APRIL 2008

Museum Hours:
Monday - Saturday 9:00 - 5:00; Sunday 12:00 - 5:00


Exhibition • American Style: Russell Kettell’s Pine Furniture 
February 1 – May 18, 2008
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 art, was the first to define the canon for the re-creation of historic domestic interiors. His book on pine furniture similarly defined for generations the distinctive appeal of the vernacular furniture of New England.  Respected collectors like Henry Francis DuPont and Nina Fletcher Little, legendary dealers like Roger Bacon and Lillian Blankley Cogan, and decorative arts museums from Winterthur to the Concord Museum all owe a debt to Russell Kettell. Learn More.

Ongoing Exhibition • Why Concord?
Why Concord? — a six-gallery exhibition, film and interpretive program at the Concord Museum — explores the making of Concord as a particular community and as a New England and American symbol.  The town of Concord, Massachusetts has played a significant part in the history of New England and the nation.  Founded by English settlers in 1635, it was the first inland town in Massachusetts, an advanced outpost of Puritan civilization in an area occupied by Native Americans for centuries.  Over a century later, as the site of the battle of April 19, 1775 between Minutemen and Redcoats at the North Bridge, Concord was the birthplace of the Revolutionary War.  In the mid-nineteenth century, the community became the center of an intellectual revolution that remade American literature and thought.  Concord was the site of Henry D. Thoreau’s experiment in independent living at Walden Pond and the base from which Ralph Waldo Emerson preached his philosophy of self-reliance.  Thanks to these associations, Concord has assumed a special place in the American imagination. Included free with Museum admission.

Ongoing Exhibition • A Main Street Point of View
This fascinating gallery installation at the Concord Museum peels back the layers of history of Concord’s commercial districts through contemporary photographs by Eric Roth, historical views, and three centuries of artifacts from the Concord Museum’s collection.  Included free with Museum admission.

Friday, April 11   •  Museum Storyhour
This season's storyhours—for children ages 3-5 with an adult—hit the nail on the head with its appreciation of the artistry of craftsmen and builders and a child’s fascination with tools.  Led by a Museum educator, the storyhour includes a book-related craft activity and a snack. April's feature story is There's Always Room for One More by the Schuberts. 1:00 PM; $8 Adult/Child pair; $5 Member Adult/Child pair. By reservation. (978) 369-9763.

Saturday, April 12  •  American Style Woodworking Workshop #3:  Small Six-board Chest
In the final Woodworking Workshop, join Master Craftsman and teacher John Barron as he guides, instructs and inspires as you make an American Style family heirloom that will be treasured for years to come. Bring along your favorite young person to learn basic woodcraft and build this traditional-style chest, shown in Kettell’s furniture book in Plate 30.  Just right for keepsakes, this chest might be the perfect Mother’s Day gift!  10:00-12:00; child age 10-16, accompanied by an adult; $70 Members; $90 Nonmembers; includes materials/tools; by reservation, (978) 369-9763.

Game BoardSunday, April 13
In Your Neighborhood   •  "Hubbard Street"
Come along for an early spring walk on Hubbard Street, Concord's first true subdivision. The route will include the land of farmer Ebenezer Hubbard, the Black Horse Tavern moved from its Main Street location, and homes of such Concord personalities as Horace Tuttle, Ole Thorpe, Sam Staples and George Tolman.  Special to this neighborhood are the distinctive carriage houses and the well-preserved, towered Italianate villa house forms.   This walking tour of Hubbard Street, conducted by a Museum educator, takes place rain or shine, lasts two hours and begins at the Museum. 1:30-3:30 by reservation; $15 Adults, $12 Seniors, $10 Members.

