New Hampshire is known for a few great things, and skiing is one of them. With the White Mountains situated just a three hour drive from Boston, this state offers some of the best skiing in New England. In addition to hitting the slopes, visitors can learn the history of the sport at the New England Ski Museum.

The museum has been operating out of Franconia Notch State Park since 1982 with the mission to preserve and exhibit elements of ski history. You might be surprised how deep that history goes.

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Their permanent exhibit shows a timeline of the ski sport that spans over 8,000 years. Beginning in prehistoric time (apparently cavemen skied) and running up to the 1990s and a series of important ski competition wins.

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The museum is informative and fun, showcasing artifacts from the journey of skiing as a sport and rotating exhibitions of artwork related to skiing, for example, ski photography.

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After a visit to the museum, head to the history Thayers Inn in nearby Littleton. The Inn was built in 1840 and was a contemporary wonder at the time, with amenities no other local hotel offered.

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Now it continues to blend historic charm and modern offerings from its Greek-revival building on Main Street in Littleton. Rooms range from a classic one-bed hotel style to larger, multi-bedroom family suites for accommodating big groups.

Thayersinn.com

Thayers has played host to celebrities like P.T. Barnum, Henry Ford, arctic explorer Commander Robert E. Peary, and Bette Davis. Not a bad crowd to run with. Or rather, ski with.

Thayersinn.com

If you’re heading to the White Mountains for a ski adventure, or just to relax, pop in to the New England Ski Museum to experience the rich and unexpected history of the sport.

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Thayersinn.com

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Address: New England Ski Museum, 135 Tramway Dr, Franconia, NH 03580, USA