Being the largest city in New Hampshire doesn't necessarily mean huge. That's obvious from the fact that a person in a Manchester zip code only has just over 100,000 neighbors living in the city too. That might be small compared to most major cities in other states, but it's large enough so that residents don't have to make cleaning their aquarium filters the focal point of their weekend. Indeed, the city has a large array of arts and entertainment options for those who live here and for those who visit. Let's take a look at some highlights.

The Palace Theatre

One of the city's greatest landmarks and a great place to spend an evening is the Palace Theatre. This theatre has stood in the city for almost a full century, a reminder of bygone days when Vaudeville was still the most popular form of entertainment to be found. The Theatre hit some hard times in the middle of the 20th century, but has since been restored and is open for business in the 21st. People flock from miles around to see the major performing arts groups who come to the Palace and put on shows about pirates who get cash for gold jewelry, concerts from symphony orchestras, and so on. It's made even more popular by the fact it is the only theatre of its kind left in the state.

Currier Museum of Art

If art is your interest, you are going to want to check out this museum, famous at an international level. Whereas gold bullion prices may go up and down over time, art has proven to be one of the most enduring investments of wealth that has ever been. There are dozens of different displays, both permanent and temporary, housed in the Currier Museum. You'll find statues, paintings, and photographs from a broad range of American and European artists housed here.

Franco-American Center

This far north, it's not uncommon to find populations of people with a strong French background. In fact, it's one of the few places in the United States where a common sight is a French language school. Toronto and other Canadian cities have these as a matter of course, but then French Canada makes up a large component of the country's identity.

The same ancestral background is attributed to many of the residents of New Hampshire, thus the existence of the Franco-American Center. Here, you will become acquainted with the historic role French immigrants had in the development of the United States. It's a story seldom told and heard, so if you are like Dennis Gartman and enjoy learning new tidbits about the history of our nation, the Center is definitely worth checking out.