Discover Montpelier: History, Theater, and Nature

Montpelier offers several distinct themes for a stay: political architecture and history at the Vermont State House, collections, exhibitions, and educational programs at the Vermont History Museum, performances by Lost Nation Theater, and hiking and ski trails in Hubbard Park. If you’re looking for a hotel in Montpelier, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on. Are you most interested in historic rooms, Vermont history, theater, or trails and views? This question can help you choose the destination based on your interests, without assuming you already have a set itinerary.

Political History and Architecture

The Vermont State House is one of the oldest and best-preserved capitol buildings in the United States. The House chamber and Senate chamber are the oldest active legislative chambers in the United States, and their original interiors have been preserved. This makes the site relevant to two related but distinct interests: preserving a historic capitol and continuing to use its original legislative chambers. If you’re interested in architecture, you can take in the building as a whole; if you’re interested in political history, the active chambers bring the building’s function into focus.

Collections and Theater

The Vermont History Museum is located in the Pavilion Building in downtown Montpelier. It presents the Vermont Historical Society’s collections through exhibitions and educational programs. This gives it a different thematic focus from the State House: the capitol and its active legislative chambers are central there, while the museum interprets collections. For your travel planning, this creates a clear contrast between historic rooms used for legislative business and the interpretation of collections. If you’re more interested in collections and how they are presented than in architectural design and political function, the museum can be a focus in its own right.

A stage is also part of Montpelier’s cultural offerings: Lost Nation Theater is based in Montpelier and presents more than 125 performances a year. The annual number may change. If a specific performance is a deciding factor in your trip, check the current schedule and plan around suitable dates. If theater is a general interest, you can consider it a distinct cultural focus alongside the historical themes.

Trails and Views in Hubbard Park

Hubbard Park appeals to a different kind of traveler. The park has more than 7 miles of hiking and ski trails, offering two distinct activities: hiking and skiing. The park is also home to a 54-foot-tall stone observation tower. From there, you can see Vermont’s small capitol and the mountain ranges beyond it. When planning, you can distinguish between an interest in the trails and a focus on the views from the tower. The view connects the park with sights of both the city and the landscape.

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