rokeby

We visited this museum on a weekday. There were no tours and the main houses were closed. The museum is new and attractive with lots of written information to read-really way too much for most people. Disappointing that there were not more things to see as it was quite expensive.

Wow! This really is a very bad museum!! The owner of this property was once against slavery and even let black people work for him!! That's all; that's his contribution. Otherwise, there is a grand exhibit about how slavery really was quite bad, and a hike to a waterfall (really more of a water-fountain). It's a nice Vermont house and property. That's all. Call a realtor and look at a farm and you've pretty much got this. In case you didn't know, Vermont wasn't too important when it comes to slavery, but it's clear that it aspires to be. Skip it. Go to the Billings farm, Maritime Museum, or Shelburne Museum, all of which are actually interesting and save yourself from the disappointment of learning about Vermont's rich history of being between Dixie and Canada

I expected a museum about the underground railroad and got much much more. the tour guide was extremely informative and made the history of the site come alive.It is a lovvely place to have a picnic and they also had an ice cream social the week I was there - yum yum!If there is anything to to complain about it is the lack of signage on the road approaching the museum. We were told this was due a local law. It is a shame because I am sure many people are missing this treasure.

We didn't have time for a tour of the main house (docent-led tours leave at certain times) but we very much enjoyed the Underground Railroad exhibit in the new building. Although there aren't many historic artifacts, the signage and the recorded stories were amazing. Although I've read some about this period, I learned a lot! Wouldn't recommend it for younger kids though.

We visited Rokeby last summer and came back this summer to see the new building. The staff members were friendly and knowledgeable! The house tour was even better than last year, as one room which used to be an office now has artifacts on display. The house tour is not wheel chair accessible. The new building is beautifully built, and is wheelchair accessible. The exhibit is interesting and educational. The new building has 3 real restrooms, and a water fountain. Before there was only a porta potty. This is a great museum and we will definitely come back.

My husband and I visited the site - museum and outbuilding one day and returned the next day for a tour of the house. The young woman Elena in the museum was wonderful ----------- the tour guide for the house was not. Four children were on the tour but a young boy of 10 dominated the tour. The guide did little to control the situation and paid far too much attention to him (his grandfather did not control his nonstop questions and talking either).The guide spoke too long about topics that were not pertinent to the house's history or the "underground railroad". We learned little about the house but a lot of hot standing time was wasted with extraneous trivia. I hope that as the museum develops better training is provided for guides. The brochure we were given stated the tour times as 11 and 2. The 11 a.m. tour is now scheduled for 11:30

Rokeby is a fascinating place that tells the story of the so-called "underground railroad" in Vermont. This was my first visit (Like a previous reviewer, I had tried several times but always found it closed. I finally researched tour times ahead of time). The tour guide for our house tour was not very good, but site's new visitor center, which opened in the spring of 2013, has a fabulous exhibit that profiles two escaped slaves connected to the site. Well worth a visit.

This is a wonderful little museum, trying to preserve the history of the area with regards to the Underground Railroad.

Rokeby was a farm owned by four generations of one family in Ferrisburg, VT and my husband and I stopped in several times in the past, when driving by, but it was always on a day the museum was closed. Finally (!) we planned ahead and checked the website to make sure we went on a day they were open and we're so glad we did! Ellen was our tour guide and had not only a vast amount of information to share but also an obvious appreciation of the family history. Rokeby Museum is building an information center about the underground railroad which will be open more often and which will allow more rooms in the house to be used to display more of the collection. After the house tour, you can visit the outbuildings which give you a sense of life on a farm.

Loved the tour and the guide. An interesting place. We also had the director speak at our Historical Society meeting. She taught us a lot - very good speaker