Castle in the Clouds offers Moultonborough residents free admission for opening day

Moultonborough residents are offered free admission on opening day with proof of residency and photo identification. At 8 p.m., the castle invites the public to its first stargazing program of the year. This program is free and begins with a night sky talk in the Carriage House provided by the New Hampshire Astronomical Society. Other programs planned for this season include an overnight family camp out, specialty tours focused on architecture, technology and furnishings, guided walks of the Brook Walk trail, New Hampshire Humanities lectures on music history and cellar holes, and Castle After Hours, solar gazing, yoga on the lawn, Family Fun Day, and Open Air Landscape Art. The Castle Car Show is returning to the field by Shannon Pond on Saturday, July 6, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with a collection of automobiles from turn of the 20th century to present day.

The Carriage House Restaurant will also open for the season, as well as the gift shop. The library will have a refreshed stone facade after undergoing spring restoration. “To prevent interior water damage, masons are re-pointing the stones that make up this end’s exterior facade, which involves documenting and removing each stone and re-installing it in its original position with new mortar,” said Curator Robin Sherman. “The timber rafter tails and exterior framing around the windows that have decayed over the years are also being restored.” In addition to tours of the main two floors of the mansion, visitors can take guided basement tours. Basement tours take place daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., and tickets are available online in advance and in the gift shop based on availability.