Latest Press Releases / Media Fact Sheet / Media Assistance Request

Old Sturbridge Village January Attendance Up 23%

(Sturbridge, MA) February 5, 2008 - Old Sturbridge Village President and CEO James E. Donahue announced today that attendance during January 2008 increased 23% over the same period in 2007 and also set a record for the highest January attendance at the museum in the last ten years, since January 1998.

"If January is any indication, this could be one of our best years of the decade," Donahue said. "To see double-digit attendance increases in January - one of our coldest and snowiest months - is an extremely good sign that we will continue attendance gains during the spring and summer, when we often have thousands of visitors in a single day."

Last month 4,016 people visited Old Sturbridge Village, a 23% attendance increase over the January 2006 total of 3,259. During the winter months, OSV offers a mix of warm indoor activities and active outdoor events -- from sleigh rides and vintage ice harvesting during the recent "Fire and Ice" celebration, to indoor hands-on crafts and hearthside cooking.

The gain in attendance is the latest in a series of promising developments at Old Sturbridge Village, including a successful two-year $1.83 million fund-raising effort spurred by a $1 million matching grant from an anonymous donor, and a separate $1 million state grant awarded in 2006. Also in 2007, members contributed more than $100,000 to the OSV Annual Fund, and the village received a $200,000 grant to support educational outreach.

In addition, since re-opening its Oliver Wight Tavern last year, OSV has attracted sell-out crowds for many of the Tavern's special events, including its Harvest Beer Dinner, Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas by Candlelight buffets.
"Business at the Tavern is definitely running ahead of plan," Donahue said. "We have already added a Sunday brunch offering in addition to the weekday luncheon buffet, and wedding and business function bookings have been strong."

While most outdoor history museums close for the colder months, OSV is open year-round, closing only on Mondays during the winter. "The village is beautiful this time of year and some of our most popular family activities are available only during the winter," Donahue said.

Looking ahead, village historians and education staff members are gearing up for what is traditionally one of the busiest weeks of the year - School Vacation Week Feb. 16-24. OSV is planning dozens of daily crafts and activities for kids and families, including a "Washington's Birthday Ball," "Hairdressing 1830s Style," scavenger hunts and magic shows. Plus, everyone named "George" or "Martha" gets free admission on President's Day.

Old Sturbridge Village is one of the country's oldest living history museums, and is the largest in New England, with more than 40 restored antique buildings - farmhouses, churches, working mills, and more - on 200 acres of fields and woods. Famous for its staff of costumed historic interpreters, OSV recreates life in a working farm village from 1790 to 1840, and has been a favorite destination for millions of schoolchildren for more than 60 years.

Old Sturbridge Village is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tues. - Sun. Admission: $20; seniors $18; children 3-17, $6; children under 3, free. For details: www.osv.org or call 1-800-SEE-1830.