“The most excellent library of English books, for its size, with which I am acquainted.”
—Harvard President Edward Everett, Eulogy of Thomas Dowse, 1858
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Thomas Dowse & His Library |
A largely self-taught Boston artisan, Thomas Dowse had a passion for reading. Throughout his lifetime, he amassed a library of books valued at more than $40,000—well over a million dollars in today’s currency. Though Dowse never visited the MHS, he gifted his library to the Society in 1856. In Dowse’s own words, “he had long been familiar with the character of the Society, and was personally acquainted with many of the members, he felt sure, that, in their keeping, his books which had been for many years his choice and cherished friends, would be carefully preserved and properly used...” Learn more about the Dowse Library.
MHS Members are invited to a special virtual event, for the Thomas Dowse & His Library, with Chief Historian and Stephen T. Riley Librarian Peter Drummey on 23 March at 12:00 PM. Register HERE. Not a Member? Join today.
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Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report Now Available
At the MHS, we are committed to providing access, sharing history, and making the MHS welcoming to all. These themes are found throughout this year’s report. Although 2022 was unpredictable with ever-changing Covid-19 guidelines, we
- reached audiences from six continents through our programming on myriad topics;
- created an astonishing 54,479 pages of reproductions;
- were open to in-person researchers for 210 days;
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published Fashioning the New England Family;
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and held a record-breaking Making History Gala with Heather Cox Richardson in conversation with GBH’s Jared Bowen.
Read the annual report here.
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Small Objects in Our Collection
Season 2 of The Object of History podcast continues on 15 March with “Small Objects.”
In this episode, we take a close look at some of the smallest objects in the MHS collection. Inspired by a visit from Dr. Madeline Zehnder, a postdoctoral fellow in the Literary and Epistemic History of Small Forms Research Training Group at Humboldt University of Berlin, we first examine small copies of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. In addition, Curator of Art & Artifacts Anne Bentley shows us some of her favorite small artifacts from the collection.
Listen to the podcast on the MHS website, or wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.
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Wednesday, 15 March| 6:00 PM
Dr. Joshua Smith, Director, American Merchant Marine Museum.
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Thursday, 16 March | 5:00 PM
Maeve Kane, University at Albany, with comment by Karin Wulf, Brown University.
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Saturday, 18 March | 2:00 PM
Laura Rocklyn, playwright and actor; Ty Hallmark, playwright and director; and Natalie Dykstra, Hope College.
SOLD OUT
If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, please e-mail Cassie Cloutier at ccloutier@masshist.org. If space becomes available, we will contact the names on the list on Friday, 17 March.
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Registration and Events
Interested in Past Programs?
If you missed a program or would like to revisit the material presented, please visit www.masshist.org/video.
Click below to view the latest video, Disability & the American Past: Intro to Disability Justice, with Britney Wilson, Jorge Matos Valldejuli, and Ellice Patterson, moderated by Jessica Cowing. Enjoy more videos by subscribing to the MHS YouTube channel after you view the video.
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Our galleries and library are open Monday and Wednesday through Friday, from 10:00 AM to 4:45 PM, Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 7:45 PM (the galleries and library open at 12:00 PM the third Tuesday of the month), and Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Please note that the last admission is 45 minutes prior to closing.
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An advance appointment is strongly encouraged for all researchers. Please visit our Appointment Request Form to select your preferred visit dates.
Set up an appointment via Zoom or live chat with a member of our reference staff.
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The MHS Fund and Membership
Our Members make it possible for us to offer an array of complimentary services including admission to our exhibition galleries and library, online access to our collections and digital editions, and onsite and remote reference services for all. Membership begins with a fully tax-deductible contribution of $250 or more to the MHS Fund. All Members enjoy a full year of social, cultural, and educational experiences, including invitations to our annual Holiday Party, FREE program registration, and Member Week perks. Learn more and join today!
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