The organizational history of the Royall House and Slave Quarters goes back to the establishment of the Royall House Association in 1906 to purchase and preserve the property.  Today the work of the museum depends on the efforts of scores of members and volunteers, led by an active Board of Directors with counsel from a distinguished Academic Advisory Committee.

The history of the museum has reflected developments in the City of Medford and changing understandings of New England’s colonial past.  The current mission of the Royall House and Slave Quarters grows out of an intensive reassessment of the museum’s role and future undertaken in 2005.  The annual reports from the Board to the membership provide a record of each year’s major activities and events.