The Durham Historic Association, established in 1851,  has honored Durham’s history and served the town in myriad ways. Since 1961, the Association has maintained a museum on the second floor of the old Town Hall that houses a growing collection of objects related to Durham, as well as archives of local and genealogical interest. Members of the Association are currently working toward focusing the collection to better showcase the Museum's holdings.

The Association has also sponsored the publication and reprinting of local histories sold through the museum. In 1985 the Association published the book Durham, New Hampshire: A History 1900-1985, an invaluable resource for students of local history.

The full-color pictorial brochure, "A Walking Tour," published by the Association in 1992 through a collaborative effort of the Association and the University of New Hampshire's Kellogg Program Office, provides highlights of the Durham Historic District. Copies of the brochure may be purchased inexpensively at the museum.

Meetings of the Association, often with scheduled programs or lectures, are always open to the public.