This exhibition had as its centerpiece the reconstruction of a boat like the one Henry Thoreau and his brother John rowed and sailed in a trip they took from Concord, Massachusetts to New Hampshire in 1839. It was this trip, in this boat, that resulted in Henry Thoreau’s first book, A Week on the Concord and […]

In the 1920s and 30s, Russell Kettell, collector and author of the now classic books Pine Furniture and Early American Rooms, defined an aesthetic that helped shape the appreciation of American domestic art and craft. His book on period rooms, compiled with the help of the first generation of American museum professionals to interpret American […]

The four seasons—winter, spring, summer and fall—evoke distinctive individual memories, yet often with universal appeal. This engaging exhibition drew from the artifacts in the Concord Museum’s rich and varied collection to explore some of the nostalgic events, traditions, and rituals of each season in American culture. Opening to the public on the first full day […]

In Concord, we often say, there is history on every street corner.  And at the Concord Museum, we take that literally. How and when were today’s streets named? The answers are interesting ones that bring a human connection to the familiar green and white signs on Concord’s street corners.  To tell the story behind the […]

This special exhibition showcased over 100 pieces of porcelain used by American presidents from Washington to Lincoln and Roosevelt to Reagan as they entertained the world’s heads of state, distinguished literati, business leaders and cultural luminaries at the national “First Table.” This visual history of the American presidency was sure to fascinate anyone with an […]

This juried exhibition of furniture, jewelry, musical instruments and fine bookbindings was crafted by 55 distinguished alumni of the renowned North Bennet Street School in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the school in Boston’s North End.

The Concord Museum celebrated the 375th anniversary of the founding of the town of Concord with a special exhibition, "into your hands…" featuring objects that have been passed down in Concord’s families and then entrusted to the Concord Museum. The exhibition included portraits, jewelry, needlework, ceramics, clothing, furniture, clocks and silver, all donated to the Concord Museum […]

Rarely exhibited, the quilts on view in this special exhibition ranged from doll size to full size, and included bold geometrics, traditional patchwork, signature quilts and crazy quilts, most dating from the second half of the nineteenth century. Also included in the exhibition were patterns, quilt tops, shams and sewing tools. Each quilt on exhibit had […]

When Duty Whispers: Concord and the Civil War featured objects from the Concord Museum collection—some never before exhibited—including uniforms, accoutrements, arms, swords, flags, broadsides, portraits, correspondence and newspapers. The exhibition also brought together selections from the remarkable collections of the William Munroe Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library; an extraordinary group of Gettysburg relics […]

In the fall of 2011, the Concord Museum marked the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the Concord Antiquarian Society in 1886. Pulitzer-prize winning author, historian, and Concord resident Doris Kearns Goodwin served as the Honorary Curator for the exhibition. A cross-section of the individuals who make up the Museum’s diverse community served as Guest Curators […]

This innovative exhibition explored treasures from the Massachusetts Historical Society from a variety of perspectives—as items associated with important historical figures or events; as objects of beauty; as exceptional survivals […]

Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage charted a new direction for one of America’s best-known living photographers. Unlike her staged and carefully lit portraits made on assignment for magazines and advertising clients, the photographs […]