Gameboard, Attributed to Ebenezer Hubbard (1782-1871)
Concord, around 1810
Eastern white pine, mahogany, birch, holly
F1413 Concord Museum
Photograph by David Bohl

PATRIOTS’ DAY
Monday, April 21 •  Museum Open 9:00-5:00HMS Crew
 Make the Concord Museum part of your 2008 Patriots' Day tradition as we celebrate "the shot heard'round the world" with activities for all ages. From 11:00-4:00 visit crew members from the HMS Somerset to experience life in the navy of His Majesty King George III.  If life on the high seas isn't for you, pick up a fife and join martial musicians playing the stirring music of the Revolutionary Armies.  On the home front, apprentice with a village tinsmith willing to share the art and mystery of his trade, as you create a punched tin candle lantern.

In the Why Concord? history galleries, explore the Museum's outstanding collection of treasures fromApril 1775 including the famous Paul Revere lantern, Amos Barrett's powder horn, Major Buttrick's pistols, a fife played by a young boy and swords from both the British 10th Regiment and a Concord Minuteman. Discover the part these objects played in the events of the fateful day that began an eight-year fight for independence.This Patriots' Day come visit the Concord Museum—where Concord's history begins! All activities free with Museum admission; Members Free..

PROFILE-TAKING  •  Friday & Saturday, April 25 & 26
In the American Style tradition, silhouette artists Jean and Marcella Comerford use their skill with a scissor to cut delightful heirloom-quality portraits that make a wonderful gift or keepsake.  The artists have a monthly column, "Cut-Ups," in Yankee magazine.  Appointments are scheduled 9:30-4:00 each day; each sitting is approximately ten minutes. Children ages six months and up and adults of all ages are welcome. $28/profile; $10 additional copies; frames and mats available for sale on day of sitting. By reservation.

MAY 2008

Museum Hours:
Monday - Saturday 9:00 - 5:00; Sunday 12:00 - 5:00


Exhibition • American Style: Russell Kettell’s Pine Furniture 
February 1 – May 18, 2008
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 art, was the first to define the canon for the re-creation of historic domestic interiors. His book on pine furniture similarly defined for generations the distinctive appeal of the vernacular furniture of New England.  Respected collectors like Henry Francis DuPont and Nina Fletcher Little, legendary dealers like Roger Bacon and Lillian Blankley Cogan, and decorative arts museums from Winterthur to the Concord Museum all owe a debt to Russell Kettell. Learn More.

Ongoing Exhibition • Why Concord?
Why Concord? — a six-gallery exhibition, film and interpretive program at the Concord Museum — explores the making of Concord as a particular community and as a New England and American symbol.  The town of Concord, Massachusetts has played a significant part in the history of New England and the nation.  Founded by English settlers in 1635, it was the first inland town in Massachusetts, an advanced outpost of Puritan civilization in an area occupied by Native Americans for centuries.  Over a century later, as the site of the battle of April 19, 1775 between Minutemen and Redcoats at the North Bridge, Concord was the birthplace of the Revolutionary War.  In the mid-nineteenth century, the community became the center of an intellectual revolution that remade American literature and thought.  Concord was the site of Henry D. Thoreau’s experiment in independent living at Walden Pond and the base from which Ralph Waldo Emerson preached his philosophy of self-reliance.  Thanks to these associations, Concord has assumed a special place in the American imagination. Included free with Museum admission.

Ongoing Exhibition • A Main Street Point of View
This fascinating gallery installation at the Concord Museum peels back the layers of history of Concord’s commercial districts through contemporary photographs by Eric Roth, historical views, and three centuries of artifacts from the Concord Museum’s collection.  Included free with Museum admission.

Friday, May 9   •  Museum Storyhour
This season's storyhours—for children ages 3-5 with an adult—hit the nail on the head with its appreciation of the artistry of craftsmen and builders and a child’s fascination with tools.  Led by a Museum educator, the storyhour includes a book-related craft activity and a snack. May's feature story is Workshop by Andrew Clements. 1:00 PM; $8 Adult/Child pair; $5 Member Adult/Child pair. By reservation. (978) 369-9763.

