Welcome to the Vermont Granite Museum and Stone Arts School (VGM/SAS).  Our museum and school is under development.  What that means is that we are working hard to complete the construction of the museum while also hosting guests, designing exhibits, and planning teaching workshops.  We do not yet have regular hours of operation, but I am happy to give tours of the building and our exhibits by appointment.  We especially welcome the opportunity to host group visits or rent our facility for special events and conferences.

Barre is called the “Granite Center of the World”, internationally recognized for high-quality stone, manufacturing, and artistry.  Barre Gray granite, used for products since the late 1700s, was found to be ideal for monumental work due to its even coloring, fine grain, and lack of impurities.  The texture and quality of granite is unmatched for rendering fine carved details which can not be attained with other granites.  In the 1800s immigrants flocked to Barre for the opportunity to work in our booming granite manufacturing industry.

Today, Barre continues to quarry, process and wholesale granite.  Manufacturer’s have diversified and adapted to changing global markets and demands.  In addiiton to the production of granite memorials, our manufacturers also make counter tops, landscape furniture, architectural details, steps curbing and granite for precision testing calibration, while still offering a wealth of stone carvers and artists who  create relief and full sculpture as well as etched designs for a variety of artistic and architectural purposes.

The VGM/SAS has set out to create a stimulating and interactive enviroment for learning about granite, Barre’s impact on national immigrantion, geology, technology, and artistry.  We are housed in the historic Jones Brothers Manufacturing Company in Barre.  The Jones Brothers operation was at one the largest manufacturers in North America in the mid-20th centery, with over 100,000 sf of manufacturing space.  We have preserved 25,000 sf of the original facility.  We hold weekend workshops on stone lettering and carving in our Stone Arts School