MANCHESTER, N.H. – Think “Shakers” and what probably pops into mind are thoughts of austere furniture with simple lines, round wooden boxes, and the song “Simple Gifts.” And then there is the ecstatic worship, celibacy, and communal living, where everyone is a “sister” or “brother.” But even as its membership has all but died out, the “United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing” is the subject of a current exhibition, this one seeking to dispel myths and shine a light on the Shakers as they adopted and adapted to changing times.

The Shakers and the Modern World, at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, N.H., from now until Feb. 16, draws on the museum’s extensive collection of Shaker-related artifacts. Additionally, holdings from nearby Canterbury Shaker Village, celebrating its 50th anniversary as a not-for-profit museum, are also included. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see objects that cannot be regularly viewed by the public for a variety of reasons, including security and climate control considerations.

According to Andrew Spahr, the Currier’s director of collections, The Shakers highlights the “material culture” of this intriguing community. It traces an American story that began with a quest for religious freedom in the late 1700s, later growing into one of the country’s most successful utopian societies, and then ultimately fitting in with the modern world. Although its members were cloistered, they were by no means behind the times, as this exhibition illustrates.

Highlights at the Currier include the first written covenant signed in 1796 by members of the Canterbury community, as well as a missionary Bible, “a religious relic,” once belonging to founder Mother Ann Lee and brought to the settlement in New Hampshire in 1782.

Hoping to create “Heaven on Earth,” the Shakers lived in several self-contained communities scattered throughout the eastern half of the country. Many of their beliefs were progressive in nature, and they were often viewed with skepticism by their neighbors. At Canterbury, their farm, one that encompassed more than 3,000 acres with 300 inhabitants, was under particular scrutiny: Members fought back against local opposition, which culminated in a subpoena demanding a Christmas morning, 1848, appearance to defend financial records. It did not stop there, according to Spahr, as the Shakers were accused of corporal punishment of children and separating families. In the end, all charges were dismissed. Reminders of this persecution is documented in the exhibition with copies of the subpoena, pamphlets from the examination of the Shakers, and a petition warning local residents to “save your children from the Shakers.”

But the Shakers prevailed, as evidenced by artifacts that serve as a testimony to their successes. They embarked on something of a public relations campaign, and commissioned photographers to capture the “blissful” lifestyle within the community; included in the artifacts on display are several stereographs of daily life at the farm.

Music was an important element of community life, and the Shakers published approximately 10,000 songs. They played a wide range of musical instruments, amassed large record collections for their Victrolas, and later, enjoyed television programs ranging from The Lawrence Welk Show to Wall Street Week. One sister noted, “We had fun, and lots of it.” To share their ideals, and, no doubt, to proselytize, they produced the Shaker Manifesto, a regular publication that drew non-member subscribers, in spite of its $100 annual fee.

As a group, the Shakers led the way in the packaging and selling of seeds, as well as the distribution of patent medicines. They were nationally recognized for their innovations in regard to industrial washing machines. As seen at the Currier, the community at Canterbury was particularly known for its spinning wheels, as well as buckets and pails. They were among the first to enjoy modern conveniences such as the telephone and an automobile, and they were on the electric grid before their neighbors. All the while, they preserved their core values of communal living and religious devotion.

Of course, no exhibition highlighting the Shakers would be complete without Shaker furniture (including examples that reflect Victorian tastes), finely crafted boxes, buckets and pails, and fancy work products. Reflecting the need to generate income are items including poplar boxes and cloaks, sold at Christmastime from rented hotel rooms by the sisters.

Spahr concluded, “there is always a Shaker exhibition somewhere”: Just as they intrigued their contemporaries, they continue to arouse curiosity today. “I knew nothing when I began, and I know even less now,” he added. “Every question has a complicated answer.” In the end, the goal of the Currier is to honor the words of Sister Mildred Barker, one of the last of the Shakers, who stated, “I don’t want to be remembered as a chair.”

For more information visit www.currier.org