Museums Massachusetts History
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The Asa Waters Mansion
Millbury, Massachusetts

Culture, History, Historic House, Historical Society

Asa Waters II was born in 1769 in the section of Sutton which later became Millbury in 1813. He learned the art of gunsmithing in his father’s shop. Because of lucrative government contracts, the armory, which he and his brother founded, prospered. He was founder of the Millbury Bank and became a State Representative in 1823.
His plan to erect the stateliest residence in the country for his wife, Susan Holman Waters, was set in motion in 1824. Two years were required to gather the necessary materials for the Mansion. This period pre-dated the Blackstone Canal and the railroad. All imported goods had to be carted from the port of Boston by horse and wagon in Millbury.

The Bartlett Museum
Amesbury, Massachusetts

History

The Brocklebank Museum
Georgetown, Massachusetts

History

The Menotomy Minutemen
Arlington, Massachusetts

History

The Quincy 2000 Corporation
Quincy, Massachusetts

History

The Sports Museum of New England
Boston, Massachusetts

General, History, Specialized

At The Sports Museum, we celebrate the character of Boston sports -- the unique brand of teamwork, determination, responsibility, courage, fairness, and other qualities of character possessed by our teams and athletes that make Boston "The Greatest Sports City in America." Equally important, we use this distinctly rich heritage to help build character in kids so that they can stand strong in the face of drugs, violence, and other dangers.

Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods
Lincoln, Massachusetts

History, Library, Specialized

The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods collects research materials relating to Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), his historical context, and his contemporary relevance to environmental and human-rights issues. It provides the most comprehensive body of Thoreau-related material available in one place, consisting of 8,000 books and over 50,000 items, including manuscripts, clippings, articles, correspondence of Thoreau scholars, photographs, maps and surveys, personal histories, slides, scrapbooks, ephemera, and realia. While not a lending library, its collections are available for use by appointment by any qualified individual. The Curator will also provide limited reference services.

Topsfield Historical Society
Topsfield, Massachusetts

History, Historic House, Historical Society

The Topsfield Historical Society preserves and maintains the 1683 Parson Capen House, one of the finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in America, the 1710 Captain Joseph Gould Barn, a variety of artifacts, and an extensive records collection. The Society also sponsors a wide variety of events and programs throughout the year.

Tsongas Industrial History Center
Lowell, Massachusetts

History

The Attleboro Museum
Attleboro, Massachusetts

History

The Boston Historical Society and Museum
Boston, Massachusetts

History, Historical Society

The Mary Baker Eddy Library
Boston, Massachusetts

Culture, History, Library

Explore the extraordinary life and achievements of Mary Baker Eddy, who defied conventional 19th-century thinking to become an influential religious leader, publisher, teacher, and businesswoman. The museum also houses the famous Mapparium®, an achievement in art and architecture.

The Oral History Center
Boston, Massachusetts

History

The Sargent House Museum
Gloucester, Massachusetts

History, Historic House, Library

For over 100 years, the Sargent House Museum was the home of sea merchants, patriots and community leaders. A fine example of high-style Georgian domestic architecture, the house was built in 1782 for Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820), a philosopher, writer and an early advocate of social justice.
Visitors to the Sargent House Museum learn about the early history of Gloucester from its beginnings as a farming and lumbering outpost to its evolution into the country’s premier seaport. Visitors will also see a collection of original works by the great portrait painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) who traces his roots back to Judith Sargent Murray and Colonial Gloucester.

The Waltham Historical Society
Waltham, Massachusetts

General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library

Several prominent Waltham businessmen gathered together in 1913 and founded an historical society to preserve and promote the history of their City. The dozen or so Charter Members have grown to over 300 in the intervening years. The predominantly Yankee Society has expanded to include every ethnic group which settled in the City, and welcomes recent immigrants to learn about their new home. Currently the Waltham Historical Society presents a lecture every other month on either an aspect of Waltham history, or how Waltham fits into the Nation’s history. Through the generosity of Mr. Fred Kimberk, office space at 760 Main Street has allowed us to open an exhibit area to display photos and artifacts from our collection.

Thornton W. Burgess Society
East Sandwich, Massachusetts

History

Town of Leverett Historical Commission
Leverett, Massachusetts

History

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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