MOTHER’S DAY TEA & TOUR
Sunday, May 11 • 1:00-3:00 & 2:00-4:00
Mother's Day is the perfect occasion to bring your daughter, mother or grandmother (or your whole family!) to the Concord Museum to enjoy a special tour that focuses on some accomplished women in Concord's history.  Extend your stay and enjoy afternoon Tea & Sweets.  By reservation.$15 Museum Members; $20 Nonmembers.

 

JUNE 2008

Museum Hours:
Open seven days a week 9:00 - 5:00
Wednesday, JUNE 25th FREE Summer Evening from 5:00 - 8:00pm


SUMMER SUNDAYS: Highlight Tours
The Museum is open from 9–5 every Sunday June through August.  Bring a friend and enjoy the half-hour Highlight Tour of the renowned “stars” of the Museum’s collection.  Learn more about the 1775 lantern, the furniture in the period rooms and the clocks manufactured on Concord’s main street in the early 19th century.  The Highlight Tours are at 11:00 on Sundays only; Free with Museum admission; Members Free.

GARDEN AFFAIRS TOUR
Friday and Saturday, June 6 & 7
Don’t miss the 19th annual tour of eight outstanding private gardens, now held over two days.    The lovely tour of Concord gardens is self-guided and self-paced, beginning each day at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until 4:00 p.m., rain or shine. Some of the features of this year’s gardens include:

•  a meandering path of coral bells
•  a wisteria-covered patio
•  a grandchild’s garden complete with playhouse
•  a shade garden with mayapples
•  a trellised terrace with climbing roses
•  grandmother’s peonies

Each garden reflects the individual interests and passions of the owners and their families and will inspire both new gardeners designing their first perennial bed and accomplished landscapers with acres of garden rooms. Garden-goers should arrive at the Museum to pick up their maps prior to starting out.  Single-day tickets for either Friday or Saturday may be reserved in advance (through June 2nd) or may be purchased on the tour day. Organized by the Museum’s Guild of Volunteers as a benefit for the Museum’s education initiatives. Single-Day Advance Tickets: $25 Members, $30 Nonmembers; Single-Day Tickets at the door: $30 Museum Members, $35 Nonmembers.  No refunds or exchanges; no photography.

LISTEN, MY CHILDREN: A Museum Storyhour
Friday, June 13  •  1:00
Celebrate the start of summer with a reading of the beautifully-illustrated Flower Fairies of the Summer by Cicely Mary Barker and make a flower fairy home from natural materials to place in your garden. Led by a Museum educator for children ages 3-5 with an adult; $5 Member  pair; $8 Nonmember pair; by reservation.  

RIVERFEST 2008
June 14 & 15
During this 7th annual celebration of the Wild and Scenic Concord, Assabet and Sudbury Rivers, there will be many events happening up and down the rivers!  Come to the Museum for a free viewing of the film “Exploring Concord” featuring historic spots along the rivers. Assemble and color a wooden sailboat to take home.


CONCORD MUSEUM-ORACLE
2008 GOLF  TOURNAMENT
Monday, June 23 at the Concord Country Club.
The annual tournament, the Museum’s largest fundraising event, includes sponsorship by local, regional and national companies. This year Oracle is the Lead Sponsor and Cambridge Trust is the Presenting Sponsor.


BE OUR GUEST
Wednesday Evening, June 25
Summer evenings are a perfect time to visit the Museum.  Bring family, friends or out of town guests to linger in our engaging history galleries and distinctive changing exhibitions, take in the quiet eloquence of our Exploring Concord film, and enjoy the historic beauty of our period rooms. Create your own memories with our family-friendly hands-on activities.  Free Admission for all from 5:00-8:00 p.m.


