Museums Massachusetts
Arlington

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Arlington Historical Society
Arlington, Massachusetts

Cemetery, Historical Society, Library

The Arlington Historical Society promotes and encourages knowledge of the history of the Town of Arlington from its earliest days (1635) to modern times. We preserve, document, and share Arlington history through exhibits at the Smith Museum, through conserving and offering tours of the Jason Russell House, an eighteenth century home and Revolutionary War battle site, and by hosting a yearly lecture series, school group visits, and academic and family researchers. We recently opened an exhibition, "Family Ties: 200 Years of Arlington Town Life" to celebrate our town's 200th Anniversary.

Jason Russell House
Arlington, Massachusetts

Historic House, Historical Society, Library

The Jason Russell House, built in 1740, still bears bullet holes as the site of bloody fighting on the first day of the American Revolution. British soldiers, in retreat from Lexington and Concord, shot and bayoneted Jason Russell on his own doorstep. Eleven other area Minute Men, who had gathered in Arlington, due to its strategic location, also lost their lives here in the April 19, 1775 skirmish.

Schwamb Mill Preservation Trust
Arlington, Massachusetts

History

The Menotomy Minutemen
Arlington, Massachusetts

History

Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum
Arlington, Massachusetts

Art, Culture, History, Historic House

Cyrus Dallin set the highest standard of the most robust American Classicism to date. His historic contribution was to connect the high art of Europe with the themes of America. Patriots, Indians, American War Heroes—each was given the attention and respect of a sensitive, observant man.
After his death, his work was ignored for decades. Many works were lost, abandoned, or thrown away. But enough people enjoyed his work to preserve some portion—a photograph, a sketch, a letter, a model, and, sometimes, an actual sculpture.
History has made the first cut. Now, this is our opportunity to let future generations know what we value. We think Cyrus Dallin was a genius, and we want him to make the big leagues of Art History.

Old Schwamb Mill
Arlington, Massachusetts

Culture, History

Visitors interested in industrial history, woodworking, mechanics -- or simply the ambiance of an ancient, working manufactory in its original historic setting -- are cordially welcomed to the Mill.

Today The Old Schwamb Mill continues to produce museum quality hand turned wooden oval and circular frames. See an interesting variety of frames and profile styles that have been produced since the Schwambs first began operations here in 1864. See the production of a frame and hear what the woodworker, who makes the frames, has to say about his work. Learn how the lathes work.

The three Mill buildings (Mill, Dryhouse, and Barn), including the woodworking shop floor in the Mill are open for tours.

Smith Museum
Arlington, Massachusetts

Cemetery, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library

The museum was completed in 1980 with funds contributed by Elizabeth Smith in memory of her father George A. Smith and her grandfather, Samuel Abbot Smith. The museum houses exhibits and the Society's collection of artifacts, manuscripts, and other Arlington memorabilia. The Smith Museum is handicapped accessible.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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