Exhibits
Featured Exhibition
Vermont Female Farmers
October 1 – January 3
With passion, labor, care, and grit at its core, this striking portrait series by JuanCarlos González offers a powerful and intimate look into the lives of farmers shaping the landscape and future of Vermont agriculture. The exhibition captures moments of deep focus, strength, joy, and resilience — honoring the often-overlooked stories of women who farm the Green Mountain State.
Complementing the photography are agricultural-related artifacts and ephemera from the Museum’s collection. These additions create meaningful dialogues between past and present, offering reflections on our Addison County landscape and farming heritage.
Special Exhibitions
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Material Narratives: Ornament & Identity
May 21 - January 3
Material objects are profound expressions of identity, memory, and belief. Adornment, whether through intricate craftsmanship, symbolic decoration, or functional design, elevates objects beyond utilitarian purposes and transforms them into reflections of personal stories and societal values.
Organized by students of Professor Erin Sassin’s course at Middlebury College, this exhibition is the result of meticulous research and thoughtful curation. Students assembled a diverse collection of objects that show how adornment across centuries and cultures both shapes and reflects the human experience.
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Rolling Down the Tracks: Holiday Trains
November 28 - January 3
The elaborate Lionel train layout at the Henry Sheldon Museum in Middlebury, Vermont is an annual tradition, delighting all ages. The assemblage stands three levels high, with tracks running Lionel O gauge trains, Lionel 027 gauge trains, and an upper track running HO trains. The layout includes a backdrop of the Green Mountains painted by local artist Gayl Braisted, an operating gondola ski lift, skiers, snowboarders, and rock climbers, and bicyclists.
Be sure to check the train schedule; trains run everyday the Museum is open but only during specific windows of time.
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Stitching Memories: Daughters, Samplers, and Family Records
May 21 - January 3
In cooperation with the VT State 250th Commemoration of the start of the American Revolution, the VT Sampler Initiative is producing a statewide driving tour, to view schoolgirl needlework samplers, from the post-Revolutionary War period.
Needlework was an essential part of girls’ education during the Revolutionary and Federal periods of American history. Decorative samplers using a variety of stitches taught girls sewing skills and how to read and write; families would frame and hang them in their homes as a symbol of valuing women’s education. Many of the sampler verses emphasized gender roles expected of young women, and family records highlight the importance placed on family lineage and preserving memory. The six samplers on display in the Judd Harris House were all made by girls whose father or grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War.
Our 2025 Exhibit Sponsor
Permanent Exhibits:
The Sheldon Museum has a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century Vermont furniture, paintings, and household objects. They are exhibited in the elegant Federal house built in 1829 by marble merchants Eben Judd and Lebbeus Harris. Changing special exhibits are on view in the Cerf Gallery and the Adèle Eells Pierce Gallery. These two galleries showcase temporary exhibits and also serve as a venue for gallery talks, school programs and special events.
Adèle Eells Pierce Gallery
The Adèle Eells Pierce Gallery was dedicated in 2015 to recognize late Honorary Sheldon Trustee Adèle Pierce. Adèle was active at the Sheldon Museum beginning in 1983, as its first shop manager, and later trustee and volunteer. She was chair of the committee for the Sheldon’s first Pops Concert in 1992. The Pierce Gallery features rotating history and art exhibits throughout the year.
Walter Cerf Gallery
Built in 1991 through the generosity of art dealer and philanthropist Walter Cerf, the Cerf Gallery has become a hub of public activity at the Museum. A varied exhibition schedule features history and art exhibits, including contemporary Vermont artists and craftspeople. The Gallery also serves as a public venue for gallery talks, school programs and special events.
