Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth — Live Webcam Online

The Historic Puddle Dock District — Heart of Old Portsmouth

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is one of the oldest cities in New England, and it is home to a unique open-air museum that you can watch through a live webcam. Strawbery Banke is a museum spanning nearly 10 acres, located in the South End neighborhood of historic Portsmouth. The Puddle Dock district is considered the oldest European-settled neighborhood in New Hampshire, and the earliest surviving one in the city.

The district's name comes from a waterway that was once used for mooring ships. Puddle Dock was filled in around 1900, and today an ice skating rink sits on the site of the former wharf — the very rink shown on the live webcam.

Architecture of Three Centuries

The buildings in the Puddle Dock district were constructed between the 17th and 19th centuries and feature colonial, Georgian, and Federal architectural styles. The museum grounds contain 39 historic buildings, most of which stand on their original foundations. Nine houses are open to visitors with period-appropriate historical furnishings.

Red brick facades, wooden cornices, shutters — all of this can be seen on the webcam broadcast. The museum employs costumed actors and craftspeople who recreate family life based on diaries, letters, and historical documents. Visitors can move from house to house and from century to century — from Native peoples, whose artifacts here date back 10,000–12,000 years, to the mid-20th century.

Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond

The central feature shown on the live camera is the outdoor ice rink Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, located on the museum grounds at 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801. The rink is surrounded by a wooden fence, with historic colonial-style buildings rising in the background.

Skate rentals are available at the rink in sizes from toddler 6 to adult 14. Training aids and sharpening services are also offered. Special devices are available for the youngest visitors to help them stay on the ice. The rink area features a pavilion with a rubber floor where rentals are stored and where visitors can comfortably change their shoes.

The rink offers public skating, pond hockey for kids and adults, and skating lessons for all ages. Free sessions for everyone are held several times a week.

Seasonality: What Changes on the Broadcast

The Strawbery Banke webcam shows the same landscape, but it looks completely different in different seasons. In winter, it is a bustling ice rink with people in warm clothing, clouds of steam, and bright evening lighting. The ice rink transforms the historic district into a winter wonderland against a backdrop of red brick facades.

When the snow melts, the rink becomes a historic open space — Puddle Dock regains its form as an open area, as it was before being filled in. In summer, festivals, theatrical performances, and educational programs are held here. The trees around the rink turn green, and the landscape becomes entirely different — but no less picturesque.

How to Get to Strawbery Banke Museum

The museum is located in downtown Portsmouth at the intersection of Hancock and Marcy streets. GPS coordinates: N43°4.4919, W070°45.198. For those planning to visit in person, there is free parking at the main lot on Hancock Street, with additional spaces available in case of overflow.

Parking on the museum's own grounds is limited. The Hanover Street and Foundry Garages are located nearby. Parking may be unavailable during special events, so it is best to check conditions in advance.

Events and Programs for Visitors

Strawbery Banke is not just a museum — it is a living cultural space. Tours, festivals, and special celebrations are held here year-round. Among the regular events are the New England BIPOC Fest and New England Hot Sauce Fest (the 5th annual hot sauce festival).

For families with children, a homeschool program is available with morning and afternoon sessions. A general admission ticket to the museum is valid for two consecutive days, and most visitors spend between 2 and 4 hours here.

Practical Information for Visitors

Museum hours vary by season: historic houses are open in spring and fall, the rink operates in winter, and events and programs run year-round. Skating tickets can be purchased online in advance — Strawbery Banke does not transfer purchased tickets to another date outside the 24-hour window.

If you are planning a trip to Portsmouth, the live webcam allows you to assess the situation on-site in advance — see how many people are on the rink, what the weather is like, and whether the ice is ready for skating.

What You Can See on the Camera

The live camera shows the outdoor ice rink — Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond — with a wooden fence around the perimeter. People are skating on the ice, including children using training aids. In the background, historic colonial-style buildings are visible — a large red brick building and other structures in the Puddle Dock district. Trees and elements of urban development in Portsmouth's historic South End can be seen in the distance. The skate rental pavilion is in the frame — its rubber floor provides a safe walking surface in skates. The broadcast is live, allowing you to observe the life of one of New Hampshire's oldest neighborhoods from anywhere in the world.