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FEBRUARY

Saturday, February 18, 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Sunday, February 19, Noon to 4:00 PM

N-Scale Model Train Show

Join the Northeast NTRAK Modular Railroad Club for a February vacation weekend of fun. Proceeds will benefit both organizations. Admission: $5/individual; $5/family (members of either organization); $7/family (non-members).  

MARCH

Courtesy of Tony Horwitz

Saturday, March 10, 2:00 p.m.

Lecture

Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Civil War

Plotted in secret, launched in the dark, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry ruptured the union between North and South. Yet few Americans know the true story of the militant idealists who invaded Virginia before the Civil War. Come hear bestselling author Tony Horwitz paint a telling portrait of a volatile time. Copies of Horwitz’s 2011 publication, Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War, will be available for purchase following the talk. This free public lecture is sponsored by Ruby W. Linn.

APRIL

Farmer, 2007. Joe Farnham, National Heritage Museum.

Saturday, April 14, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Gallery Talk

Sowing the Seeds of Liberty: Lexington and the American Revolution

Get the inside scoop on the tendencies and tensions in Lexington before the British marched into town on April 19, 1775. Join Museum staff in an exploration of life in this small community where ordinary people took extraordinary actions and shaped history as a result. Free.

National Heritage Museum.

Monday, April 16, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Patriots' Day Activities


Celebrate Patriots' Day with arts and crafts activities exploring life in 1775. While you are here, take the opportunity to explore the exhibition, “Sowing the Seeds of Liberty:  Lexington and the American Revolution.“ $5/family (members); $7/family (non-members).

Masonic Emblematic Chart, 1840-1850, probably New York, National Heritage Museum, Special Acquisitions Fund, 90.20.  Photo by David Bohl.

Saturday, April 28

Symposium on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism

“Perspectives on American Freemasonry and Fraternalism”

This day-long symposium seeks to present the newest research on American fraternal groups from the past through the present. By 1900, over 250 American fraternal groups existed, numbering six million members. The study of their activities and influence in the United States, past and present, offers the potential for new interpretations of American society and culture. Diverse perspectives on this topic are sought; proposals are invited from a broad range of research areas, including history, material and visual culture, anthropology, sociology, literary studies and criticism, gender studies, political science, African American studies, art history, economics, or any combination of disciplines.

For a description of the day’s program and a registration form, click here.

Courtesy of Michael Halleran

Saturday, April 28, 1:00 p.m.

Lecture

Gentlemen of the White Apron: Freemasonry in the American Civil War

Michael Halleran will discuss the history behind the mythical stories of Masonic Brotherhood across Civil War battle lines. Come hear how Freemasonry made a difference in the experiences of Civil War soldiers. Halleran, an historian, attorney, and Mason, will sign copies of his publication, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Freemasonry in the Civil War, following the talk. This free public lecture is sponsored by Ruby W. Linn.

SEPTEMBER

Courtesy of Drew Fritschel Photography

Saturday, September 29, 2:00 p.m.

Lecture

Among the Ruins: Charles F. Morse and Civil War Destruction

Megan Kate Nelson of Harvard University will explore the Civil War experience of one Massachusetts soldier, Charles F. Morse. His letters, drawings, and other contemporary images will paint a picture of his time at the forefront of Union campaigns. Through Morse’s story, we can better understand how soldiers attempted to make sense of the ruin and destruction they confronted during the war. Copies of Nelson’s 2012 publication, Ruin Nation, will be available for purchase following the talk. This free public lecture is sponsored by Ruby W. Linn.

OCTOBER

Courtesy of Pamela Weeks

Saturday, October 20, 2:00 p.m.

Lecture

Quilts for Civil War Soldiers:

Stories from the Home Front and the Battlefield

Pamela Weeks, Curator of the New England Quilt Museum, uncovers the stories behind the rare surviving Civil War quilts made by caring hands for soldiers fighting for the North and the South. These quilts offer insight into the fascinating story of how civilians provided urgently needed aid for soldiers. Come learn about the quilts and their makers, as well as life on the home front during the war. Copies of Weeks’ 2012 publication, Civil War Quits, will be available for purchase following the talk. This free public lecture is sponsored by Ruby W. Linn.