Thousands of avid fishermen (and women) take part in this pastime every year, and a significant portion of them make a trip to the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, Vermont. Located in the same general Ludlow, Vermont region as the Calvin Coolidge boyhood home, the American Precision Museum and Norman Rockwell Museum, this unique collection is one part of an impressive effort to preserve American History.
Exhibits at the American Museum of Fly Fishing feature the history of the sport, samples of equipment and flies, as well as paintings and sculptures. Fly-fishing tackle of well-known Americans is on display as well. Visitors can view the equipment used by Andrew Carnegie and Ernest Hemingway, as well as that of one or two U.S. presidents.
Located on Route 7A near Manchester, Vermont, the American Museum of Fly Fishing was opened in 1968 to "preserve and exhibit treasures of American angling." In its 40 years of operation, the museum has become home to the largest collection of fly-fishing related items on the planet. Museum items date back as far as the 1500s, with rods, reels, flies, books, art and more filling the exhibits.
A current exhibit attempts to capture centuries of fly-fishing history under the umbrella term of Anglers All: Humanity in Midstream. A new exhibit, The Sporting Grand Tour, is planned for 2008.
The American Museum of Fly Fishing is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on major holidays. Admission cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children. More information is available by calling (802) 362-3300.
