Manchester.
October 16
The Castleton Hidden History Project is using advanced 3D technologies to document and share the history of Granger House and its residents. Come join VTSU students and faculty for a workshop on 3D scanning and 3D printing as new ways to present the past. Advance registration encouraged.
October 17
Come join VTSU students and faculty from the Castleton Hidden History Project for lively tours of the house, question-and-answer sessions about ongoing research, and a discussion of its future as a museum. Light refreshments and tailgate-themed snacks will be served.
We recently supported the Heritage Winooski Mill Museum with two grants to help fund a new exhibit at the museum focusing on child labor. The grants will cover the design, layout, printing, and installation of the exhibit, which will include a global map showing how child labor remains an issue in the overseas textile industry.
Vermont Humanities has developed a broad range of programs that serves Vermonters of all ages and backgrounds. In 2025, over 51,778 people took part in our programs, and we held more than 1,048 activities, hosted by us or our partners.
The Anne Commire Fund for Women in the Humanities supports projects that focus on women writers. Anne (at far left) is shown with the cast of her play “Melody Sisters” in 1984.
The fund was created through a legacy gift of $125,000 from Anne’s estate, one of the largest individual gifts ever made to Vermont Humanities.
By giving to Vermont Humanities, you support education for people of all ages through early literacy programs, Humanities Camps for middle-school children, and programs held in libraries, community centers, schools, and correctional facilities.
Our seasonal “Words in the Woods” program allows Vermonters and visitors to enjoy our state’s natural beauty while listening to and reading literature in the outdoors.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported the Chandler Center for the Arts’ Global Connections Youth Outreach program, which highlights artists from around the world.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
