Hanover is home to Dartmouth College, a member of the elite Ivy League. We think the Dartmouth campus is worth investigating to see Hopkins Center, architect Wallace Harrison's prototype for the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. A reservoir of culture, Hopkins Center presents works of music, dance and theater by students and professionals alike. Art galleries abound at the university. In particular, be sure to visit the Hood Museum of Art—a fine collection ranging from centuries-old Asian art to the 20th-century works of Frank Stella. And take an hour or so to see the impressive murals by Mexican artist Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949) in the Baker Memorial Library.
The Dartmouth Winter Carnival (snow sculptures, musical performances) is held in Hanover every February. Hanover is also a convenient departure point for those hiking the Appalachian Trail, which extends 2,050 mi/3,300 km along the entire Appalachian range from Georgia to Maine and bisects central New Hampshire.
While in the area, visit the St.-Gaudens Historic Site in Cornish, which contains the house and estate of sculptor Augustus St.-Gaudens. His Shaw Memorial, depicting an all-black Union regiment in the Civil War (subject of the 1989 movie Glory), can be seen in Boston; the Farragut Monument is in New York; and his Seated Lincoln is installed in Chicago. St.-Gaudens established a colony of writers and artists in Cornish. Surrounded by lovely formal gardens, the artist's studios contain many of his works, from cameos to monuments. Take time to visit the Cornish Colony Museum to view more works by local artists, including Maxfield Parrish.
Those interested in colonial life will want to visit the Fort at No. 4 Living History Museum in Charlestown, a reconstructed fort from the 1700s that now houses exhibits and demonstrations of colonial crafts. Hanover is 55 mi/90 km northwest of Concord.