NEW EXHIBITION IN THE WALLACE KANE GALLERY
Seasonings: A Calendar of Culture
June 21 through September 14
The four seasons – summer, fall, winter and spring – evoke distinctive individual memories, yet often with universal appeal. This engaging exhibition draws 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 of summer, the exhibition begins by chronicling the season of outdoor recreations, summer breezes, and patriotic celebrations.  Spring, fall and winter are similarly explored through artifacts that bring to mind a seasonal sense of time and place: spring cleaning and baseball, back-to-school and applepicking, keeping warm and snow sports.  Free with Museum admission; Members Free. 

Opening Reception for Members and Guests
Thursday, June 19  •  6:00-8:00, Members Free.

Gallery Talk presented by curator David Wood 
Sunday, June 22  •  2:00
Reservations requested; Free with admission, Members Free.

JULY 2008

Museum Hours:
Open seven days a week 9:00 - 5:00
Wednesday, JULY 23rd FREE Summer Evening from 5:00 - 8:00pm


IN THE WALLACE KANE GALLERY
Seasonings: A Calendar of Culture
June 21 through September 14
The four seasons – summer, fall, winter and spring – evoke distinctive individual memories, yet often with universal appeal. This engaging exhibition draws 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 of summer, the exhibition begins by chronicling the season of outdoor recreations, summer breezes, and patriotic celebrations.  Spring, fall and winter are similarly explored through artifacts that bring to mind a seasonal sense of time and place: spring cleaning and baseball, back-to-school and applepicking, keeping warm and snow sports.  Free with Museum admission; Members Free.


SUMMER SUNDAYS: Highlight Tours
The Museum is open from 9–5 every Sunday June through August.  Bring a friend and enjoy the half-hour Highlight Tour of the renowned “stars” of the Museum’s collection.  Learn more about the 1775 lantern, the furniture in the period rooms and the clocks manufactured on Concord’s main street in the early 19th century.  The Highlight Tours are at 11:00 on Sundays only; Free with Museum admission; Members Free.

 

BE OUR GUEST
Wednesday Evening, July 23rd, 5:00 - 8:00pm
Summer evenings are a perfect time to visit the Museum.  Bring family, friends or out of town guests to linger in our engaging history galleries and distinctive changing exhibitions, take in the quiet eloquence of our Exploring Concord film, and enjoy the historic beauty of our period rooms. Create your own memories with our family-friendly hands-on activities.  Free Admission for all from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

AUGUST 2008

Museum Hours:
Open seven days a week 9:00 - 5:00
Wednesday, August 20th FREE Summer Evening from 5:00 - 8:00pm


IN THE WALLACE KANE GALLERY
Seasonings: A Calendar of Culture
June 21 through September 14
The four seasons – summer, fall, winter and spring – evoke distinctive individual memories, yet often with universal appeal. This engaging exhibition draws 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 of summer, the exhibition begins by chronicling the season of outdoor recreations, summer breezes, and patriotic celebrations.  Spring, fall and winter are similarly explored through artifacts that bring to mind a seasonal sense of time and place: spring cleaning and baseball, back-to-school and applepicking, keeping warm and snow sports.  Free with Museum admission; Members Free.


SUMMER SUNDAYS: Highlight Tours
The Museum is open from 9–5 every Sunday June through August.  Bring a friend and enjoy the half-hour Highlight Tour of the renowned “stars” of the Museum’s collection.  Learn more about the 1775 lantern, the furniture in the period rooms and the clocks manufactured on Concord’s main street in the early 19th century.  The Highlight Tours are at 11:00 on Sundays only; Free with Museum admission; Members Free.


BE OUR GUEST
Wednesday Evening, August 20th, 5:00 - 8:00pm
Summer evenings are a perfect time to visit the Museum.  Bring family, friends or out of town guests to linger in our engaging history galleries and distinctive changing exhibitions, take in the quiet eloquence of our Exploring Concord film, and enjoy the historic beauty of our period rooms. Create your own memories with our family-friendly hands-on activities.  Free Admission for all from 5:00-8:00 p.m.