Bennington's Covered Bridge Museum is Open Again!

Now part of the Monument Arts and Cultural Center

 

 

 

BENNINGTON — The Vermont Covered Bridge Museum, formerly a part of the Bennington Center for the Arts, has reopened. The museum is now a part of Bennington's Monument Arts and Cultural Center.

The center is located at 44 Gypsy Lane in Bennington, Vermont. The winter hours are listed as Saturday and Sunday from 12PM to 4PM. Call the Center to check for the current schedule and operating times at 802-318-4444.

The Monument Arts and Cultural Center has been open for about two years. The Covered Bridge Gallery has been opened for about a year now.

Don Trachte, "the curator, creator, and carpenter" of the center, contacted us some time ago to let us know that the museum had reopened. Don was featured in a video recorded in February 2025 where he presents the Monument Arts and Cultural Center: Don Trachte and the Monument Arts and Cultural Center.

In this latest chapter, the museum named "Portals to the Past", features Vermont's covered bridges in art and history. There are displays featuring various bridge truss designs and some of the tools that were used in their construction. You will also find a number of covered bridge models for your enjoyment and education. An art and literature collection of 20th century author Eric Sloane are on display as well as a number of covered bridge paintings. Some of the paintings are available for purchase. The exhibit features a map that shows the locations of the currently existing covered bridges in Vermont. The map also shows the locations of covered bridges that have been lost over the centuries. There is a wall display of photos of some of these bridges.

Also included here is a presentation that the center has put together as an overview of the galleries and exhibits. Click the link to view the presentation.

The museum was originally opened as part of the Bennington Center for the Arts in June 2003 by the husband and wife team of Bruce Laumeister and Elizabeth Small. Here is an article from the VCBS archives that captured the day: Covered Bridge Museum Opened.

The entire Art Center was given as a gift to Southern Vermont College in 2017. In 2019 we were made aware that the Art Center and the museum was closed. It was reported that due to financial difficulties the college was trying to sell Art Center. At that time Bruce Laumeister initiated a lawsuit to annul his gift of the Arts Center to the college: Arts center founder wants to annul gift to SVC.

Here is an addition historical item describing the first version of the museum from our Spring 2018 edition of the Bridger newsletter: A Visit to the Covered Bridge Museum.

We appreciate Don reaching out and letting us know that the covered bridge museum, now named "Portal to the Past", is opened again. Hopefully you will find your way to Bennington to enjoy all that the Monument Arts and Cultural Center has to offer.