Fleur de Fou

While going to the movies is always a great way to spend an evening, the experience of catching one of the latest box office hits gets taken to a higher, classier level when you plan to see a movie at the Commodore Theatre in Portsmouth. This luxurious theater was originally built in 1945 and was recently renovated in an eye-catching Art Deco style. But don't let the vintage trappings fool you–your movie-watching experience will prove to be quite a cutting edge entertainment experience thanks to the facility's state-of-the-art sound and projection technology.

The John Cary Weston House is a structure that figures significantly into the area's history. Upon first glance, you will be struck by its Richardson Romanesque Revival architecture which is adorned by a granite ashlar with brownstone trim. The building has served many purposes, some of which were a Presbyterian church and a Christian Science center. Tours are available during regular business hours.

The kids will love learning about the history and tradition of lightships and their nautical significance when you visit the Lightship Portsmouth Museum. Lightships were originally known as “floating lighthouses” that guide ships into harbors our out to sea. Their legacy is kept alive thanks to the preservation of Lightship Portsmouth, a vessel that now serves as a museum to tell its story and of similar types of watercraft through exciting exhibits and attractions.

Thoughts and feelings always need to be expressed. Artists who express their unique thoughts and feelings usually convey them through a variety of media, but the original spirit is always the same–to communicate their story to as many people as possible. That type of expression is at the heart of all of the incredible exhibits and displays that you will discover at the Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center. Through the many traveling exhibits and special programs, visitors can uncover the stories behind some of the world's most fascinating cultures as told through paintings, sculptures, pottery and more.