Fort Ticonderoga recently announced a new schedule of premium programs and tours this summer. Visitors will have the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes, tour the fort before and after hours, and delve deep into Ticonderoga’s epic history and natural beauty.
A NEW experience ARMING THE REDCOATS allows visitors to go beyond the exhibit cases with Fort Ticonderoga Curator Dr. Matthew Keagle and handle original rare weapons from Fort Ticonderoga’s Museum collection. Follow the artifacts’ evidence, revealing the industrial systems employed by the British military to develop the weapons used to conquer the world in the 18th century.
“Premium and behind-the-scenes programs provide guests an opportunity to enrich their Fort Ticonderoga experience through tours and demonstrations, focusing on unique parts of history, led by our staff of knowledgeable and engaging historians,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga president and CEO. “These tours and events are perfect for a family outing, a memorable activity with friends, or for individual enjoyment.”
Visitors can choose from the following programs and tickets can be purchased online. To learn more about Fort Ticonderoga’s premium programs, visit www.fortticonderoga.org. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Some blackout dates apply.
- Drinks & Drama – Learn what the founding fathers were doing when nobody was looking. Between the battles, the men and women stationed at Ticonderoga from 1755 to 1781 endured scandals, hijinks, and above all…drama! Join Fort Ticonderoga’s Curator for a different look, and taste, of the past. Tawdry and tantalizing historical tidbits from Ticonderoga’s past will be paired with historic libations for an unforgettable experience with the past. You must be 21+ to attend.
- July 18 and August 8 @ 5:30pm
- Arming the Redcoats – How did the redcoats get their guns? How heavy was a “brown-Bess”? Is that even the right name? Get the answers to these and more questions with the Curator of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum in this one-of-a-kind behind-the-scenes, hands-on program. After you receive training in handling artifacts this program will allow you to handle original weapons from Fort Ticonderoga’s collection. Go beyond the exhibit case, to follow the evidence on these artifacts that reveal the industrial systems employed by the British military to develop the weapons used to conquer the world in the 18th century.
- Tuesdays through August 8 @ 3pm
- Guns by Night – The flash of musketry and the roar of cannon fire by night will captivate you in this unique, 90-minute tour and demonstration of 18th-century firepower. Explore the workings of the firelocks and cannon that armed the many garrisons of Fort Ticonderoga that influenced and shaped the importance of this strategic citadel. Learn how these great guns were used to attack and defend the fort during the French and Indian War and made it such an important prize in the American Revolution.
- Thursdays through August 24 @ 8pm
- Sunset Boat Cruise on Lake Champlain – Revel in the region’s scenic beauty aboard the Carillon, a 1920s-style tour boat. Toast to the King’s health with a complimentary cocktail of soldiers’ rum punch as you discover Ticonderoga’s rich maritime history. A selection of beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks, and signature cocktails will be available.
- July 15, 22, 29; August 4, 12 @ 6:30-8pm | August 19 & 26 @ 6-7:30pm
- Cannon & Coffee – Enter Fort Ticonderoga before the public in this new program that explores the world-class collection of 18th century artillery. Spanning the Atlantic Ocean from the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions all the way to the Spanish American War and WWI, learn how historians can read these pieces and discover what they have to tell us about military history. Fresh coffee in a keep-sake Fort Ticonderoga mug included!
- July 14, 28; August 4, 11 @ 8:30am
- Pavilion Tour – Delve into the exquisite details of the newly restored 1826 Pell Pavilion, enjoying the treasured family tales within each room and each amazing object on display. This entertaining 60-minute tour examines the evolution of this National Historic Landmark, from summer home to hotel, its renovation in 1909, and its most recent complete restoration. Explore incredible examples of the museum’s furniture, decorative arts, and archaeological remains from the Pavilion on exhibit for the very first time.
- Tuesdays August 1-October 3 @ 1:30pm
About Fort Ticonderoga
Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga is a historic site, museum, center of learning and major cultural destination. Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors each year on site with an economic impact of more than $12 million annually and offers programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year, and is open for daily visitation May through October. Fort Ticonderoga is owned and operated by The Fort Ticonderoga Association, a non-profit educational organization which serves its mission to preserve, educate and provoke an active discussion about the past and its importance to present and future generations. Fort Ticonderoga reaches more than 30 million people through its digital outreach each year through its Center for Digital History and is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts. To view Fort Ticonderoga’s electronic press kit, click here. © The Fort Ticonderoga Association. 2023 All Rights Reserved.