Who We Are:
We are dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of fly fishing. The American Museum of Fly Fishing was established in 1968 in Manchester, Vermont, by a group of passionate and enthusiastic anglers who believed that the history of angling was an important part of American culture and tradition. The Museum was created to serve as an institution to research, preserve, and interpret the treasures of angling history.
Today, the Museum serves as a repository for and conservator to the world’s largest collection of angling and angling-related items, numbering in the thousands. Our collections and exhibits thoroughly document the evolution of fly fishing as a sport, art form, craft, and industry in the United States and abroad, dating as far back as the sixteenth century. Rods, reels, flies, tackle, art, photographs, manuscripts, and books form the Museum’s permanent collection.
Our Mission:
The American Museum of Fly Fishing is the steward of the history, traditions, and practices of the sport of fly fishing and promotes the conservation of its waters. The Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, studies, and interprets the artifacts, art, and literature of the sport and, through a variety of outreach platforms, uses these resources to engage, educate, and benefit all.
The Museum fulfills this mission through our public programs (including exhibitions, gallery programs, lectures, special events, and presentations), our publications, and our quarterly journal, the American Fly Fisher.
Please note Summer and Winter hours below:
Summer
June – October
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Winter
November – May
Thursday – Saturday, 10am to 4pm
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During the early spring of 1927, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Goodman, devotees of the performing arts, were able to interest a number of Dorset residents in producing a play. In April of that year, a three-act play entitled 39 East was presented at the Dorset Town Hall and was received with great enthusiasm. That success led shortly to the formation of an organization called The Dorset Players. Owing to the physical limitations of the Town Hall, a Playhouse was built, through proceeds from plays, a bank loan, and many generous gifts. The Dorset Playhouse was officially opened on July 2, 1929. Throughout the early 1930’s The Dorset Players flourished. World War II put an end to productions until 1946 when Paul Stevenson joined the Players. In 1949, The Dorset Players began a long and fruitful association with the Caravan Theatre and Fred and Pat Carmichael. The first of many original plays by Fred Carmichael, The Green Snowman, was produced in 1953. In June 1976, John Nassivera and Jill Charles rented the Playhouse for the summer and presented a professional season under the name of Harlequin, Ltd. Now known as the Dorset Theatre Festival, this non-profit Equity Company continues to offer professional summer theatre at the Playhouse. The Dorset Players, the non-professional theater group that owns the Playhouse, has developed an active Fall-Winter-Spring season. The Players have expanded far beyond its original nucleus of Dorset residents to all those in the Northshire who loved theater. Three area barns went into the construction of our original Playhouse. In 1999, The Dorset Players and The Dorset Theatre Festival undertook a 3 million dollar restoration of the historic Dorset Playhouse. In June 2001, the newly restored playhouse opened with improved sightlines, more comfortable seating, more restroom facilities, and a new rehearsal studio. The three area barns that went into the construction of the original building have been incorporated into the new design. We are very proud of our new facility and look forward to continued productions that the community can enjoy for years to come.
