Interested in attending an evening at the opera? Seeing the latest historical or art exhibit at one of several museums? Taking a pottery class? Finding violin lessons for your child? Taking in a world-class performance or art exhibit? Previewing powerful films by first time filmmakers? You can do all of that and more right in Middlebury, home to an arts and culture scene that rivals big cities.

The Henry Sheldon Museum is the oldest community history museum in the country and features changing art and history exhibits along with our permanent collection. A few doors down from the Sheldon Museum is the Vermont Folklife Center, a nationally known folklife education organization which often presents ethnographically framed, ethically engaged documentary exhibits. Middlebury College Museum of Art’s  collection includes several thousand objects ranging from antiquities to contemporary art as well as distinguished collections of Asian art, photography, 19th-century European and American sculpture, and contemporary prints.

One of Middlebury’s cultural gems is The Town Hall Theater, which hosts plays and musicals, dance and acting classes for children and adults, live HD broadcasts, benefits for area non-profits, wedding receptions, corporate meetings and the Opera Company of Middlebury, which brings quality live opera productions and other experiences to our community.

Middlebury College provides its students and members of the community a wealth of cultural and artistic opportunities, with renowned speakers and world-class performance and visual art, hosted at the Mahaney Arts Center.

Want to dive into the arts yourself? The Middlebury Studio School offers a number of assorted classes including pottery, painting and drawing for children and adults. And the Middlebury Community Music Center offers private lessons, group classes, camps and workshops to students of all ages.

Every August, Middlebury brings film-lovers from across the country to celebrate new filmmakers with the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, a juried competition among first and second time filmmakers. The MNFF also annually presents its Winter/Spring Screening Series at the Town Hall Theater in a monthly exhibition of heralded feature films by prominent first and second time directors.

Also happening every summer, the beloved Festival on the Green invites you to plop a blanket on the grass and picnic next to your neighbors while you enjoy an afternoon or evening of free entertainment on the central town green.

Right in the center of our downtown sits the Marquis Theater, a boutique movie theater offering a cafe, a wide variety of live events as well as the newest big screen hits.