MUSEUM COLLECTION

Scope of Collection

Henry Sheldon devoted thirty years of his life to collecting, documenting, and preserving objects, photographs and written records of Vermont, and more particularly of everyday life in Middlebury and Addison County. Although at the time of his death in 1907 the Museum was crowded with objects, books and documents, he was meticulous in labeling the origins of objects, maintaining inventories and descriptions, and recording stories about many of the artifacts.

The Museum collections reveal the social customs, business practices, and political life and interests of Addison County residents in the late 18th and 19th centuries. The Museum has a strong collection of furniture, particularly those whose provenance is Vermont and Addison County; portraits and paintings of Addison County residents and scenes; household objects; personal artifacts; textiles; and clothing.  They are exhibited throughout the 1829 Judd-Harris House and often included in the Museum’s temporary exhibits.

Banner image: Middlebury Falls, James Hope, ca. 1850-1859, collection of Henry Sheldon Museum