March 27 – September 7

Featuring commemorative ephemera, unique relics, artworks and personal objects, and contemporary works that respond to the Revolution’s legacy, this special exhibition asks what we choose to remember—and what has been left out—as the public looks back to the founding of our nation. Experience how the Revolution was remembered at key moments – in 1824, 1875, 1975, and even 2025. By pairing revelatory historical objects with evocative contemporary works, this dynamic exhibition asks all of us to reflect on our own role in building our nation today and for the future.

October 9, 2026 – March 7, 2027

The Concord Museum is pleased to be working with internationally renowned conceptual artist Mark Dion on the exhibition, Mark Dion: Eccentric Collectors Like Us. The exhibition will explore questions about why we collect, what we choose to save and display, and the role of museums in transforming the meaning of objects. Known for his innovative artistic practice deconstructing the history of museums, lost and found collections, and the imagined worlds of collectors, Dion will create a whimsical installation that invites visitors into the process of imagining the origins of museums and creating a collection. Inspired by Cummings E. Davis (1816–1896), the visionary and eccentric Concord resident whose curiosity laid the foundation for the Museum’s collection, Dion reimagines the origins of collecting as a profound act of imagination and civic engagement. The installation will be a delightful marriage of Dion’s notoriously humorous and improvisational methodology with the museum’s renown collections and scholarship.

See the lantern from Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride and experience the day when the American Revolution began through dozens of objects that witnessed this momentous day in history.

Experience the world of Concord’s celebrated Transcendentalist authors. See the original study of Ralph Waldo Emerson and explore the personal objects of Henry David Thoreau, including the desk, bed, and chair he brought to Walden Pond. Take a deep dive into the social world of their contemporaries and their political activism.

Explore the rich history and contemporary art of local Indigenous communities who have shaped this region for 12,000 years.

Co-curated with Brittney Peauwe Wunnepog Walley (Nipmuc), Chemacheg Menuhki: Paddle Strong is an exhibition that highlights regional Indigenous history and contemporary textile arts practices. Featuring a fiber basket woven by Walley, Chemacheg Menuhki celebrates the continued presence and resilience of Indigenous communities today.

Experience what life was like in Concord over time through the personal objects, tools, and creations of Concord’s community. Learn about the history of abolition and local social justice movements, agriculture and environmental history, the history of free and enslaved African Americans in Concord, and the experiences of women and children.